Daryl’s FIT TIP of The Day: NUTRITION CONFUSION
It is very easy to become overwhelmed with all the information about nutrition. There are thousands of “EXPERTS” claiming that they have found the “secret formula” to staying young forever and disease free. And if you follow their advice you too will lose weight, feel great, and won’t develop disease. People will spend HOURS locked onto Youtube or other sites searching for the FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH and the SECRET cure for aging and weight loss. There are many well polished, articulate speakers preaching about how their diet is going to save you from the perils of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and even death.
They all claim that their diet is the END ALL BE ALL to life’s health and aging mystery. There are advocates for the vegan diet, ketogenic diet, paleo diet, weight watchers, zone diet, vegetarian diet, whole food diet, supplement diet, magic potion diet, the don’t eat anything diet, the survival diet, the just breathe and hope for the best diet, the man made processed synthetic feel like garbage diet, the Fat Bastard diet, the I look like a zombie from the walking dead because my body is starving of nutrients diet, and the eat nothing but beans and plants producing as much internal gas as you can so you can amaze your friends at the party by lighting those beauties up in flames diet.
There are pros and cons to restrictive diets:
* Some are too complex and require a degree in nutrition science to understand and follow
* some are too restrictive and not nutrient balanced.
* some require too much tracking with numbers and measurements.
* some are based on a point reward system.
* some deprive too many nutrients.
* some cause people to become paranoid about eating carbohydrates, even the good healthy carbohydrates.
* some make people feel guilty or fearful that they are going to develop diabetes, cancer, heart disease and a host of other problems if they eat too much, fat, protein, or carbohydrates.
* some say eat protein, but not to eat too much protein because that could kill you.
* some say eating whole grains is going to give you cancer, heart disease, or even kill you.
* some promote only eating plants and no animal products whatsoever.
* some promote eating only meat.
* some promote eating 90% fat for total daily nutrient intake.
* some promote taking supplements and drinking potions as meal replacements.
* Some promote selling package dehydrated food that you add water to.
* Some promote eating nothing that tastes good.
* Some promote using shakes and bars.
* Some promote eating only once a day.
* Some promote eating only between the hours of 12-5 P.M.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS:
A person can’t eat just meat, or just vegetables, or just bars, or just shakes, or just potions, or just grass, or just wood, just rice cakes, or just nothing and be balanced.
Balanced nutrition requires nutrient dense foods that contain complete proteins, usable essential carbohydrates, and good cholesterol and fat, which all provide a balanced ratio of vitamins and minerals.
Most EVERYONE who follows a restrictive diet FAILS because the program is too difficult to sustain. The body is designed to consume many different foods. And depriving the body of essential nutrients is not practical.
–Daryl