I spent many years in college learning about diet and nutrition. Most of my studies focused on calorie intake, recommended portions of macronutrients (carbs, proteins and fats) in addition to recommended daily values of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). We did not spend much time dissecting or breaking down the theories of the "fad" diets that are out in the world such as Keto, Vegan, Paleo, etc. I will tell you why it was never discussed -- because experts still do not back any one particular diet.
Frustrating, right?
In my final graduate year of my Masters program for Physician Assistant Studies, our ticket to graduation was to develop and present a thesis on any topic in medicine. I chose to discuss nutrition. More specifically, I wanted to look into vegetable consumption in the average American adult. What I found was that the average American adult misses daily vegetable consumption by almost one cup per day! Now people, an American woman is only recommended to eat 2.5-3 cups of vegetables per day where her male counterpart is required to eat 3-5 cups per day! That's not a lot of veggies to begin with!
So naturally, I looked into my own daily habits. Now me, being an athlete, pretty fit, and an avid exerciser, I would like to think I am pretty health-conscious, right? Boy, I was wrong. I reviewed my diet habits over a few days and realized that I was only really eating a solid helping of vegetables at dinnertime. My other two meals and snacks did not consist of any vegetables! So, I started finding ways to add vegetables into my diet. You can read more about ways to do this here.
Okay. So how does my revelation of the 'Great Missing Vegetable' help discern what diet is best? Hear me out here.
I recommend taking a look at your current daily food consumption. What are you eating? When are you eating it? Why are you eating it? Are your food choices considered "healthy"? Once you evaluate your current situation, you can set yourself up for success for future goals. I may get some nay-sayers with this next statement, and I know one size does not fit all, but for majority of people - it is NOT about what diet you want to be on - it is about what food you enjoy eating, and the portion in which you eat it.
By now, you probably understand that I do not stand with one dieting regimen, because honestly, there is not one diet that is best or has the best *long-term* outcomes for your average American. The best diet is one you enjoy, and can stick to.
I list below how to change your diet to work for you. So get your pen and paper out and write down the following:
Step 1: Review your current diet over the next week. List portion size of macronutrients (ie. 6oz protein, 1 c carbs, 2 tbsp fats) for each meal. Approximates are fine.
Step 2: Review your food choices. Are you getting majority of food from packages? Are there fruits, vegetables, and adequate protein in your day-to-day meals? How often are these meals cooked at home versus eating out?
* You may need to go a step further if your meals are prepared mostly from packaging, or you tend to eat out a lot. If you have time constraints, you can try a food service delivery to cut down on time, cost and waste
Step 3: Go to MyPlate.gov to educate yourself on the food portions right for you. I find that this website has relevant and up-to-date information and you can spend a good portion of time educating yourself, if you feel so inclined.
Step 4: Meal prep or write out your meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for the week to keep you on track
Step 5: Enjoy eating. Make it a priority to eat slow, enjoy the experience and the flavors and the way it makes you feel. By slowing down and having a connection with food, you will find that you become satiated sooner, and this will prevent over eating.
If you're like me, you may have trouble always following the above steps. Just know that it's okay to slip up! We are only human. It is also okay to plan to indulge once in a while! We run into trouble when our indulgences become a staple in our lives or we feel the urge to eat way beyond a modest serving (second slice of cake, anyone?). Don't beat yourself up - tomorrow is a new day.
The key to success is to be honest with yourself during this process. If you have read this far, then I believe you are already more than halfway there. Honesty can be brutal, but it is the only way to truly make changes for the better.
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