Many people struggle with figuring out what diet is best for them. Should they try Paleo? Keto? Vegan? Vegetarian? Or Mediterranean? There are so many choices it can be confusing! The best diet is the one you will stick to and create a lifestyle from. Here is a break down each one to help you make the best decision for you and make it easy.
Keto
This is the low carb, high fat, moderate protein diet that you see people devouring coconut oil, fat bombs, and bacon like it is going out of style. Vegetables and fruits are sparse in this type of food plan- only berries are allowed. This type of diet is good for people who are able to digest fat easily. It is also good because it gets you away from seed oils like canola/vegetable oils which can cause inflammation in the gut and the rest of the body.
Paleo
This is a high protein, moderate fat, and low carb style diet. This is supposed to mimic our ancestor’s way of eating. Filling up on protein and fats is great as it keeps the blood sugar from spiking up and down. There are more vegetables in the paleo diet, however, less choice of fruit again though. This food plan is great for the meat eaters out there.
Vegan/Vegetarian
Vegan diets don’t eat any animal products whereas vegetarian diets often allow fish, dairy, and eggs. There are some nutritional deficiencies that need to be addressed through supplementation if you are going to go this route. Getting in enough fat can be a problem so make sure you don’t skimp on the good oils and higher containing fatty foods.
Mediterranean
This diet is often rated as #1 in the world for overall health and well-being. This diet is high in omega-3’s from fish and monounsaturated fats from olive oil. Both types of fat are not prevalent in the standard American Diet. These fats are very good at being heart and brain protective. The Mediterranean diet is a good choice for those fish and olive lovers.
Which is the best?
The diet that is the best is the one that keeps you from eating high amounts of sugar, processed foods, gluten, and dairy products. To be honest, the answer lies somewhere between all of these. Eating high quality proteins from animal sources like grass-fed beef/pork, free range chicken/turkey, and wild caught fish is great for your overall health. Using healthy fats to keep energy levels up, blood sugar under control, and protecting your brain is essential. Eating organic fruits and vegetables (see the EWG.org Clean 15/Dirty Dozen list) on a seasonal basis is honoring what our ancestors did long ago. What I mean by that is that in our area, fruits and vegetables only grow in a small window of time and wouldn’t have been eaten outside that window. Our ancestors would have only had meat and maybe some sort of dried fruit, but not all winter. Everyone is looking for the magic diet or pill that will help them lose weight, feel great, and have energy for days. There isn’t one. Start with eating food that God made and you will be healthier for it.
Here are my weight loss tips:
- Stop alcohol/pop/energy drinks for 30 days: drinking your carbs is a bad idea
- Add more protein to each meal you eat and eat it first: leaves less room for the carbs
- Move at least 30 minutes per day: big movements like squats, deadlifts, pushups, and rows are best.
- Drink 40 ounces of water but add 1-2 teaspoons of sea salt to it: many people are electrolyte deficient.
- Change out your deodorant to non-aluminum-based products: cleaning up toxins from your life will speed up metabolism.
- Get to be so you can sleep 7-8 hours per night: you can’t lose weight if you are always tired.
- Put your phone/tablet/tv down 1 hour before bed: blue lights trick your brain, ruins your sleep.
- Practice as much belly breathing as possible: stress adds to weight gain and stops weight loss
- Get in 50 squats per day: that is like 5 per hour you are awake, a great way to improve insulin sensitivity.
- Eat as much organic food as possible: pesticides ruin the gut bacteria and cause weight gain.