Finding the Best Diet for You (Hint: it's not about the calories!)

By Kathleen Anderson on Aug 20, 2015 at 12:07 PM in For Patients

What is the right diet for you? This is the age-old question! There are so many different types of diets, some attached to philosophical or moral issues. Beyond that, if you are looking for the right diet to follow, here are some tips:

Keep track of your food and beverage intake all day for 7-10 days. Be honest. Note everything, including how you feel through the day. This may sound tedious but your F&B journal will reveal so much about you beyond what foods and drinks your gravitate toward.
Sometimes the foods you crave will let you know what vitamins and minerals your body needs. For example, if you are craving or eating a lot of dairy, your body might need more calcium. Your body needs calcium and your brain interprets that craving as ice cream or cheese. There are many sources of calcium: leafy green vegetables, sesame seeds, sea vegetables, and there are excellent calcium supplements available.
Your body’s needs change as you go through life. You are never “done.” Your dietary needs will change. This is part of life. To be your best and your healthiest, you’ll want a mentor/advisor to continually guide you toward the best dietary fine-tuning.
Ignore fad diets. Try to stay balanced with a diet full of whole, natural foods.
When you know what you feel best eating, there are always the best versions of the types of meals you like best. That way, changing your diet to be healthiest isn’t a sacrifice because you’re still eating what you like best!
Sometimes people complain that they don’t want to spend too much time thinking about or planning their meals. To this I remind them that you will either spend time eating well while you are already healthy or you will spend time eating well later when you are not healthy. It’s definitely much more fun to eat healthfully as a healthy person.

What is the right diet for you? This is the age-old question! There are so many different types of diets, some attached to philosophical or moral issues. Beyond that, if you are looking for the right diet to follow, here are some tips:

Keep track of your food and beverage intake all day for 7-10 days. Be honest. Note everything, including how you feel through the day. This may sound tedious but your F&B journal will reveal so much about you beyond what foods and drinks your gravitate toward.
Sometimes the foods you crave will let you know what vitamins and minerals your body needs. For example, if you are craving or eating a lot of dairy, your body might need more calcium. Your body needs calcium and your brain interprets that craving as ice cream or cheese. There are many sources of calcium: leafy green vegetables, sesame seeds, sea vegetables, and there are excellent calcium supplements available.
Your body’s needs change as you go through life. You are never “done.” Your dietary needs will change. This is part of life. To be your best and your healthiest, you’ll want a mentor/advisor to continually guide you toward the best dietary fine-tuning.
Ignore fad diets. Try to stay balanced with a diet full of whole, natural foods.
When you know what you feel best eating, there are always the best versions of the types of meals you like best. That way, changing your diet to be healthiest isn’t a sacrifice because you’re still eating what you like best!
Sometimes people complain that they don’t want to spend too much time thinking about or planning their meals. To this I remind them that you will either spend time eating well while you are already healthy or you will spend time eating well later when you are not healthy. It’s definitely much more fun to eat healthfully as a healthy person.