Within nutrition, there is this strange sort of tribalism that I have seen over the past few years.
One side says it has to be this way and the other side says it has to be that way. A lot of the times I feel the true intention of the message gets lost in the quest to be right. Let’s take fad diets for instance. There are those who promote the miracles of the ketogenic diet and its ability to shred weight immediately. Then there are those who will argue the complete opposite and chastise those who say anything positive about the ketogenic diet approach. It’s not so black and white, and ultimately the people who need the information most, get lost in the battle that ensues and never get an answer to “what diet will work best for ME?”
Here’s the deal, diets, in general, tend to be restrictive and this proves to be less sustainable over time. The only reason I see to restrict food is when it has been identified to cause an allergic reaction or is medically relevant. Rather, I try to introduce new ideas, behaviors, and foods. Introducing foods as opposed to taking away gives more variety. In regard to the fad diets, this restriction and taking away of foods is why I see many people cycle through them instead of staying on them.
However, I do see that most of the fad diets promote the case for reducing the intake of processed foods and increasing the intake of whole foods. This point alone is at the heart of almost every talk I conduct with clients. Notice it’s not restricting processed food intake but reducing. We need to be able to indulge in foods that bring joy and happiness. We need to be able to partake in a stress-free meal with family and friends.
If I could have you take away just one thing after reading this, it would be that I want people to be skeptical about the information they receive. Just because someone eats good food, does not make them an expert on food, no more than someone with lots of money is a financial advisor.
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Be good to yourself and be good to others!