Quick Diet Guide to Losing Weight
Introduction
Here is the quick weight-loss guide I share with my wedding couples to steer their new dietary choices.
Baseline Intent (Philosophy)
Eat nutrient-dense foods. If you make any change in your diet, this is it. Filler foods are sooooooo 1984. You’re better than that. “Eat with intent” is your new mantra! If you’re hungry, feed your engine with something meaningful!
Inflammation and Deficiency
Inflammation
Healthline says (reviewed by Seunggu Han, MD): “Inflammation refers to your body’s process of fighting against things that harm it, such as infections, injuries, and toxins, in an attempt to heal itself. When something damages your cells, your body releases chemicals that trigger an immune response. This response includes the release of antibodies and proteins, as well as increased blood flow to the damaged area. The whole process usually lasts for a few hours or days in the case of acute inflammation. Chronic inflammation happens when this response lingers, leaving your body in a constant state of alert. Over time, chronic inflammation may harm your tissues and organs. Some research suggests that chronic inflammation could also play a role in a range of conditions, from cancer to asthma.”
Inflammatory Foods
Grains, including whole grains or all-bran products (breads, crackers, rice, cereals, etc.)
Processed foods (products with additives and preservatives; genetically modified foods; or anything else not in their whole, natural form)
Dairy (butter, milk, and cheese processed from animals)
Alcohol
Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners
Animal protein with high levels of saturated fat (red meat, pork, wild game, etc.)
If I don’t eat those inflammatory foods, then….
If you need fiber, eat beans or dark leafy greens instead of processed grains.
If you need calcium or vitamin D, eat dark leafy greens instead of dairy.
If you need antioxidants, eat grapes instead of drinking red wine.
If you need protein, eat lean meat, eggs, fish, nuts, and other protein-rich foods instead of drinking a protein shake. Please note that the plant-based option is the least inflammatory in most bodies.
Deficiency
The body is composed of 2 central systems: the core and the peripheral. The core system—the engine—has particular demands to maintain homeostasis (the perfect balance between effectiveness and efficiency). The peripheral system supports adaptive software that manages behaviors, compensations, toxins, and compromises of our natural processes, as well as the operation of our biological clock. It helps the body manage periods of fasting and stress, as well as day-to-day physical hacks. It can also help the employee assigned to the midnight shift adapt her biological clock to meet her basic needs… even if it's not ideal. It’s important to note that just because the body can adapt, it doesn’t mean it’s sustainable or ideal. The body will always try to steer you back to its original processes. Long story, short: Yes, you can survive on periods without food, but consider how the body may compensate (and it may not help your health goals).
Starved or Stuffed
You never want to starve (which can lead to the compensatory, deficient state described above) or be stuffed (your body may hold onto more than it needs or convert even the extra good stuff into fat, triglycerides, etc.).
Specific Food Approach
General Guidelines
Daily caloric range: 1200-1500 calories (determine the healthiest amount for you).
Meal caloric range: 3-500 calories
Meals per day: 3-4 every 3-5 hours (allow enough time for proper digestion and absorption)
Simple Plate Ratio
Use this breakdown for every meal, small meal, snack, or what my 20-month-old son, Preston, calls “snat”.
45-55% Plant Nutrients/Vegetables (dark green, starchy, red/orange, etc.)
25-40% Protein (lean white meat, fish, soy, eggs, vegetables, nuts, beans, etc.)
25% Fiber (beans, legumes, fruit, seeds, vegetables, etc.)
*****Although I haven't explicitly mentioned it, you should still be mindful of the number of good fats (nuts, avocado, olive oil, etc.) in your diet, too. You shouldn't exceed 15% in any given meal unless deemed necessary.
Biological Clock and Circadian Rhythm
Your body wants to be an efficient machine that operates on autopilot. Most of the time, it depends on its biological clock - a blend of natural and reinforced forces. With this being said, you can train your body to efficiently release a flood of hormones to help you utilize the fuel you feed it at the same time each day. You already did this in grade school when you ate lunch at 11:37 every day and still felt the hunger pangs at the same time over your summer break. The principle also applies to your efficient recovery while you sleep each night. Your body will naturally wake you gradually over the next 3 hours leading up to your wake time. Going to bed at the same time every night will reinforce this habit and wake you up without an alarm clock as well!
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
