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Searching for The Perfect Diet
Yep, you did read that right. By the time you have finished reading this short blog post you will have the answer to the million dollar question.. “What is the perfect diet?”.
Nutrition and dieting is something that people tend to get quite defensive and opinionated about.
When was the last time you went to a dinner party and someone started preaching about their nutritional opinions as if they had a PhD in biochemistry and belittling anyone who doesn’t share their beliefs?
Ok that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but you know what I mean.
Firstly lets take a look at what makes the perfect diet, or any nutritional strategy work.
You might have seen an infographic floating around social media over the last month or so titled “How named diets work for fat loss”.
Low Carb Diet – Creates a calorie deficit through conscious reduction of entire macronutrient
Low Fat Diet – Creates a calorie deficit through conscious reduction of entire macronutrient
Weight Watchers Diet – Creates a calorie deficit through portion regulation
The 5:2 (or any fasting system) – Creates a calorie deficit through reduced window allowing food consumption
I could continue, but they are the big hitters. Name any other diet that has produced results, and the answer will be the same.
In some way, shape or form it will have created a calorie deficit for you.
Which you can do in many other simpler way such as these 4 ways you can cut down on calories.
That being said the title is “the perfect diet”.
So my message would be, no diet is essentially wrong unless it starts creating a bad relationship between you and food. If you are following any of the above and you are honestly happy, don’t feel completely restricted and you feel as if you could continue that approach for the foreseeable future, then great.
If however, you dread family get togethers, birthday parties, travelling, eating out etc because of the diet you’re on. Then you need to find a different approach.
Here are 5 other considerations when try to pick the perfect diet:
- Are you preserving muscle mass? Adequate levels of muscle mass make it much easier to get lean (lose fat, not just weight). Going into a massive calorie deficit will cause significant muscle wastage. Yes you will lose muscle on a scale, but it will be much harder to keep off if a large chunk is muscle mass. You need to create a slight calorie deficit, not a gigantic one.
- You’re getting enough protein (see point 1)
- Your energy levels, sleep, mood and sex drive are not effected by your nutritional changes. It is no good losing weight if no one wants to be your friend (or partner!)
- To re emphasis a previous point, you can maintain this for the foreseeable future.
- It focuses on nutrient dense foods such as fruit and veg
Ok so maybe not exactly what you were expecting after you read the first few lines.
However nutrition is an individual thing, what works for some doesn’t work for others. That is why there are so many differing opinions when it comes to dieting.
Find one that works for you and stick to it.
We help our members with a nutritional programme that works for them, if you’re struggling, give us a shout at our personal training gyms in London and we’ll help you work out a plan that suits you.
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