Nutrition By Addition: Stop Restricting and Start Adding
Nutrition by addition is a nutrition approach that focuses on adding beneficial foods to your diet instead of cutting foods out. It helps people reach their nutrition goals by improving their diet quality, satiety, and satisfaction – all without restriction! This article covers what nutrition by addition is, its benefits, and how to *actually* implement it into your daily life with examples.
What Is Nutrition By Addition?
Nutrition by addition is the opposite of restriction. Instead of cutting foods out of your diet, focus on adding beneficial foods to your diet. With this approach, all foods can fit in your diet; no food is โoff limits.โ By adding more healthy foods to your plate, it naturally leaves less room for less healthy choices in a way that doesn’t feel restrictive.
The Benefits
- Itโs a sustainable eating style, not a diet. No foods are “off-limits” or cut out of the diet, which reduces all-or-nothing thinking around food. This also reduces binge eating behaviors when all foods are allowed as part of a balanced eating pattern.
- Nutrition by addition is good for your health. Adding more nutrient-dense foods to your diet improves nutrient diversity and overall health.
- Nutrition by addition is enjoyable! You can still enjoy all of your favorite foods in moderation.
Why Nutrition By Addition Works
- Satiety: adding more healthy foods to your meals keeps you full so you arenโt hungry all the time and actually have energy.
- Sustainability: most people can maintain this approach long-term, unlike most diets which fail within weeks to months.
- Health: the focus shifts to โwhat nutrients do I need to fuel my bodyโ instead of just focusing on reducing calories.
How To *Actually* Implement It
Step 1: fill a majority of your plate with sources of protein, fiber (complex carbs, fruit and veg), and healthy fats.
Step 2: add the food you are craving to your plate in the space that is left.
Step 3: enjoy your meal mindfully.
Step 4: repeat at the next meal.
Example #1
Say youโre craving coffee cake. To practice nutrition by addition, add a protein, fiber, and healthy fat source. You could have scrambled eggs (protein) with veggies (fiber) and avocado (fats) alongside your coffee cake. Or pair a slice of coffee cake with some greek yogurt (protein) with fruit (fiber) and nuts (fats).
Example #2
Youโre going out to eat and you want cheese pizza. You know eating this on its own wonโt leave you satisfied for very long. So you add a side salad with chicken (protein), greens + chickpeas (fiber), and Italian dressing (fats).
Final Thoughts
As you can see, nutrition by addition is not a complicated diet or set of rules you need to follow. It simply focuses on how you can add more of the good stuff to your plate first, then enjoy a small amount of what you’re craving once you’ve gotten some good nutrients in. If you’re looking for more details on what are healthy protein, fiber, and fat sources, you can check out my article: how to build a balanced meal.
I hope this approach helps you reach your nutrition goals in a healthy and balanced way! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any thoughts or questions.
