If you plan on looking slim in your bathing suit this summer, consider making this your new mantra: “Eat. Cheat. Defeat.” That line is straight out of the pages of Dr. Melissa Hershberg’s book The Rebel Diet. With nearly four years of experience coaching clients in preventive medicine and nutrition, the 32-year-old Toronto doctor has developed a weight-loss plan that ditches traditional diet rules-rules that often include banning alcohol, sugar and fat.
Here are three pieces of her weight-loss wisdom:
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“A lot of people think, Summer holidays are coming-that means I can eat whatever I want,” says Hershberg. Instead, aim for balance. If you’re on a week-long cruise, “fill up on high-fibre foods such as fruits, vegetables, and lean protein at the buffet, and plan a treat for the day so you feel you are allowed to cheat and are in control.”
There’s room for chocolate, alcohol and even fast food in every healthy diet. “I have no problem with indulging, as long as it’s in moderation,” says Hershberg. In fact, it’s better to have a small portion of white pasta than a heaping portion of whole wheat pasta, she explains.
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Packaged Japanese Shirataki noodles are a must: At zero calories per bag (yup, you read that right!), mix them with your regular pasta to add bulk with fewer calories. Or do like Hershberg and drink a glass of unsweetened almond milk to tide you over before a late dinner. Want to try a vegetable that may not be on your usual shopping list? Hershberg suggests tearing a bunch of kale leaves into bite-size pieces, adding a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of kosher salt, then baking (on a baking sheet) at 375°F for 20 minutes. Add apple cider vinegar, to taste.