Diets are a dime a dozen and perhaps you’ve tried everything. What if I told you that getting thin, increasing your energy and leveling your hormones it’s not about dieting, its about finding the foods that work best for you and eating them together. What if I told you here was a cook book that could coach you into optimizing your digestion and while helping you shed pounds from the inside out? Thin From Within – The Go with Your Gut Way to Lose Weight, by Robyn Youkilis is a book that will help you learn to tune into your gut as well as learn how to design nourishing and satiating meals while also supporting optimal health and weight maintenance.
Robyn Youkilis, a certified heath coach, developed what she calls her Good Gut Rule of Five to cut straight to the chase and share exactly what to consider eating at each meal. Her promise is that eating in this way will ensure that you are getting both macro and micronutrients, as well as gut-healing superfoods. Robyn says,
“When I eat most of my meals according to this formula, I feel satisfied and content. I’m not bloated, and my weight is an afterthought.”
Keep your meals simple and nourishing – aim to include one ingredient from each of the five categories that follow for a complete and nutrient dense meal.
Robyn’s Good Gut Rule of Five
- Greens – Kale, collards, arugula, spinach, lettuce . . . Aim to have at least two or three big handfuls of greens with most meals. Greens contain fiber, which not only helps to fill you up and keep you regular, leafy green veggies are some of the most nutrient-dense foods, and will help regulate your blood sugar and as a result you will have more energy and fewer cravings. Greens are fat soluble so best consumed with #2 healthy fats!
- Healthy fat – Avocado, olive and flax oils, almonds, and coconut oil all count here. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 to 2 ounces of nuts, or ¼ to ½ of an avocado at each meal. Fats are essential for proper absorption of most vitamins and minerals. Don’t fear fats, they are a critical part of your diet and will help with weight management.
- Protein – Tempeh, sprouted lentils, legumes are some examples of great go-to protein options on the Go with Your Gut Weight Loss Plan. Protein keeps you full and stabilizes your blood sugar, so you won’t keep dipping into your raw chocolate stash or crash halfway through your afternoon meetings.
- Fermented food – Including fermented veggies on your plate is the good gut secret to weight management through a healthy micro biome, you need all that great bacteria throughout the day to keep your digestion humming! Examples include raw sauerkraut, fermented beets, fermented carrots or radishes, and kimchi. Try adding 1 to 3 tablespoons at each meal, and feel free to work your way up to ½ cup or more. If you’re not used to the flavor of fermented veggies, try mixing them with avocado to soften the taste.
- Cooked vegetables – Having a cooked veggie or two with any meal- in addition to leafy greens- always makes the meal feel more robust and filling. Roasted zucchini, broccoli, sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots are all examples of delicious cooked complex carbohydrates. Try roasting a batch of seasonal veggies at least once or twice per week.
The Good Gut Rule of Five makes it really easy to build a simple and delicious meal that keeps you full, nourishes your body, and supports a healthy gut.
Want to learn more, dive deeper into the Good Gut Rule of Five and find gut-friendly recipes in Thin From Within.
