When it comes to the basics of a healthy lifestyle, there are some fundamental ‘rules’ that benefit everyone, regardless of biological sex, age and activity level:
• Eating optimally – a varied diet of whole, minimally processed foods.
• Moving our bodies in smart, efficient ways.
• Getting enough sleep, sunshine, recreation and connection.

The focus of this article is how minimalism can support our nutrition planning and an overall healthy lifestyle.

The advantage of minimalist eating is that you can choose to follow any number of rules and you won’t be wrong! What’s most important is to figure out what works for your lifestyle, then build it into your routine.

But what about individual differences? There are clearly some individual specific factors which come into play when fine-tuning optimal eating plans for individuals, such as taste, preference and bioenergetic needs. Keep that in mind as you experiment and recognise that you know your own body best.

At its simplest, a minimalist diet is any approach to preparing and eating food that focuses on simplicity. I am always cautious about the word ‘diet’, as it can be dangerous when the science and methodology is not understood, is incorrectly applied or fanatically adhered to, with no regard to what the individual’s body needs.

When it comes to creating a minimalist diet, I recommend trying to have as few specific rules as possible and basing them on what aligns with your life, beliefs and bioenergetic needs. Knowing the ‘why’ will help you to easily remember your rules and enable you to sustain this method.

Here are so me guidelines to consider when planning a minimalist diet.

Design meals around a ‘staple’
Create a set of go-to meals that you enjoy eating, while meeting your bioenergetic needs. Base them on simple, single-ingredient foods which can be used across multiple meals.

Where possible, use foods without packaging
While ‘zero waste’ is an admirable goal, avoiding packaged foods cuts down on storage space and also minimises waste. These food choices will almost always be healthier as you’re eating more natural, fresh and whole foods.

Organise your kitchen
When you stick to a core group of meals, you will find you only need a few key pots, pans, utensils and dishes. Streamlining your food prep will also enable you to declutter your kitchen.

Keep seasoning/flavours simple
Simplify by focusing on a few go-to seasonings that can be used across a variety of meals. Olive oil, salt and pepper are good examples of versatile condiments that meet your needs and help you to appreciate the natural flavours in the foods you eat.

Don’t overthink it!
Adopting a diet with very strict rules may be great for weight loss, for example, but often requires a lot of time, thought and energy to make sure you’re following it properly. The whole point of minimalism is to create space and time, not consume them. Any type of diet that creates anxiety or takes too much of your thought-space throughout the day defeats the purpose.