Keto, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, low/high-carb, low/high-fat, carnivore, macro counting, no sugar, intermittent, raw, plant-based, intuitive: the list of diets out there promising fabulous (and usually instantaneous) results just keeps growing. What is the perfect diet for you? How are you supposed to know which one to choose among ALL the options?
Probably the biggest issue that we see with these types of diets is not that they don’t work. Many of them do, in fact, bring some kinds of results in the short term. You might go paleo and feel amazing after the first three days. Maybe you tried a no-sugar challenge for a week or a month and felt great afterwards. Maybe you even lost a good bit of weight on the keto diet.
The biggest issue with all of these diets is that they don’t work long-term. In fact, about 80% of people who have worked so hard to lose weight will gain it back. Why is that? Well, think about the characteristics that all trendy diets seem to have: they promise quick results, they’re extremely restrictive, and usually they require a pretty big lifestyle shift. Suddenly it makes sense why four out of five people don’t see long-term success with these diets! They’re basically designed to be unsustainable.
So what is the perfect diet? Here’s the answer: the perfect diet is the one that works for you. Here’s what I mean: if you hate something, you’re just not going to stick with it. If you enjoy it, the consistency will come more easily. And, although we always have guiding principles for our nutrition, the opportunities are endless when it comes to personalizing what health looks like to you.
So, there’s good news and bad news, but then good news again. The good news is, you don’t have to give up carbohydrates (or meat, sweets, eating breakfast, etc.) for the rest of your life to be healthy. Here’s the bad news: there’s no one-size-fits-all perfect diet. BUT, with the right support and accountability (your nutrition coach!), you can find the perfect plan that will help you meet your goals AND maintain your success! On the other side of some habit-building, accountability, and experimentation is your perfect diet.
Emma Rains
Nutrition Coach
Prowess Fitness + Nutrition
