I'm Sorry
It feels that the best way to start this writing off is with some serious empathy....I'm sorry.
I'm sorry there are hundreds of diets out there. HUNDREDS! Hundreds of options makes it really difficult for you to settle on one that you can stick with for a lifetime. You've probably heard of, or even tried, one or more of the following diets: low carb, high fat - or keto - whole food only, raw food only, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, low calorie, fasting.............
Where does it end?!?!?
Guess what? There are benefits to ALL of those diets.
Low carbohydrate diets are often used to treat obesity or type 2 diabetes.
The ketogenic diet - a high fat diet - which mimics a fasting state, was originally designed to treat patients with epilepsy.
Studies show that grain- and dairy-free diets lead to a tremendous boost in overall internal health.
Other research shows that a high intake of plant foods leads to significant reduction of chronic disease.
And science also shows us that fasting is associated with hormonal balance, regulated metabolism, and good gut health.
We really could go on and on.
Wouldn't you love to STOP haphazardly following mixtures of diet advice on your own, and instead START leading a healthy way of eating that works for you?!
Many folks have a habit of just diving into a new diet trend because they've been led to believe it's healthy. Remember, there are benefits to all sorts of diets in use today. It's just that no single diet is the right diet. But there is a right one for you.
The Stats
Did you know that eighty percent (80%) of U.S. adults engage in dieting on their own, mainly for weight management? Perhaps you'll find this interesting too: back in 2011 when I was defending my Master's thesis on the barriers to weight management for overweight and obese adults, I was reporting that thirty percent (30%) of U.S. adults were obese.
It's heart breaking that, ten years later, I'm not reporting that this statistic has not declined. In fact, obesity has risen to over forty percent (40%).
Something's wrong here. Don't you want to find out what's wrong here? And correct it?! The state of health that we are in, as a culture, is really not okay. Cardiovascular disease continues to be the number one cause of death; that hasn't changed in a decade either.
Also included in the top ten leading causes of death in the U.S. are cancer, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes (a multi-system disease!), kidney disease and illness. These diseases don't develop overnight; in most cases, they develop as a result of poor lifestyle habits over a lifetime.
What a drain all this can be on our wallets, too! Collectively, Americans are spending billions of dollars on weight loss efforts. Just think: gym memberships, books, health & fitness tracking technology, meal prep services, weight loss programs, prescriptions, surgeries, foods marketed as low cal, low fat, sugar free.
It's not that all of these are bad or that you shouldn't spend your money on them. But they can be a wasted expense if they're not helping you to actually move forward.
Do you know what makes a particular food healthy, or not? Do you know how to adapt to healthy lifestyle habits? Can you recall a time or more where your attempts to do something about your weight was really just a reaction to frustration or an urgent recommendation from your doctor?
Before you spend another dollar or minute on weight loss...
...know this: You are a unique individual! You have genes, characteristics, experiences, and desires that, altogether, cannot be duplicated in another person on the planet! You can share similarities with someone else, without a doubt. But it just isn't wise to choose a particular way of eating because you've heard or seen it work for someone else. It is most wise to do your research or get support.
If you're currently in a state of frustration, take a few minutes to read Are You Ready to Get Ready. This article will help you identify what the single, most greatest inspiration is in your life before going to work on your weight. And once you're ready to go all in, then it's time to determine what's missing. What information do you need? Can you do this on your own? Should you do this on your own? Who can help you?
Guess what? Even nutrition experts have supportive people in their corner! Support is 100% necessary in all that you do for your lifetime. Don't fall into the trap of believing that getting support is a sign of failure. Don't give naysayers an unearned win. Demonstrate what is possible - you are always stronger than you think!
Support is Necessary
One of the greatest, most important keys to mastering your health and wellness is having a qualified nutrition master to guide you. This is not to suggest you can't do this on your own, but doing it on your own does pose a few risks. One risk, for example, is preventing your body from getting essential nutrients that could help you feel comfortably full from a meal, and naturally energized.
The qualified nutrition master can help determine which diet is right for you. The diet that results in desirable outcomes. You reap nothing but benefits; it's sustainable; YOU LOVE IT! Not only does the qualified nutrition master help you to establish a healthy lifestyle that you love, that person demonstrates exquisite listening and understanding of your personal situation. This person is honest with you; this person does not give you that weird sensation that causes you to think: something about this interaction just doesn't feel right. Trust your gut!
If you'd love to find out which diet is best for you by working with a nutrition expert, here's one option:
During this one-hour wellness coaching session you can expect to receive a comprehensive analysis of your health history, current eating habits and lifestyle habits. Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist, Alyssa Cometto, will discuss with you what you wish was different about your health and wellness, how you would like to eat, and how you would love to feel!
She will provide you with the recommendations that she sees will help you move toward sustainable wellness that suits YOUR lifestyle!
Alyssa's mission is to guide you to the healthiest foods that will satisfy your cravings and sustain your energy, while equipping you with the tools to eat regret-free, guilt-free...absolutely joyfully! She believes that if we only get one life to live, it might as well be fabulous! Ready to say goodbye to your unhealthy lifestyle? Let's get started.
References
Boison D. (2017). New insights into the mechanisms of the ketogenic diet. Current opinion in neurology, 30(2), 187–192. https://doi.org/10.1097/WCO.0000000000000432
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Obesity Facts. Retrieved January 2021 from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Leading Causes of Death. Retrieved January 2021 from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm
Clemens, Z., Kelemen, A., Fogarasi, A., & Tóth, C. (2013). Childhood absence epilepsy successfully treated with the paleolithic ketogenic diet. Neurology and therapy, 2(1-2), 71–76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40120-013-0013-2
Fitness for Weight Loss. Diet and Weight Loss Statistics. Retrieved January 2021 from http://www.fitnessforweightloss.com/diet-and-weight-loss-statistics/
Greger M. (2020). A Whole Food Plant-Based Diet Is Effective for Weight Loss: The Evidence. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 14(5), 500–510. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827620912400
Hall, K. D., & Guo, J. (2017). Obesity Energetics: Body Weight Regulation and the Effects of Diet Composition. Gastroenterology, 152(7), 1718–1727.e3. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2017.01.052
Lindeberg, S., Jönsson, T., Granfeldt, Y., Borgstrand, E., Soffman, J., Sjöström, K., & Ahrén, B. (2007). A Palaeolithic diet improves glucose tolerance more than a Mediterranean-like diet in individuals with ischaemic heart disease. Diabetologia, 50(9), 1795–1807. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-007-0716-y
London, D. S., & Beezhold, B. (2015). A phytochemical-rich diet may explain the absence of age-related decline in visual acuity of Amazonian hunter-gatherers in Ecuador. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.), 35(2), 107–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2014.12.007
Kelly, T., Unwin, D., & Finucane, F. (2020). Low-Carbohydrate Diets in the Management of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: A Review from Clinicians Using the Approach in Practice. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(7), 2557. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072557
O'Dea K. (1984). Marked improvement in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in diabetic Australian aborigines after temporary reversion to traditional lifestyle. Diabetes, 33(6), 596–603. https://doi.org/10.2337/diab.33.6.596
Stekovic, S., Hofer, S. J., Tripolt, N., Aon, M. A., Royer, P., Pein, L., Stadler, J. T., Pendl, T., Prietl, B., Url, J., Schroeder, S., Tadic, J., Eisenberg, T., Magnes, C., Stumpe, M., Zuegner, E., Bordag, N., Riedl, R., Schmidt, A., Kolesnik, E., … Madeo, F. (2019). Alternate Day Fasting Improves Physiological and Molecular Markers of Aging in Healthy, Non-obese Humans. Cell metabolism, 30(3), 462–476.e6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.07.016
Wheless J. W. (2008). History of the ketogenic diet. Epilepsia, 49 Suppl 8, 3–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01821.x
Zouhal, H., Bagheri, R., Triki, R., Saeidi, A., Wong, A., Hackney, A. C., Laher, I., Suzuki, K., & Ben Abderrahman, A. (2020). Effects of Ramadan Intermittent Fasting on Gut Hormones and Body Composition in Males with Obesity. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(15), 5600. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155600