Forget the Fads: The Real Secret to Optimizing Your Diet
Nutrition can be extremely confusing. We are inundated with information and what feels like a new type of diet every week - plant based, vegan, vegetarian, carnivore, animal based, ITFYM (If it fits your macros), intermittent fasting, keto, paleo - who can even keep track anymore??
Further adding to the confusion, you can probably find a relevant study or testimony from someone claiming to have gained great results from every single one of these diets!
And even more confusing still - most of these diets seem to be associated with some sort of “ideological” mentality.
This traps us into falling into a specific camp or group, pitting each group of individuals against each other, each swearing their way is the best way.
That can leave the rest of us perplexed: What is actually the ‘BEST’ diet?
We start to question our foundational knowledge...
What is healthy?
What is unhealthy?
What should I be eating? How much of it should I be eating?
Which macro percentages are the best?
It can be a lot to digest (no pun intended). In this blog we are breaking it down and sharing our best tips so you can cut through the noise and discover your own optimal diet.
While we are not here to tell you which one you should be doing, we do believe that one thing holds true: there is no ‘BEST’ way, only the best way for you.
Everyone's biological makeup is unique so, following one script and/or generic way of eating just because everyone else seems to be following it and getting "insane results" is not likely going to be the best solution.
Let's start by looking at perhaps the most contested battleground: plant-based vs animal-based. One group claims that a largely plant based diet (with some meat) is far superior, while the other believes the opposite is true.
The polarity of these diets is not what we want to focus on, though. Instead, let's look at what they have in common.
Whether the proponents on either side openly admit it or not, they can unanimously agree on one thing - processed food = bad!!
Whether it is meat, vegetables, grains, or otherwise - processed food has been determined to be extremely detrimental to our health.
Given its destructive nature, a simple first step in revamping your nutrition is to ruthlessly limit, or remove processed food from your diet.
Next, start experimenting and cooking your own food with a variety of delicious whole foods from the raw.*
You're going to start feeling some changes...
Track your body’s reaction and response to each type of food:
- Find out which foods your body responds well to - i.e. What gives you energy? What digests well? What stimulates your taste buds?
- Add these foods to the “OPTIMAL” column (write this down if it helps you remember).
- What makes your body hate you - i.e. Do certain foods make you bloated, gassy, sluggish or tired?
- Put these foods in the “AVOID” column!
Once you're done testing and learning, you'll have a good idea of what kinds of food you should be eating more and/or less of, and that will be the foundation of your ideal diet. You may find it ends up skewing more vegetarian, Mediterranean, or otherwise; but either way, you will have a better baseline from which to refine (look out for an exciting post about that coming soon!)
Your body can be an incredible indicator of success and you can expect it to not only feel, but show the benefits your new regime has on your health.
Once you start fueling it with the food you discovered as optimal for YOU, some of the benefits you can look forward to include weight loss, great skin, healthier hair, less pain/inflammation, stronger bones and an overall more vibrant appearance.
Most importantly, you’ll be preventing a myriad of diseases/conditions, you’ll feel stronger, have more energy and be more motivated to give life your best.
Good luck on your own personal quest to find the best way of eating for you!
*DISCLAIMER: Always seek advice from your doctor and/or nutritionist to avoid exacerbating food intolerances, or potential underlying health conditions.