I’m the first to admit that I don’t know the answer to that question definitively.
It seems that every day some new “diet” comes along that promises to be the last greatest diet you’ll ever need. Or that you can lose 60 pounds in a month eating nothing but…acorns and tomato juice. (Just made that up, but with the right marketing, I think I could make it a bestseller.)
Keep in mind…when I say “diet” I don’t necessarily mean weight loss — more like a long term eating plan for health and life wellness. “Long term eating plan” isn’t as sexy as “Lose Weight Today!” but it’s more practical, realistic and sustainable.
There are no shortages of ways to eat, even among the paleo method that I largely subscribe to. And there are no shortages of crazy diets either.
First, there are the outright ridiculous “diets”:
Ever heard of the Cookie Diet? No? Well it actually exists. The deal, apparently, is that you eat a bunch of cookies and supplements, knock them back with shakes and special teas — and you lose weight. Well, you might lose weight by way of calorie restriction (calories taken in vs. calories expended) but is that really a long term solution for health and life wellness? Cookies?
Then there’s the so-called Twinkie Diet. (Yes, really.) Professor Mark Haub at KSU, in an effort to “disprove common beliefs about nutrition,” subsisted on a diet of Twinkies, donuts, and similar snacks for a month. In addition to losing weight, Haub hopes to challenge the notion “that foods regarded as nutritious may, in fact, be unhealthy, while foods regarded as junk may have some benefits.”
What benefits, exactly, are derived from Twinkies, Mark? Let’s see, included among the many ingredients in your average Twinkie are…corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and corn syrup solids. (Apparently there wasn’t quite enough corn syrup in there already, so they needed to bulk it up with some additional “solids.”) Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that corn syrup is not healthy stuff.
Thanks to Doug at Health Habits for the head’s up on the Twinkie Diet.
And let’s not forget Morgan Spurlock’s (mis)adventures eating only McDonald’s for 30 days. (Not really a diet, of course, but a fascinating reminder of how a body can be ravaged by fast food.)
The shiny crazy diets with the big claims are (or should be) the easiest to stay away from.
But what about the rest of the diets out there?
Face it: Out there is an endlessly churning sea of books, blogs, supplements and workouts at the core of the multi billion dollar health and fitness industry. Tough to choose.
Your first stop should be common sense. If you’re looking for a lifelong nutrition plan then draw the line at anything promising quick weight loss. You may lose weight, but is it sustainable over the long term — and will it be something you enjoy?
I would then make sure that lots of fruits and vegetables are included. The food we grow, generally speaking, is far better for us than the stuff we process. Any diet that puts silly and arbitrary restrictions on vegetables and fruit should be suspect.
Also, does the diet you’re considering require you to buy special supplements or foods only sold by the author and/or marketer? Suspect.
Rational amounts of exercise should also be on the menu here, as well as plenty of rest. While exercise isn’t a diet plan, per se, nutrition and exercise go hand in hand.
From there it comes down to what you can sustain healthfully, while looking and feeling your best.
I mentioned the paleo diet above, which is how I eat 90 percent or more of the time. It does meet the criteria above and I am definitely a fan, but I would never suggest that paleo is the absolute best method for everyone. I do think, in general, some version of paleo is probably optimal for most — but I leave that up to you to experiment with.
A good place to start would be Robb Wolf’s new book The Paleo Solution (disclosure: affiliate link.) I’ve been a listener of Robb’s weekly podcasts for a while now, and when it comes to the science behind this paleo deal, this guy knows his stuff. Plus he blends humor with an easy to understand delivery, so it’s also enjoyable.
So, back to the beginning: Is there a perfect diet? Probably not for everyone in absolute terms. There’s only the perfect one for you: The one that you can sustain for the long term, and keeps you not only looking good, but feeling and performing at your best.
- Mike
Photo: Leonardini
Tags: diet, life wellness, nutrition, vital wellness, weight loss
