The Best "Diet"
Are you curious about what the best diet is? Maybe you wish to lose weight? Maybe you want to improve your health? With a lot of Nutrition study behind me and years of trying different “diets” myself, I think I can give you some good insight. It may not be what you think…
Okay I’m going to go into some of the fundamentals of healthy eating later on in this post, but first I want to debunk some common myths that are floating around in the media. It seems to me that every time I walk by the magazine rack at the grocery store, there is some new fad that is being glamorized by celebrities and fitness enthusiasts. To be honest, it pains me to see this because I know that people read this stuff and believe it. I want to give you comfort in this post, in that you don’t need to do anything crazy to start feeling better physically. You don’t need to give up eating carbs or fats or whatever else people are professing. The key is balance and finding a way of eating that best supports you as an individual.
After getting my Masters degree in Nutrition, I thought there was a cookie cutter way for people to eat. After I received my Health Coaching Certification from IIN and actually starting working with clients, I quickly realized that there isn’t a one size fits all solution. There is a concept called bio-individuality, which basically states that every body is different, and so the way you eat should be catered to you as an individual. There are so many factors involved… gender, stage of life, activity level, state of health, environment, etc.
For example, a middle aged woman who is trying to lose a few pounds and infuse healthier meals into her household is going to eat differently than a 25 year old male trying to gain muscle and compete as an athlete. As nutrition professionals, it’s important to take all factors into account.
So on to the fundamentals…
Nix the processed foods, added sugars, & hydrogenated oils… these don’t serve a purpose for anyone. They all lead to inflammation and over time disease.
Focus on whole plant foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, & seeds)… I’m not here to tell anyone to jump on a the vegan bandwagon, however, I do believe that eating 80-90% plant based will make significant improvements in your heath. With that said, if every once in a while your body has an intense craving for animal protein, I would suggest you listen.
Drink more water. Most of us are walking around chronically dehydrated and could use an extra glass or two. Aim for half your body weight in ounces!
Eat mindfully and enjoy your food. Becoming overly obsessive on what to eat and what not to eat can in extreme cases lead to things like orthorexia and other eating disorders. I’ve been sucked into that rabbit hole and it is not fun. Stop stressing about every spoonful of nut butter, eating too many carbs, or counting calories. Eat food you know is good for you & enjoy your life!
With all that said, I do want to mention that food is literally medicine for chronic illness. There are certain ways of eating that can vastly improve many conditions that do call for strict protocols. Depending on the condition, I would recommend a strict diet in particular cases.
If you have any nutrition questions that you’d like answered, feel free to send them my way.
xo,
Allison