The Perfect Diet...?
Paleo, Keto, Whole30, Vegetarian, Carnivorous, 30 day detox, juice cleanse, low carb, high fat, low cal…
The list of “diets” grows daily. Another miracle weight loss program guaranteed to give you a flat stomach, stronger sex drive, perfection complexion, increase your IQ…it’s hard to even type that with a straight face. I’m going to let you in on a little secret though…
It’s 99% BULLSHIT. (I try to avoid speaking in absolutes)
Any plan that promises to do anything in 30 days is just that. Frankly, you can’t expect to treat your body like shit for 1-10 years, then hop on a bandwagon for 30 days and expect that to all disappear.
And you’re smarter than that…but the marketing can be hard to ignore. Who doesn’t want a quick fix? A fast track? Shortcut? We’re so ingrained in our NOW culture, that it’s hard to fathom having to do something, consistently, without immediate gratification, for weeks, months, YEARS in order to see progress.
Before anyone commits to a specific “lifestyle” of eating (think long-term here), they should commit to doing the below steps first and foremost:
1. Eliminate as many processed foods as possible. Approach this realistically. Don’t try to eliminate everything you’ve eaten and drank for the past year in 30 days. Maybe you take a week or two to kick your sugary drink habit? Yes, this includes 0 calorie soda pop. Increase your intake of good old H20. Say goodbye to grab-n-go snacks like chips, candy, trail mix, and granola bars full of sugar. Look at the ingredients – can’t pronounce that? Then why would you want to eat it? At the very least, do some investigation into those ingredients. Identify what they are and their purpose for being in your food.
2. Start shopping on the perimeter of the grocery store. The fresh foods areas, produce, freshly made foods, meat, some dairy. Diving into the middle aisles as little as necessary.
3. Start making food at home – kick the habit of grabbing lunch / dinner at a restaurant or a drive through. Hop on Pinterest and look up easy, healthy recipes to make at home. Make it a family affair and cook with your spouse. Get the kids involved in choosing and making side dishes. Lead by example…and they will follow. Dictate a new regimen, and you’ll lose them.
4. Move your ass. Eating well is definitely the first step to feeling better…but at some point, you need to get your body up and moving around as well. This doesn’t have to be hitting the gym hard 5-6 times a week. This can start with walking 30 minutes daily 4-5 times a week. Doing some mobility (stretching) for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week. Bodyweight movements – pushups, air squats, situps, lunges – all get the blood pumping. Grab a buddy and get your sweat on!
After you’ve mastered the above fundamental steps toward being a healthier you, then by all means jump into Paleo, Keto, Whole30. Just make sure you’re doing it safely and realistically. What works for a 25 year old elite male athlete might not be the best for a 40 year old mom of 3, and visa versa. Lifestyle, age, gender, race, and hormone levels are all very real factors that should be taken into account before committing to a specific diet.
Except ANY “detox cleanse”. I would NEVER recommend those. People. Our bodies “detox & cleanse” themselves daily. That’s quite literally what our liver, kidneys, intestines, lymphatic systems (and many more), are there for!
Instead, try nurturing your body (and those systems) through solid nutrition, and you will be good as gold!
It can seem overwhelming, I know. Just breathe. You can do this.
And if you need help? That’s what’s I’m here for! A nutrition coach can help you navigate the “realities” of health in a world of misinformation. Hop on my services page and request a consultation – sometimes all it takes is a solid pep talk to kickstart your path to health!