I had never heard of the 5-4-3-2-1 Diet before. Sounds interesting.
Basically, the 5-4-3-2-1 diet consists of three meals a day each containing:
5 bites of protein
4 bites of vegetables
3 bites of carbohydrates, preferably whole grains
2 bits of sweets
1 minute between bites
Add: One mid-morning snack, one mid-afternoon snack (yogurt or other dairy, fruit, nuts), a multivitamin, and 8 glasses of water each day.
Rules for this diet plan:
- If your menu items are not separated, eat 14 total bites. For example, a pasta dish would not be separated.
- Bites should be “normal”-sized and chewed well (one way to help keep bites proportioned is to move a piece of food off to the side of your plate for each bite you eat).
- If your menu items are not separated, eat 14 total bites. For example, a pasta dish would not be separated.
- Eat mindfully. Don’t be distracted. Savor each bite.
- Limit diet soda to one per day.
- Prepare foods in a healthy manner. Limit fats to two teaspoons of heart-healthy oils, such as olive oil, each day.
- Use food pyramid guidelines for snack portions.
- Include a minimum of 30 minutes each day of exercise.
- Choose denser foods to stay full longer.
I've never counted my bites before. When looking over this diet right away I wonder if this would be enough calories every day. I doubt you could do this diet over the long-term. Has anyone tried it?