As insane as 2020 was, there’s just as much insanity out there around deciding what diet to do 🤯 I know going into a new year is a popular time to set goals to lose weight, get in shape or to just get back ON the wagon after the holidays and so many people start looking for the RIGHT diet to help them reach their goals. So, I wanted to give you a few tips in hopes of keeping you from getting distracted by the latest fad diets and to help steer you away from depriving yourself or setting unrealistic expectations this year.
First off, when you look at a diet, make sure it’s developed by an expert. Someone that is knowledgeable & qualified such as a nutritionist and/or healthcare professionals. Additionally, it should be tested and proven, validated by scientific evidence. This is especially important in today’s world of unlimited and unregulated information you can find on the internet. When it comes down to it, ALL THE BEST DIETS SHOULD ESSENTIALLY LOOK THE SAME…huh?! Yep, you read that right…when you look at a diet or nutrition program, for it to be sustainable, meaning you can maintain eating this way longterm, it’s important to make sure it includes these 4 foundational foods. Let’s take a look at what they are!
Vegetables should make ups the majority of your diet. They are loaded with vitamins, mineral and with anti-cancer phytonutrients. The easiest way to keep up with your vegetable intake is to include 1-2 cups minimum per meal.
Fruit is the most misunderstood health food. You may have been told to beware of the sugar content, it will raise your blood sugar, or it will make you fat, but that is NOT true. Fruits have enormous antioxidant benefits, are high in fiber and the sugars are NATURALLY occurring, not refined like in most high sugar processed foods.
Fat is vital for our mood, brain, organs, nervous system and energy, but it’s crucial eat balanced and choose the RIGHT fats.
Protein, as mentioned above, seems to get the most attention but beware of overconsumption, especially in the meat department.
Animal (pastured or grass-fed)
Fish (wild, low mercery)
Plant-Based