There may be no question I get asked more than “What’s the best diet?” Often, people don’t want to hear any of the reasons or science behind my answers. A lot of times, they simply want to know what the magic pill to fix them is or to be able to tell others, “My trainer said this is the best diet.”
I understand it. I wish it was that easy, even for me! But if there was one magic secret diet that somebody came up with … a diet that worked for every body type, every body chemistry, every genetic factor, every habit … that person would already be richer than all the billionaires in the world put together. AND everyone would already be nutritionally fit!
But that’s the problem with the question. It’s only HALF a question. The second half can be a LOT of things – What is the best diet for losing weight, what is the best diet to gain muscle, what’s the best diet for pregnancy … Even if you start completing the question, you have to do a lot to make the question tailored for YOU.
“What is the best diet for an endomorphic male in his 50s with high blood pressure, who stress eats nachos and used to lift weights regularly and is trying to get back into lifting?”
That’s better … but is that all?
“What is the best diet for an endomorphic male in his 50s with high blood pressure, who stress eats nachos and used to lift weights regularly and is trying to get back into lifting and is trying to cut out meat but hates to eat salad and shouldn’t drink alcohol anymore but cheats on Sundays during football season?”
Defining the question could go on for a while.
Why is the best diet an impossible question?
Because ultimately, there is no one, correct answer. All you can do is define your goals as much as possible and match your diet to suits your needs.
In fact, diet is the worst word to use. Call it a nutritional goal, or lifestyle, but saying you’re on a diet implies it’s a temporary fix. You’ll do it and then you can go back to eating a bag of chips a day with no consequences.
Also, most people go off and on diets so much, you won’t feel support from family, friends or co-workers. People will order vegetarian or gluten-free options for a company gathering since people live those lifestyles … but they’ll never stop ordering cake because one person in the office is on a diet.
What if my goals change?
They will! Trust me! Whether you are a competitive bodybuilder or expectant mother, your fitness goals are not going to be the same forever. Your life and habits are going to change over time.
That means your nutritional goals are going to change as well. If you want to shred for a competition, or put on weight to have a healthy baby, you won’t want to maintain the same eating habits once you win a competition or have that baby. Your nutritional goals will not stay the same throughout your life.
Imagine how boring it would be if they did? Imagine a lifetime of the same three meals over and over again. It’s great to take recipes out of magazines, but even if they claim they are “fat-burning superfoods,” can you eat only kale for every meal for the next 20 years? Of course not. You would miss nachos. (Well, I would.)
Will meal prep services help me lose weight?
Meal prep is a big business because it helps take the repetition and guesswork out of the process. It can be a huge help – but it doesn’t absolve you of responsibility. Over time, your body will adapt to your caloric intake. If your goals are changing — to add calories or subtract them — you have to make the adjustments. A service won’t be able to tell you that automatically.
Those businesses aren’t geared for your actual day-to-day changes. You’ll have to listen to your body. That’s why working on your nutrition plan isn’t a static change that you make once and never pay attention to again.
Working together over the long-term, a qualified fitness and nutrition expert helps you narrow down problem foods and needed foods. You’ll learn when to eat and how much and how often you can actually have a plate of nachos.
To start planning your fitness and nutrition goals, call 702.761.6506 or email me at terry@sportsfitnessconnection.com
