Diets

This is the third time this week that I have talked to someone who is on the Keto Diet. Both the men and women I spoke with stated they have had great results from the diet. I listened and tried not to give any advice, for you see, I am not a believer in diets long term. All diets whether Keto, Atkins, Intermittent fasting, and so on, are short-term fixes. Once you stop the diet and return to your normal eating, the weight comes back two-fold. Putting your body through unnecessary stress, like a yo-yo. These fad diets always eliminate a specific food group. The food you eliminate may contain the necessary vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants needed to help your body fight infections and diseases. The problem is that everyone wants to lose weight faster than it took to put it on. As a society, we are impatient and expect to look fabulous in two to three short months when it took years to gain weight. This is an unrealistic goal and one that causes stress to our bodies and to our egos.

The answer has been known for years, but no one wants to listen to the truth. Whole natural locally grown food is the best way to lose and sustain a healthy weight. The whole food one consumes not only helps control one’s weight, but maintains a healthy brain, immune system, and supports our overall well-being. No, the weight on a whole natural food diet will not drop as fast as one would like but one will lose one to two pounds a week, which is the healthiest way to reach your goal. The weight loss will be consistent, manageable, and long-lasting as opposed to the fad diets with quick results, but not manageable for the long term.

If one can remove something from their diet, it is processed foods, which cause weight gain and health issues. These processed foods are loaded with sodium and unhealthy fats that are not good for our immune system or maintaining a healthy weight. The recommended intake, based on a 2000 calorie daily diet of whole foods is as follows: fruits 2 or more servings, vegetables 2 or more servings, whole grains 3 servings, protein 10 – 35 percent, healthy fats 20 – 35 percent, and water 72 or more ounces.

Depending on how much weight one wants to lose, give yourself six months to a year. Look long term at your goal (s), what exactly do you want to accomplish? Are you looking to have a healthy immune system? Do you want to have more energy? Are you looking to reach a specific weight or to fit into a favorite pair of pants that you own? Regardless of what your goal (s) are, remember that this is a slow, but healthy way to lose weight, improve your immune system and overall well-being long term.