Bella Adams
Eating only when you’re hungry, no prohibitions, but plenty of healthy nutrients – what sounds like a tasty and simple diet is a new diet concept designed to keep the body healthy and slim.
In addition to very one-sided diets and radical diets that promise quick success, more enjoyable and healthier trends such as intuitive eating are currently becoming increasingly popular.
The new dietary method PFC Every 3, which is currently enjoying great popularity in America, goes in a similar direction. The focus is on a balanced diet without strict prohibitions.
Eating nutrients in a balanced way
The diet concept was developed by nutrition expert and New York Times bestselling author Mark Macdonald. The idea behind it: Integrate a nutrient-rich diet easily into everyday life.
How does that work? Quite simply, actually. The letters “PFC” in the name stand for the macronutrients protein, fat, and carbs.
The “Every 3” refers to the time interval between food intake. So, during the diet, a balanced, nutritious meal should be eaten every three hours.
Keeping blood sugar constant
So completely without large restrictions, this Diät does not seem at first sight really promising or beneficial for the figure.
However, according to the inventor, the combination of meal intervals along with nutrients should help the body regulate blood sugar levels.
This is because the consumption of carbohydrates causes it to spike.
However, if a good portion of protein is eaten in addition to carbs, glucagon production is stimulated at the same time, keeping insulin levels constant.
Food attacks and cravings are thus less likely, and the desire for sweets also decreases.
According to Macdonald, this diet is also designed to protect muscles, as the body increasingly goes to fat reserves for energy.
Heed the signals of the body
Those who would like to follow the Diet should learn to pay attention to the signals of the body. This means: only eating when you feel a slight hunger and stopping eating before you have stuffed too much into yourself.
The PFC Every 3 formula, therefore, provides for a small meal every three hours, which then consists of three portions of equal size: protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Low-calorie but nutrient-rich foods such as green vegetables, lettuce, or spinach may be added as desired.
The good suppliers of nutrients
Important: When it comes to the right choice of food, it is important to remember that not all fats and carbohydrates are equally good for the body.
The focus should be on complex carbohydrates with a lot of fiber – they keep you satiated longer. On the plate belong therefore above all:
- Whole grain products
- Legumes such as peas or lentils
- Fruit
When it comes to fats, too, the focus should definitely be on the healthy varieties that are good for the body:
- Nuts, seeds, and kernels
- Avocados
- vegetable oils such as olive, linseed, or hemp oil
- oily fish
When it comes to proteins, lean meats or plant-based protein sources are the best choices:
- Poultry products
- tofu
- Legumes
- Chia seeds
- Pollock
- Cottage cheese
Our conclusion on the PFC Every 3 diet
The new trend diet from the USA pursues in principle a meaningful beginning, but does it really help to lose weight? This is what FIT FOR FUN nutritionist Andra Schmidt says about the PFC Every 3 concept:
“At first glance, the PFC Every 3 diet definitely does not look like a crash diet. No renunciation, no yoyo effect. That is of course top. I find it likewise optimal that the consumers are ‘educated’ to a normal balanced nourishing behavior.
The Diät sets on all macronutrients and uses nature-left food. Therefore, it automatically happens that no refined sugar and unhealthy trans fats are ingested.
Still, it’s questionable to me how someone is supposed to learn intuitive eating when an alarm rings every time after three hours to eat the next meal. I find the strict requirement of when to eat and what to be critical.
Every metabolism – every person – needs a different rhythm.
In addition, the portion sizes are too standardized – body size and age are not taken into account. The carbohydrate content is a bit too high for someone who wants to lose weight.
It would be better to increase the proportion of vegetables and vegetable and animal proteins. It is through proteins that fat burning is stimulated and muscle mass is built up, which leads to more calories being consumed at rest.
Last but not least: I’m not a fan of counting calories myself, but anyone who wants to lose weight should know that a bowl with chicken, avocado, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini, for example, easily comes to 700-800 calories.
If I then eat scrambled eggs with tomatoes and a slice of wholemeal bread in the morning, I’m at 1100 calories in total. Then snacks and dinner are still missing. What I’m saying: Only with a calorie deficit – even if it’s only 200 calories a day – will long-term weight loss success occur.”
