Confused?

I know that many of you are feeling confused about all the conflicting and varied information flying around about food and diets – and I don’t blame you!! It’s not only confusing, but it can also make us feel like we should be reviewing our own eating habits, even if they are sound and working.

We’ve got Paleo, High Carb, Atkins, Raw Food Diet, Lemon Detox Diet, Zone Diet and so on – the list is huge so it’s no wonder we’re confused. Everyone’s claiming their way is the best. It may be a celebrity, family member or friend, they are probably telling you how much weight they’ve lost on their new fad diet – which will probably get your interest (if weight loss if your goal of course). But just because whatever they are doing is working for them, it may not be the best method for you (and there’s every chance it’s not the best for them either – read on)!

The best diet for you is one that you can stick to – long term. So…. It’s not one that cuts out food groups, or counts every single calorie, or leaves you feeling angry, uncomfortable, anti-social or deprived. You can’t maintain that (or at least you shouldn’t want to maintain that) so it’s probably not for you. Your weight loss friend may keep telling you it’s worth a try because it’s helping them lose fat, but there’s every chance that they won’t be able to maintain their restricted diet either. And we all know what that usually means – weight loss – hooray, then, weight gain – boo.

We also need to remember is that not only are fad diets hard to maintain, they are also often lacking in nutrients and balance – and your health should never be forgotten when on a weight loss journey.

Be realistic, eating well can be hard, particularly if you’ve had a poor diet in the past. So don’t choose a diet that’s ridiculously hard to manage and maintain… why put yourself through that when it can’t go on long term.

Your diet should:
Be consistent and maintainable long term
Mostly consist of whole foods
Be balanced and nutritious
Create a calorie deficit (if weight loss is the goal)
Make you feel great and full of energy
And…… you should enjoy what you eat (mostly!!)

Don’t get frustrated or caught up with the huge amount of stuff being said about different diets and what is best for us. Everyone is different, with different goals.

Focus on a balanced, nutrient-rich plan that you can eat long term. One that helps you lose weight, and one that your body will love.

No more getting sucked in to quick-fix or short cut diets – no matter what anyone tells you!

Have a great day

Paula