Paleo, vegan, juicing, cleansing programs, omnivorous, macrobiotic, raw, Ayurvedic. There are so many meal plans, as well as so many fad diets out there. Crazy things like the grapefruit diet, heavily restricted calories, prepackaged foods, the cabbage diet, so many I can’t list them all here.
With all of the information out there, how is anyone, especially the “average Joe (or Josephine)” supposed to figure out what is best for them to maintain a healthy lifestyle? What I tell people when I meet with them as a trainer or wellness coach and nutritionist is that I don’t personally advocate for “diets” I believe in eating for nutrition. Give your body the fuel and care that it needs, cut out the toxins (processed food, white flour, white sugar, chemicals), get a handle on portion sizes, make sure you are getting the protein, complex carbohydrates, good fats, water, amino acids and vitamins that you need. Be active. I’m an advocate for eating clean. That means cutting the garbage out of your food. Replacing white flour with things like coconut flour, ground oats (gluten-free if you are sensitive to gluten), or almond flour. Replace white sugar with better choices like not eating sweets, or getting your sugar from fruit. You can also use (in moderation) better choices for sweeteners like agave nectar, raw local honey and REAL maple syrup. Also, eliminating foods that causes allergies and inflammation in your body can be a very good choice.
Some of my favorite resources for recipes are things that I make up at home (follow on Facebook for regular recipes and meal ideas https://www.facebook.com/liz.jones.1441810 ), as well as sites like EatCleanDiet.com and Body for Life websites and books. There is also a “Clean Eating” website that has some good tips and meal ideas. I do think that some other meal plans have some virtue, I think trying recipes from some of them is a great way to add new, potentially healthy, meals to your family’s routine (for example trying a meal from a Paleo cookbook or add juicing smoothies to your day to get extra nutritional bang in your body), or trying to eat vegan a few days a week (or if you do go fully vegan, making sure that you have educated yourself enough that you are not missing essential nutrients) can all be beneficial if you do it right, do it carefully, and make sure you are getting an adequate variety of foods.
If you are dealing with a medical issue, I highly recommend, and often refer people, to meet with a registered dietician, who can get down into the more “nitty gritty” of an individual’s nutritional needs. I’m always happy to hear from people. Let me know how I can help you reach your goals in 2014.
Liz Jones is a wellness professional in Rockwall, Mesquite, Wylie and surrounding areas. She is a writer, certified yoga instructor, personal trainer and wellness coach. She holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Strategic Management, with a graduate certificate in Ethics and Leadership. Her undergraduate studies included communication, business, writing, art, fitness, and dance. Liz Jones can be reached at: [email protected].