THE GREAT DIET DEBATE
No one would disagree that nutrition plays a massive role in your health. But strangely, in the game of nutritional success, there seems to be no single answer on exactly what people should be consuming in order to become their healthiest self.
So, what does that mean for you? At the end of the day, you must be the final judge for which dietary habits work best for your life. Although there are many strategies, all health-focused diets tend to have the same objectives (the Big Four), and play with the same principles of nutritional constants that we can experiment with and learn from (Macronutrients and Food Groups).
__________
Learn the macronutrient breakdowns that form different dietary strategies, and with the help of a Dietitian, build a nutrition plan for yourself that is sustainable with your goals and your lifestyle.
THE BIG FOUR
Diets may seem drastically different from the outside, but you will notice a very simple game being played. Excluding short-term diets that are purposed for vanity-based weight loss, all whole health-focused diets have the same end game with the same Big Four end goals in play.
MEDICAL HOMEOSTASIS
Numerical values and general evaluation for all of your organ systems are stable and in the “good” range, signaling the primary goal above all others. Each of your internal processes and immune protection is stable and able, allowing you to go about a long, disease-free life.
Pain-free power
You’ve got energy! Your diet should support clean, non-crashing energy to carry you throughout your day’s activities, big or small, without indigestion or other pains slowing you down or lowering your abilities.
SUSTAINABILITY
Financially, emotionally, and in your schedule, your dietary lifestyle should be able to stand the test of time. If your lifestyle does not support meal prep time, ingredients are more than you can afford, or you cannot rationalize ethical implications, it will not last and may not even be truly healthy for you.
ideal aesthetic
Your diet should support YOUR goals of YOUR body weight, muscle mass, and overall physique. Note that ideal aesthetic is personal and varies wildly between individuals, and that is okay!
THE KEY TAKEAWAY
No diet is worth offsetting your internal organ systems’ homeostasis, feeling constant energy crashes, or living in a world where your diet is wreaking havoc on your wallet and/or emotional state.
Any diet that suggests you place the fourth goal before the first three is generally not going to be a positive change in your lifestyle. The best diet for you is the one that begins by checking off the first three goals—after this foundation has been established as a lifestyle, achieving personal aesthetic goals can be a rewarding hobby.
BUILDING A DIETARY STRATEGY
THE INSPIRATION:
COMMON DIETARY STRATEGIES
Before attempting to revamp your own dietary strategy, it’s helpful to review how some other common diets are structured. Analyze your own behavior patterns and make note of which diets have elements you could incorporate into your own strategy, aiming to accomplish Your Best Diet.
EXAMPLES OF SOME COMMON STRATEGIES
USDA Standard Diet • Mediterranean Diet • DASH Diet • Nutritarian Diet • Ornish Diet • Mayo Clinic Diet • Zone Diet • Ketogenic Diet • Paleolithic Diet • Vegetarian • Vegan • Pescatarian • Raw • Intermittent Fasting
THE GOAL:
YOUR BEST DIET
This is the pattern you have found that allows you to thrive with the right balance of freedom to enjoy foods you genuinely love, and structure to allow you to feel energized and strong. You can keep healthy vital signs without excessive medications, and use your dietary lifestyle to assist in warding off preventable diseases that plague the nation.
EAT THIS
Your favorite healthy foods in a semi-structured routine that supports health and energy
LIMIT THIS
Limit your vices; don’t eat the foods or beverages that have proven themselves to drag you down
MACRONUTRIENTS
Find the range that fits within your own activity levels and allows you to maintain your health and ward off hunger
LOOKING FOR HELP?
If you are looking for a dietitian to help guide you through Step 4, we recommend taking a look at the Whole Health Network—our trusted network of health professionals who are ready to assist you with every step on your path of whole health.
EXERCISE, DIET, LIFESTYLE.
Even with near-perfect medical numbers and a solid diet and exercise routine, elements of your lifestyle could still be holding you back from living a full and purposeful life. Between establishing healthier habits and enriching your environment with positive forces, there’s still a lot to cover in building your best, healthiest self.