Recently, I’ve found myself having a lot of conversations on nutrition, a lot of you reaching out with questions about trending diets, weight-loss, and general healthy eating…
Truth is there are more diets out there than ever, couple that with a growing interest in fitness, and everyone seems to be trying something. Needless to say, I get it, there is an overwhelming amount of information being thrown at us from every angle– including both credible & questionable media. Week by week the narrative changes, as if one food group is out to kill you, while another is now the universal cure-all, and you’re right to feel confused.
By now most of you are likely familiar with Whole30, KETO, and Intermittent Fasting, or at least heard them tossed around– these are the three I get the most questions about. While I’m not going to address any one of these diets directly today, the bottom line is this: yes, the before and afters are often real, and yes you can achieve results through many of these practices. However, I would caution you from ending your research there.
Beyond the the math and science, the mental component of these diets is also worth considering. Diets are not only a physical, but mental practice, and this should never be underestimated. I can’t tell you how many self-proclaimed “serial dieters” I’ve met over the years, each confessing a sense of hopelessness concerning their weight, and worst of all a disappointment and shame in themselves. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN! Guilt, anxiety, and shame should never be associated with how you view food. In fact, fueling your body should be enjoyable!
“When a diet fails it’s often not a reflection of your efforts. Dieting in and of itself predicts weight gain– how’s that in food for thought?…”
Diets come and go, because the results do exactly exactly the same. Most diets demand adopting unrealistic habits that are consequently unsustainable, and our bodies are complex systems, so starvation (calories/fuel) or unnecessary restriction (aggressive food elimination) is likely to agitate the system. You may be satisfied for a time, but this short-term gratification is fleeting, certainly not enough to sustain you, and that’s why diets ultimately fail.
So how do you handle nutrition in a manner that’s healthy for both your body and mind?….
Rather than finding solace in a quick fix recipe, always look at the big picture. Yes, this takes time & patience– more than we’re often willing to give– but considering your long-term relationship with food, a sustainable lifestyle, and how all of the experimentation (that’s right, every time you try a diet you’re submitting your body to an experiment) will ultimately affect your body is worth the time & research. Study your current habits, document your food, but don’t get obsessive about any one element. Think holistically– FOOD in any measurement, be it calories, fat, carbs, etc. should never be feared! Take each day as a learning opportunity to show your bod some love & let it love you back. Work towards developing a lifestyle that adds to your quality of life rather than taking away from it. More often than not, I’d say 80% of my job is getting clients to eat better whole foods and more of them, not less!
Finally, remember everyone is different, so what works for you may not work for your sister, spouse, or friend, so don’t submit to those same expectations– the only problem with realizing there’s no one solution is that there’s then no magic pill.
If you have any specific questions please shoot me a message via our Contact Page, DM me on Insta, or leave a comment below. Take it from a Fitness Expert & “Professional Bruncher”– you can have your cake and eat it too ;)
