Should you try one of these diets?

I am frequently asked, “What’s the best ‘diet’?”, and I usually plead the 5th because I don’t do “diets”. But there are SOME good recs from these popular eating plans.

1. KETO: Restriction of carbs — the SAD consumes way too many low-quality, refined carbs. Keto focuses on foods high in fats, moderate protein, and very few carbs. I do not, however, like the ban on healthy plants such as pears, butternut squash, oranges, sweet potatoes, and carrots.

2. IF (Intermittent Fasting): Eating our biggest meal before bed and eating again first thing in the morning is no bueno. Eating dinner earlier, allowing a few hours to digest before sleeping, and giving our bodies a 12-14 hour “fast” lowers our blood sugar and improves our gut health. Fasting more than 14 hours is not productive, healthy or safe IMO.

3. PALEO: Eliminates all packaged foods. It also eliminates ALL dairy, beans, and grains which I do not like, but I love the focus on “one ingredient foods”. Amen!

4. VEGAN: Promotes eating more plants. Yay! I push for 8-10 servings a day. But it’s challenging to reach our protein needs with zero animal products. And many women are already protein deficient.

In other words, there’s no “one size fits all” way to eat, and generally when we remove (several?) food groups we will lose weight. I prefer eating a variety of whole foods that are nutrient dense, boost our immune system, and fight inflammation. Let’s talk.