But I'll let you in on a secret... THERE IS ONLY ONE MIRACLE DIET.
Yup, that's right just one, and that is the one that's right for you. The only diet right for everyone (with a few personal tweeks) is a WHOLE FOOD UNPROCESSED DIET.
If you eat fresh produce which is unprocessed and unrefined then you will thrive - on all levels. You will be healthier, your skin will glow, your hair will shine, your nails will be strong and you will lose weight naturally.
How? Common Sense.
1. Don't skip meals.
Research has found that people who eat breakfast eat less during the rest of the day. This is a highly debated point. Lots of people are starving first thing in the morning, many others aren't. So, think of it this way; are you a 3 meals a day person or a 5 meals a day? Does breakfast mean eating first thing in the morning or 10am? The exact time for breakfast is different for each person. Also skipping breakfast or lunch can lead to unstable blood sugar levels and your concentration may suffer. When this happens people tend to reach for something sweet and processed, gulping down coffee and worse still, energy drinks.
Try and structure your day so you can get time for at least 3 meals and you can concentrate on eating healthily.
2. To Carb or not to Carb?
There is a lot going on at the moment about carbs being "bad" and they can be especially if they are the white processed type, or if you have gluten intolerance or celiac disease.What you need to make sure is that you keep your carb intake low and that the TYPE of carbs are as WHOLE as possible. Whole grains are full of B vitamins, fiber, magnesium and Iron.
Just as many are choosing to eliminate gluten, others also choose to eliminate whole food groups such as dairy and sugar. As with carbs I don't recommend excluding certain food groups completely unless due to allergies or intolerances, however dairy should not exceed 5% of the diet and there is NOTHING to be said for processed sugar.
3. Health Drinks
Water is healthy. 65 - 70% of the human body is water. You can survive without water for about 3 days (although some have made it to 8-10 days, but I wouldn't recommend trying) and you can survive without food for 3 weeks... but I wouldn't recommend trying that either. But there is the difference, you can't survive without water for very long at all. We are considerably under hydrated. We simply don't drink enough water. Also hunger pangs can actually be your body beginning to be dehydrated, so if you think you are hungry, drink a glass of water or two and then reevaluate how you are feeling.
Juice is NOT healthy. It is basically flavored sugar water. And if you buy juice it will probably have even more sugar added to it. Fruit has sugar in it (fructose) and it also has lots of fiber. If you juice fruit you are removing the fiber - which is the really healthy part. The fiber in fruit helps the body to "slow release" the sugar in the fruit and not spike blood sugar levels. You have to LOVE fiber!
Energy drinks and sports drinks aren't healthy either. They are very high in sugar and caffeine (depending on the brand) and a calorie content to rival your calories burned during your workout.
Good old fashioned water which you can flavor with cucumber, mint, basil or rosemary, or on it's own is all you need really.
4. The Super Food Hype
Certain foods such as broccoli, blueberries, etc., have been classed as superfoods because they have increased amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin C or phytonutrients such as flavonoids. These are not a remedy for disease, but eating a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruits will definitely help keep you healthy. However, you don't have to stick solely to the "super foods" to me if it's fresh and doesn't have an ingredient label stuck to it, then it's good for you.
Also with the recent hype that fat is good for us, foods such as Greek yogurt, nuts and oils such as coconut oil or extra virgen olive oil are great foods to incorporate into your diet. Just remember these are very high in calories and need to be eaten in moderation.
5. Oh so sweet!
There is a lot being said about sugar right now... "Sugar is the new tobacco" for example, and I totally agree. But honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, etc., are just sugar in a more "natural" state. Honey is perceived as more healthy as it comes from nature, it is still sugar though and nowadays to be able to find raw honey (which does have other benefits for health) is nye on impossible - most of the honey in our shops is ultra-processed and has been stripped of its beneficial properties.
You can sweeten things with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and coconut which all have a certain sweetness to them without the high content.
6. READ THE LABEL.
In fact... don't buy anything that has a label. I was shocked the other day when I asked the butcher at the supermarket if he could mince some chicken for me and he said he couldn't and I had to buy it prepackaged... the ingredient list horrified me. Unfortunately I can't put the exact image from that packet as it's in Spanish but I have translated it:
Chicken meat 75%, water, soy protein, vegetables (4%), food fiber, dextrin, salt, starches, vegetable extracts, aromas, dextrosa. antioxidants: sodium citrate, sodium ascorbate; conservador: potassium metabilsulfite; colorante: cochineal carmine.
Pretty scary, huh?
7. Are you eating too much?
I don't suggest calorie counting as low calorie meals can become extremely boring, but make wise healthy choices. Have 3 good meals a day, comprised of lots of vegetables and some protein (animal or vegetable), if you get peckish between meals, drink some water and see if you are still hungry. If so, then chose something healthy, a piece of fruit, or better still some raw veggies. Even a bit of cheese or some celery with peanut butter! A handful of raw nuts mid afternoon give a great energy boost if you are feeling sluggish.
But don't eat mindlessly. Focus on what you are doing, and how what you have chosen is going to nourish your body and mind and help you to continue with your day. Also eat slowly and chew thoroughly, don't gulp it down in a rush... you will eat more than you need.
I can help you improve your health. If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com
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