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How to Choose a Diet That Works for Me?
Wherever we go, we hear about a new diet or way of eating that seems to be THE solution for weight loss, blood sugar control, or whatever our problem is. Whether it’s a low carb diet, the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, a high protein diet, the Mediterranean diet, the hypotoxic diet, a vegetarian diet or another, there are lots of options to choose from. But how can you know which is the right solution for you? Here are 4 simple questions to ask yourself to determine if a dietary approach is ideal for you and to find the right type of diet that you will enjoy and be able to follow.
1) Will I be able to follow this diet in the long term?
The first thing to do before choosing a dietary approach or way of eating is to learn about it. Then you’ll need to analyze whether it will be realistic for you to eat this way over the long term. Is this diet compatible with your taste, food preferences and lifestyle? Will you feel deprived when following this diet? Will your family eat the same things as you, or how will you organize your meals? Will you be able to enjoy life and participate by eating at parties and social events? What is the cost associated with this diet? If you intend to follow a diet just for a few days, weeks, or months, you are wasting your time. Even if you want to improve your health or lose weight quickly, how can it be helpful if you are not able to maintain long-term results? In January of next year, will you need to start all over again? Clearly, cabbage soup diets, protein shakes, and detox treatments are not sustainable in the long run.
2) How do I feel when I am following this diet?
A healthy and balanced diet, no matter if it contains more or less carbohydrates, fat, or protein, should make you feel good. This means that it should be able to do the following: provide you with a stable level of energy throughout the day and a feeling of fullness after meals, allow you to concentrate and be productive in your work, give you the ability to be physically active, optimize your digestion, and allows you to maintain a healthy relationship with food. Even if adopting a certain eating style has been suggested or worked for someone you know, it is not necessarily the right solution for you. It depends on your taste, food preferences and lifestyle, but also on your biochemical individuality and your genetic predispositions. Each person is different and can respond in different ways to a type of diet. This leads us to the next question.
Author
Kathryn holds a Bachelor Degree in Nutrition as well as a Bachelor and a Master Degree in Kinesiology, all from Laval University. She is a Registered Dietitian and active member of the Ordre professionnel des Diététistes Nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ) and of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She holds the Monash University's certification for the FODMAP diet and IBS, and has considerable clinical experience in that area. She is also an accomplished athlete, having ran track and cross-country at a national level. Kathryn specializes in sports nutrition, weight loss, diabetes, as well as heart and gastrointestinal health.
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