Coined by registered dietitian, Dawn Jackson Blatner, the word “Flexitarian” comes from the words “flexible” and “vegetarian.”

Flexitarian is a primarily vegetarian plan to lose weight and reverse chronic disease that is a little more flexible than its pure vegetarian counterpart as it allows the occasional consumption of meat. In other words, you are vegetarian most of the time but can have a burger or a steak every now and then, which can help you stick to a mostly plant-based plan that is necessary to reverse chronic disease and improve your chances at longevity.

The Flexitarian plan is composed of balanced carb (57%), balanced fat (27%) and generally low protein (16%) making it one of the best diets in overall health outcome and ease of application. With this plan the practice of Intermittent Fasting (IF) is added to the protocol which results in the fastest weight loss. Daily calories of this plan with intermittent fasting is about 1000 kcal.

Intermittent Fasting (IF) is not a diet per se but could be more accurately described as an eating pattern that cycles between periods of feeding and fasting. It could be added to any eating plan you are on as it does not specify which foods you should eat but rather when you should eat them, which for most means skipping a meal causing a reduction in total caloric intake to the tune of 300-500 calories per day, which can assist any weight loss plan.

Here are the three most practiced forms of IF:

• The 16/8 method: Restrict your daily eating period to 8 hours by skipping breakfast or dinner.
• The 24-hour method: Fast from dinner one day until dinner the next day, one to two times per week.
• The 5:2 method: Consume only 500–600 calories on two non-consecutive days of any given IF week but eat as usual the other 5 days.

We advocate the 16/8 method as it has been reported by our clients to be the simplest, most sustainable, and easiest to stick to.

Types of Food You’ll Eat On This Plan

ENJOY fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, eggs, beans, lentils, soybeans, dairy, sugar, and spices.

REDUCE primarily meat and alcohol.

ELIMINATE eat more plants and do the best that you can limiting all else.