There are hundreds of different diets out there available for anyone who's ready to start it that new diet. But ultimately you need to figure out what works best for your body. Everyone's body is completely different in what it needs to reach optimal health, and what works for some will not work for others.
However, there are some central tenets of a majority of the fad diets out there that are universal truths for healthier eating:
Caloric intake should mirror activity level
Our bodies were made to move, and as such, ages ago we hunted and gathered our food. We were significantly more active, and would sometimes go extended periods of time without food. When we did eat, it was foraged fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables and maybe a little bit of game that we hunted. By this school of thought, we can see how compared to today where we are mostly sedentary, the amount of recommended daily calories to intake is significantly out of proportion with our activity levels.
So, how do we balance the scales? By decreasing caloric intake, and increasing activity levels. A large portion of people today consume 4 times the amount of calories that they should in a day... without realizing it. The same is true of sugar, sodium, carb and fat intake. It is incredibly easy to do with portion sizes and convenience food. .
Portion size should match normal stomach size
Argueably, encoded in our genes, we naturally want to consume as much as possible when we can because we don't know when our next meal will come. Couple that being raised to clean your plate and larger plate sizes, and you are left with a perfect storm for over-eating.
That being said, you should be careful whenever making changes to your diet or when trying a new diet because depending on your individual health issues, there can be unintended side effects. With the Keto diet you have to be on the watch for drops in blood sugar that can lead to shock or worse. Other diets can lead to electrolyte imbalances which can negatively impact your heart or blood pressure. Always discuss your diet goals with your Doctor and employ the help of a Nutrition Coach or Dietician.
Remember: increased portion sizes increase stomach size, leaving us more room to fill at the next meal.
It’s not a contest
Fast eating prevents us from realizing when the hunger feeling is gone. It also takes away enjoyment from the meal. You should savor your food and incidentally, you will be better able to sense your body’s signal and exercise some self control.
Chewing your food thoroughly aids in eating slower and also digestion. It is recommended that you chew each bite 20 times before swallowing. Now, I don’t know anyone that will sit and count each bite, especially while tailgating with friends...but do it one time and it will be eye opening.
Processed food does not digest the same
Processed foods generally carry little to no nutritional value, and often contain a chemical mixture that once broken down, tends to resemble the green slime from Nickelodeon. They are also often saturated with salt, sugar and bad fats. These things tend to store in our bodies and wreak havoc on our physiological processes.
High blood pressure, excess sugar levels, fatty arteries...these things and more are at near epidemic levels in the United States, and can be significantly and positively impacted by making diet and lifestyle changes.
If it didn’t have a mother, or it didn’t come from the ground...don’t eat it
Pay attention to the details on your food and drink labels. You should know and be able to pronounce the ingredients in your food. If not, you may be able to find and organic equivalent or a copycat recipe somewhere online. But, just remember to keep things in moderation.
Be your own best friend, and be choosy about what you feed it. Also, consider drinking a large glass of water 20 minutes before eating.
We need to closely examine our diets, increase activity and healthy, organic, wholesome foods, and decrease fake and sugary foods. Pay attention to your portion sizes... the next time you order a drink, ask for a kids size, or 8 ounce... start measuring out your bowl of cereal and milk... if you have never done this before, I promise you are likely to be shocked to see what you actually should be eating compared to how much you actually are...your body will thank you. #health #healthyeating #portionsize #portionsizes #portioncontrol #diets #diet #faddiets #realhealth #organic #wholesome #fromscratch #calories #caloricintake #move
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