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Breaking down the PiYo Meal Plan

by | Mar 25, 2019 | Last updated Feb 15, 2022

PiYo is a Beachbody® workout plan that combines the best of pilates and yoga. Through this fusion, participants can expect to build a strong core, increase flexibility, and get an overall good workout! It is also a favorite of many workout enthusiasts as it allows participants to get a great workout from home (sustainability anyone?). Within the program, PiYo also offers a diet plan for participants to follow. Is the PiYo meal plan as effective as the workout? Let’s take a look!

The PiYo Meal Plan – Healthy eating made easy?

The Beachbody website says the PiYo meal plan was developed to make healthy eating easy and intuitive. The diet is based on five food groups including primary vegetables, secondary vegetables/grains, fruit, protein, and healthy fats. Within the diet, you will be giving a specific number of servings of each food group depending on the goals you have. Right off the bat, this diet seems to have a solid approach to whole food nutrition and a strong focus on important aspects of a well-balanced diet. Diving deeper, we all know what foods are healthy but how do we know the correct amount of these foods to eat? This is where things start to get confusing!

How about healthy eating made…complicated?

Looking at a sample PiYo meal plan on the Beachbody website, this diet quickly goes from wholesome and balanced to confusing and overly complicated. The provided meal plan was for a 1800-2100 calorie per day diet. Within each day it is recommended that you have (get your calculator out): six servings of primary vegetables, three servings of secondary vegetables/grains, three servings of fruit, seven servings of protein, and four servings of healthy fat. Okay… What happened to easy and intuitive? Not only do you have to keep track of getting the correct servings around each category but also work to use the provided spreadsheets to find what foods fall in these categories! Whats a primary vs. secondary vegetable is? Isn’t a vegetable a vegetable?

To combat this over-complication, PiYo gives sample meal plans that include meals that fit the necessary break down. Although it is always helpful to get an idea of what to eat, the complicated nature of deciphering what foods fit into what category and how to get the necessary amount makes followers of this diet dependent on the diet standards and breakdown and less on finding what works best for them.

How Noom is different

At Noom, we will never tell you how much or what to eat. We believe that lasting behavior change comes only through ownership and sustainability. Find what vegetables you enjoy, or what you like to eat for breakfast, and how this can support your goals! Ready to find an eating plan for the rest of your life? Noom has you covered.

Author: Nicholas Gregory, MA