Health & Wellness - Lets Stop The Fad Diets

I often find myself asking, "what does healthy look like in this day and age?"

Do you have to be a size zero with a flat stomach? Do you have to be curvy and fit?

Do you have to be gluten or dairy-free? If I'm not vegan, does that mean I'm poisoning my body with saturated fats and MSGs?

All of these questions are valid and often prevalent due to diet culture. The diet industry tries to sell us unrealistic and unsustainable ways to live a "healthier life".... whatever that means. This is why every three months there is a new diet trend, metabolism booster tea, or detox juice ready to be sold to the masses.

I would be lying if I said I've never fallen into the trap of fad diets. Whether it was low-carb, whole 30, paleo, or vegan, I made sure to clean up my diet to be quote-on-quote healthier. The truth is that none of these diets work long-term. Sure, you can go without carbs for a month or two, but then cravings kick in, and all of the sudden you down an entire large pizza and a pint of ice cream in one sitting.

So, what can we do to upgrade to a healthier lifestyle? Well, for starters, you may want to ditch the mentality of healthy vs. unhealthy food. There is no such thing as bad food because food is just a measure of energy. Don't get me wrong, a burger is not a salad, but in terms of giving you the energy needed to perform daily activities, they both accomplish the same thing.

A positive way to think of food and develop a better relationship with it is by realizing that you don't need to restrict yourself. The key is BALANCE and MODERATION! You can eat whatever you want as long as you understand that certain foods offer better nutritional values.

Once I started embracing this mentality, I craved non-processed foods. I never thought that by not restricting, I would reach for a piece of fruit over a candy bar. However, this does not mean that I never touch chocolate or enjoy some fries, it just means that I have adapted a well-rounded diet.

Another benefit of non-restrictive eating is the effect that it has on how much you eat. If you allow yourself to have what you crave you end up eating less of it. Mind-blowing! This is what breaks the so-called "binge and purge cycle" that so many of us struggle with. Think of it this way, by letting yourself have what you crave, you're less likely to give in and binge on everything in sight later.

This switch is not an overnight thing, but it gives such a liberating feeling knowing you don't have to make drastic changes to be deemed healthy. At the end of the day living with balance aids sustainability, which will ensure that you won't yo-yo diet your way through life.

The verdict is that you should do whatever makes you feel good. Try incorporating more high-quality proteins, vegetables, grains, fats, and fruits into your daily intake while also indulging in a piece of chocolate (in my case more like 3). I promise you this will make it so much easier to get fit and maintain it.