Patients often come in to see me baffled and confused about what to eat. Whether it is Paleo, Atkins, South Beach, Gluten-free, or another popular diet, it can be overwhelming to know which diet is right for you. We have so much information, sometimes conflicting information, at our fingertips that the true benefits of a diet's claim can be confusing. Although everyone has different dietary needs based on their body composition, health history and food sensitivities & allergies, I have provided some help to point you in the right direction as far as nutrition is concerned.

 

Ask yourself these questions…

 

-Have you followed a diet not been able to stick with it long term?

-Did you lose weight on the diet, but gain it back?

-Was the only goal of the diet to lose weight fast?

 

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it is likely to be a fad diet that will likely not be beneficial for you in the long term. What is a fad diet? A fad diet is a nutrition plan that gains success off of quick results but rarely do these diets support long-term health goals. Sometimes fad diets such as the Paleo Diet do teach us something valuable such as the importance of eating whole foods. But, sometimes these diets are unhealthy and difficult to follow for any length of time because of the extreme changes in food intake. Because people cannot keep up the extreme changes, people often fall off the plan and gain the weight back that they lost.

 

Everyone has unique nutritional needs and you need to take into consideration your metabolism, genetics, activity level, nutritional needs, age and where you live. You also want to consider the sustainability of the diet and make a choice based on long-term benefits. The goal with your health is to support your overall health that will last a lifetime. If you cannot implement lifestyle changes for an extended period of time it is going to be difficult to have lasting results.

 

To help you make a change TODAY and to start implementing healthy diet habits, I have 3 tips for healthy meals:

 

1. Eat well-balanced, nutrient-rich meals, every 3 – 4 hours.

2. Try eliminating foods that may not be good for you for a week and then reintroduce them and see how you feel. (such as sugar, processed foods, dairy, gluten)

3. Eat at least 3 servings of vegetables every day.

 

Try implementing these tips. If you have trouble implementing all three suggestions, start with one and practice it on a consistent basis and then add in the others, once the one health habit is well-established. Before long you will find that a healthy, well-established nutrition plan yields better results and is easier to maintain, thus increasing your chances of success!

 

September is Fruit & Veggie Month. Visit fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org for recipes, tips on shopping with a budget, healthy activity ideas for kids, menu planning and more!