Chances are you’re very familiar with the saying “you are what you eat.” It’s a simple saying, but it has generated a lot of discussion about the role of diet and health, or even health. personality in some cases. Some people see it as an oversimplification of food, others see it as an almost dangerous saying that encourages guilt around food, while some people believe there is a lot of truth in the principles of paying attention to what you eat.
This article is not about resolving this debate or even amplifying the voices surrounding it. But while the saying may encourage different opinions, it draws attention to the fact that what we eat matters.
If you’re trying to get healthier, part of your health journey should include your diet. But what’s the difference between designing a diet and dieting, and how can you create a healthy diet for your body and your goals?
Diet versus diet
When many people think of diets, they may think of crash diets that promise to help you lose weight quickly. In some ways, these diets can work. You may lose pounds over a couple of weeks or so.
But these crash diets are rarely sustainable or healthy. You will feel bad and find it difficult to enjoy food. Additionally, while you may lose weight at first, your weight will soon plateau. Some people even gain more weight than they lose after the diet.
But changing your diet implies a more permanent, healthy and sustainable change in your lifestyle. It’s not just about losing weight quickly, but about adopting a way of eating that is healthier for you. Some people may require a diet to help them gain weight, depending on their needs and goals.
Here are some ideas on ways to change your diet.
Homemade Cooking and Healthy Food
One way to change your diet to improve your health is to make small but significant changes. If you don’t have any specific goals or don’t want to make any major changes, home cooking can be a great option.
When you cook at home, you control everything on the plate, so you know exactly what you are eating. Plus, cooking can be satisfying, affordable, and enjoyable. Find quick, healthy dishes that you like and change some of your daily meals.
Home cooking can also help you achieve certain goals, especially if you want to restrict certain parts of your diet or increase your nutritional intake. For example, if you are trying to achieve specific fitness goals and build muscle, you may want to focus primarily on your protein intake.
If your doctor suggests specific diets or changes, it will be easier to incorporate them into your diet if you cook them yourself.
ketogenic diet
The keto diet (short for ketoacidosis) is a controversial diet, in part because it is so restrictive compared to what we are used to. Some people have found that they lose weight and feel great when they try this way of eating, while others struggle with the apparent lack of variety and the inability to enjoy many of their favorite foods.
Keto is basically eliminating foods high in carbohydrates and sugar and instead focusing primarily on meat, fat, and leafy vegetables. For many people, it’s difficult to get the ratio right, which means they don’t get all the potential benefits of the ketogenic diet.
One thing that can help is keto food deliveryas you can be sure to receive delicious, well-balanced keto meals without having to improvise all the time.
Of course, as we mentioned before, not all diets are ideal for all people. Some people have a harder time with the ketogenic diet than others and it may not necessarily be the healthiest option for you.
Vegetarian diet
On the other side of the scale we have the vegetarian diet. Vegetarians do not eat any meat products, although it is possible to find people at different levels of the spectrum. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the carnivore diet, which focuses even more on meat than the keto diet. Or you could have a Pescarian, who eats fish but not meat. Then there are people who follow a vegan or plant-based diet, which means eliminating animal products in addition to meat.
You could decide to become a vegetarian for a variety of reasons. Some people don’t like the idea of killing animals for food, or they might be trying to be more environmentally conscious. But you can also decide to reduce or eliminate meat from your diet for health reasons.
Vegetarian food can be absolutely delicious and healthy, as long as you know how to get the nutrients you need. The problem with a restrictive diet is that you may miss out on specific proteins or vitamins commonly found in meat or animal products.
While multivitamins can help close this gap, it is always better to improve your diet. Fortunately, it is possible to eat well as a vegetarian and still have a balance dietyou just need to do your research.
Mediterranean diet
A diet that is increasingly popular among people and health professionals is the Mediterranean diet. As its name suggests, this diet involves a lot of foods available in places around the Mediterranean Sea, but it is best known for being very healthy, tasty and accessible.
It is highly recommended for people at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions, as well as to improve general good health.
Unlike other diets, this way of eating is not especially restrictive.
Generally, what is eaten focuses mainly on plant foods, including olive oil as a source of fat. Dairy products, fish and poultry are consumed alongside these plant foods, and red meat is a less common part of the diet. But nothing is completely eliminated, just controlled.
Whatever diet you choose, the important thing is to pay attention to how you feel and find the best option for you.
