Simplify Your Diet With Alton Brown’s Four Lists Method
The key to a successful diet is finding something that you actually stick with. If you haven’t found it yet, Alton Brown’s four-list approach might help.
Alton Brown builds his meals based on lists that determine how often he eats certain foods. Four lists:
- Daily (whole grains, green tea, fruits, nuts)
- Three times a week (fatty fish, tofu, yogurt, sweet potatoes)
- Once a week (alcohol, desserts, red meat, white starch)
- Never (soda, canned soup, anything “dietary”, fast food)
You may find that the black and white approach to eating is not right for you, but Alton Brown explains why it helped him lose weight and become healthier (through exercise):
The real importance of the never list is that you must make a commitment that there are some things in your life that you will give up and never have again. And I don’t know of a single diet that says, “You know what? Some things you are going to say goodbye to forever. ” I actually think this is important because it is a symbolic life change that says, “I am turning the corner.” This statement is, “I am making constant changes.” This is important both from a psychological point of view and from a nutritional point of view.
Of course, your lists don’t have to be exactly the same. Make your own list of foods that you will eat every day, a couple of times a week, once a week, and (almost) never meet your individual goals. To learn more about how Alton Brown developed this approach, check out the full interview at the link below.
Nutrition Expert Alton Brown Explains Weight Loss and His Four-List Method | Atlanta Best Self Magazine