What type of diet is the THERMOfit Challenge?

1. It's not a diet. The term 'diet' automatically implies this is a short-term, restrictive way of eating in order to achieve a certain result – usually something weight and number-based that isn't maintainable. We're about teaching long-term balance and non-restrictive ways of eating to achieve your goal and uphold it.

2. It's a blend of a few well-known diets (don't hold this word against me, I mean it in the literal sense of 'foods you eat in a day'). I curated Thermofit by cherry-picking what I think worked in each popular diets and created a feasible plan that works for most bodies, leaving behind strict diets that I don't believe are sustaining and can be harmful to our mindsets. I.e.: take paleo - sure, it's a great approach - eat everything natural, no refined sugar, no grains etc. Things I didn't like however is the thought process that a paleo diet should consist of a lot of meat, particularly red meat. I don't believe this is the healthiest way and excludes a lot of diets like vegetarian and vegan. Meat is by no means necessary for a healthy diet or to lose weight, there are many great protein alternatives and a high diet of too much red meat can lead to other health issues (as is with anything consumed in very high quantities). Keto – low carb and a good amount of fats however it doesn't focus on the actual ingredients themselves so you can still be consuming additives and preservatives without knowing. Another is that a lot of the fat involved came from dairy but you want a diverse range of healthy fats from things like avocado, olive oil, nuts – not all dairy-based.

3. We don't count anything except for our wins. No calories or macros and, depending on your relationship with the scales, I recommend not focusing on that number either. It's about getting the right nutrients and fuelling your body properly – our body doesn't deal in numbers. It can become very easy to obsess over numbers and a negative mindset can take over – if you're counting and you don't achieve the result you wanted, you're focussing on the minutia, it's not about that extra 10g you had that week, it's about the big picture. It's about having a healthy body and healthy mindset. Focus on eating real, whole foods in a diverse diet and the rest will follow.

4. The breakdown you'll find in Thermofit – 50% health fats, 30% protein (plant and animal) and 20% carbs (fruit and veg). This is the formula I've seen has worked the most and have developed this program to teach you all about what happens in the body when you consume all of these things and the response your body has and why. I educate you on how to create this balance to get the result you're looking for.

5. A huge focus is on the 80/20 rule – 80% of the time you're following your program, 20% of the time you're relaxing and enjoying treats that are off-program. This is a lifestyle rather than a diet, so it needs to be sustainable and treats are a big part of that.

6. Everything is gluten, grain, refined sugar and additive free. It's all about whole foods that are nutrient dense. It doesn't mean you can't eat it ever – that's your 20%! Thermofit places great emphasis on intuitive eating and learning to be in-tune with your body. This is a course not a diet. It's flexible and can be adjusted it to your lifestyle. Don't like something? Swap it out. Use this as a guide and make it work for you. My aim is education and empowerment and learning that not one diet fits all.

I hope this has helped to give you a greater insight into what Thermofit is all about and it sounds like the right program for you! If you have any more questions, please get in touch via email or join the Thermofit Facebook community!