Science
- Danish-born Suzy Wengel, a dietitian and CEO of a Biotech company, is the author behind 'The Scandi Sense Diet.'
- Her eating plan is based on the simple principle of measuring your portions of food for each meal with handfuls.
- Each meal should consist of four handfuls - one each of protein and carbohydrates, and two of vegetables - plus a spoonful of fat.
- Wengel lost six stone in 10 months by following this diet and has kept the weight off since.
- Business Insider spoke to Wengel over email about her weight loss and 'The Scandi Sense Diet.'
When it comes to health and wellbeing, simplicity is always key - if something can fit into your daily routine and not feel like too much of a chore, you're probably more likely to stick to it.
Danish-born Suzy Wengel, a dietitian and CEO of a Biotech company, believes she has the answer to weight loss and healthy eating. In her book "The Scandi Sense Diet," she details a plan that is based on a sensical principle that has been hailed as "the simplest diet in the world."
Under the diet, each meal should consist of four handfuls of food - a handful of protein, of carbohydrate, and two of vegetables - plus a spoonful of fat.
This means no calorie-counting or weighing of food portions - which can be difficult if you're on the go and impossible if you don't own a pair of kitchen scales.
39-year-old Wengel found inspiration for her book through her own personal experience. She told Business Insider that she lost 88 pounds (just over six stone) in 10 months - and, crucially, has kept it off by deploying her handful strategy at mealtimes.
"I weighed around 220 pounds (15.7 stone) when I was at my heaviest (after giving birth to my second child) and now I am around 132 pounds (9.4 stone). My weight has been stable for over six years using the principles in The Scandi Sense Diet," she said over email.
Here's a photo of Wengel before and after following her diet:
She wrote in the caption: "I repeatedly lost 44-66lb and put it back on again, gaining a little more weight each time. After seventeen years I finally stopped yo-yo dieting and #overeating.
"There is no magic behind my method and tools - just a healthy and balanced view on diet and exercise."
Following this diet, she estimates you can lose on average 0.9-1.8lb (400-800g) per week, until your desired weight is met. The handful plan will roughly translate to 1,500 calories a day for women and 2,000 for men.
And the good news is you can still factor in a glass of red with your spag bol (by swapping out pasta), as well as cooking with oil and butter.
So what does a four-handful meal look like?
If you're tempted by the diet and are looking for some recipe inspiration, Wengel told Business Insider that there are over 44,000 pictures on Instagram using the hashtag #sensekost that show what meals look like under 'The Scandi Sense Diet.'
Here are some of Wengel's snaps that could work for a full day of eating - spaghetti bolognese included - along with the handful content written in each of the captions.
Breakfast
Handful 1-2: asparagus, green salad
Handful 3: 2 eggs, an extra egg white and a half handful of white puck cheese 17%
Handful 4: saved in favour of a little more protein
Fat: Oil to fry egg and 30g of roasted pine nuts
Seasoning: salt, pepper, chili and garlic
Lunch
Handful 1-2: carrot, cucumber, pepper, tomato, mushroom
Handful 3: pate, egg, a piece of bacon
Handful 4: bread
Fat: three different cheeses
Seasoning: marmalade
All washed down with a pot of tea.
Dinner
Handful 1-2: onions, chopped tomatoes from cans, cabbage
Handful 3: beef
Handful 4: saved in favour of a glass of wine
Fat: olive oil, cream, fat cheese
Seasoning: salt, broth, garlic, oregano, chili flakes
Wengel added that men and children should eat pasta with this meal.