The BEST Diet
“GO VEGAN!”
“KETO!”
“GLUTEN-FREE!”
“COUNT CALORIES!”
“CELERY JUICING!”
“PESCETARIANISM!”
“INTERMITTENT FASTING”
“INTUITIVE EATING.”
OMG.
There are so many nutritional approaches coming at us- from everywhere! And people are gung-ho on their stance… super passionate about what they eat, and WHY they eat it. And why I should be eating it. Sometimes, I feel like I might offend someone by NOT following their nutritional leadership…
It’s a wild world out there. And to an extent…. they ALL are right.
And, they ALL are wrong.
I’ve come to believe there are as many “right” diets as there are people on the planet. What and how we chose to eat- and how it affects the quality of our lives is a terribly complicated ripple effect and depends on countless factors (think culture, familial upbringing, socio-economic orientation, personal preference, spirituality, habits, beliefs, allergies/sensitivities, medical conditions, current lifestyle...)
We’re all our own unique little snowflakes, and our diets are just as complex.
Usually, when we’re talking about making a dietary shift or change it’s with the goal of feeling better and living a more fulfilled life.
Whether that means weight loss, increased energy, resolving gut-issues, decreasing your carbon footprint, etc… being clear on how we want to live can be a powerful compass in helping determine our perfect “diet”.
The most powerful nutritional shift I’ve personally made in my life (which HAS led me to feel better and live a more fulfilled life)- is when I began focusing on real whole food.
I now look back and can see the steps I took to make this shift, but during the transition it wasn’t easy- and I WASN’T WILLING to do much shifting.
Most of the processed foods & drinks I had been consuming I was habitually hooked on. My coffee (about 5 cups daily)- included of a pack of Splenda, and ½ a cup of Sugar Free French Vanilla creamer. Some days I’d be very minimal- drink a couple Sugar Free Monster energy drinks, along with a couple protein bars, maybe a beef jerky stick- and felt like I was good to go! At that time, I was focused on living low-carb and avoided sugar like the plague. While I certainly found benefits from a low-carb life (and still do)- I tended to find myself reaching for the processed low carb items. Things like salt and vinegar pork rinds (yum!) were a daily snack, and ALL the cheese and bacon. It wasn’t a well-balanced diet, and I can deprive myself of carbs for ONLY so long…….
This describes just one of the MANY many nutritional approaches I’ve tried on.
I also went “low calorie” for a period of time (Diet Coke was my bff). I had this long-time mindset that calories were to be avoided whenever possible. If I found something “diet”, “light”, “no/low-calorie”, it was probably a good idea to buy it! Of course, now it’s clear that low-calorie (low-fat) processed foods are packed with crazy fillers and tons of nonsense, which is likely why I constantly felt hungry and deprived (insert binge activation here)!
Different nutritional approaches … all with the goal of feeling good in my body and living a more fulfilled life… just weren’t making the mark. Or maybe it was me not following them the way I should have. If I had really stuck to Keto, and done it properly, perhaps Id be successful with living a long-term low carb lifestyle. Or if I really committed to vegetarianism, and made the commitment to lean on my plant-based protein sources, perhaps I’d be fulfilled and happier.
The truth is- we are ALL different. What may work for one person may not be the key for the next.
And that’s TOTALLY OK!!
It wasn’t until I finally ditched the calorie counting and ignored trendy nutritional hype that I finally began making personal progress. I simply started focusing on actual NUTRIENTS from real foods found in nature (I’m talking apples, cucumbers, peppers, sunflower seeds, bananas, nuts, eggs, chicken breast, sweet potatoes, water melon, snap peas, spaghetti squash, coconut oil…). I started to see food as nourishment and fuel for my body, filled with natural nutrients that promote metabolic health and stability. Stopped worrying about minimizing calories, and started celebrating whole food nutrients to boost my metabolism and vitality.
THIS was when I had my ah-ha moment.
Now, don’t be fooled, I still had tricky eating habits, craved sugary cereals, fantasized about ketosis weight-loss, and struggled with binge-purge cycles.
But I began to build a foundation for the deeper work I was about to do.
It was the beginning of MY “right” diet, MY nutritional approach.
Once I started to discover the portions of whole foods for my body to feel fueled (just enough, not too much)- that’s when the magic happened!
That’s when I finally began to lose those last 15 lbs.
When my skin started to glow.
My face de-puffed.
My sleep patterns shifted.
My digestive problems resolved.
My energy levels elevated.
My engagement in simple moments intensified.
My body was running on premium energy, with the best ingredients, and so the Compound Effect begins!