Here’s a post from Emily with everything you need to know about how to sift through the confusion of traditional diets…
What is the best “diet” out there?
This has been a debate for years. It provides confusion, revenue, and for extra fun the best “diet” out there is always changing.
Atkins
South Beach
Paleo
Whole 30
Weight Watchers
Nutra System
Slim Fast
Jenny Craig
The Zone
Low Fat
Fat Free
Skinny Bitch
Commit to Fit
Primal
Liquid
Raw
Just to name a few…
Though some have some similar guidelines, they are all slightly different in their structure, beliefs and certainly their cost. Diets, as much as they like to claim to be one size fits all, aren’t, and they set people up to fail. The hottest diet is always changing, but the way our body’s process food hasn’t changed.
So how do you now what works, what doesn’t and what one will work for you?
The simple truth is the best “diet/nutrition” plan is the one that will work for you in your lifestyle, and the one you will actually do. What good is prepackaged astronaut food doing you, when it is sitting in your basement because you can’t bring yourself to eat it. What good is that diet book, or cookbook doing you sitting on the shelf?
If you can stay consistent, and find some joy in the process you will be successful.
This goes for vowing you will never eat a type of food again. “I will never eat sugar again.”
Although I would love to think everyone wants this, and can do this, it is not realistic for most people. I say this all the time, for most people there will be birthday cake in life. So the almighty vowing doesn’t work for everyone either. You end feeling deprived and like a failure when you “cave” to the sugar demons. We also all really like to rebel, so setting a hard and fast rule like this will send your inner 3 year old wanting the food even more. Now, mind you I’m not talking about truly toxic food that should never cross your lips, for that crap you should vow never again.
Finding the right plan for you…..
Things to consider before you decide to go on a “diet/nutrition” plan:
Look for a plan that will educate you about food & your body: plans, diet, books, groups, are only as good as how much you use them.
So if you are on a plan that tells you what to eat and when to eat it, without telling you what the food is made up or why, or a prepackaged food plan; what happens when it is over?
Or when you grow tired of the menu/meal, or prepackage food. You are officially set a drift and off the program. Make it a learning process- about food, about what you like, what works for your body.
The most impactful, successful plans focus on teaching you how to each real food, and about the food you are eating. I am convinced that if half of us knew what was actually in our food and what it was doing to our body we would change the way we eat.
Do your research: don’t sign up for a plan you are not willing to do the work for. If I’m not willing to eat prepackage space-food, I probably shouldn’t sign up for the plan that requires me to. Same with eating off a meal plan that tells me exactly what to each at each meal, I shouldn’t chose this if I want to be in control of my menu.
This is the same saying I use for goals, don’t set goals you are not willing to do the work for.
HOWEVER, know that all plans are work. There is not a nutrition plan out there that will tell you to eat whatever you want, when you want. You are after change, and that means doing the work to get there.
Here is a hard one-What works for you may not work for your body, or your goals: There will be a little discomfort, there always is in change.
“We tend to always look for the information we want not the information you need.” -Jimbo Slice
Thank you Jimbo. This means we really want to stay in our comfort zone, find the path of least resistance. We seek out a diet that is not challenging, and not necessarily the one that will work towards our goals. So our plan fails.
A great example of this is the low-fat diet, eating sugar free jello, cool whip and snackwell cookies.
Although low-fat, convenient,and keeps you in the sweet business, is not going to help you if your goal is fat loss, and better nutrition. There will be sacrifices you need to make, but make sure they are the right ones.
Nutrition plans, diets, detoxes all work, cost money and take time. Work on finding the one that is teaching you how to eat for your body, your goals, and for your life.
Diet hopping is frustrating for both you and your body. Once you find one, make the investment, do the work. Preferably one that focuses on whole foods that your body can recognize, process and get the benefit from.
Food choices have power behind them, good or bad, everything we eat impacts our body; it is up to you to ensure it is for the better of your body when you put that food in your mouth.
There is a big difference between knowing what to do and doing it. Once you get the knowledge that it is about application, and consistency.
Eat well, have fun and move your body.