It seems the more information we get the more people are confused. Not a week goes by that I don’t get asked about a diet: Keto diet, paleo diet, Intermittent fasting, etc.
This is not an essay about any particular diet. It’s simply a challenge to hold onto our common sense.
The truth is all of these diets can work and I’ve seen them all work in different instances. There may not be a one-size-fits-all diet program that works for everyone. There is a concept called bioindividuality that says we all have unique needs as well as likes and dislikes. You may have a friend that crushed it on the Atkins plan but find you just don’t like it. The reality is the plan that works is the one you’ll stick to. It’s much more about discipline and desire than it is about protein or carbohydrates.
To keep things really simple, here are 3 things you can do that I have no doubt will improve your results.
- Reduce portion sizes – Growing plate sizes are more responsible for obesity than almost anything else. Want to improve your health? Stick to a palm size of protein, cupped hand full of carbs, fist of veggies and a thumb size of healthy fat!
- Eliminate or reduce processed carbohydrates – Many people blame carbohydrates for our health problems. There’s more to the picture. People aren’t getting fat from eating too much broccoli, a carbohydrate. Simple, processed carbs are definitely foods you’ll want to avoid. They will increase inflammation and destabilize blood sugar levels leading to weight gain and poor energy levels.
- Move – Most people just don’t move enough. We sit at work, in front of the television, and in our cars. Simply walking for 30 minutes per day will help reduce blood pressure, increase energy, decrease stress, and burn fat. Nothing burns fat like physical exercise. No pill can replicate it.
These 3 things are simple and they’re NOT sexy. They’re easy to do but they’re also easy not to do and that’s where the problem lies.
We all need to be reminded that success boils down to the little things we do each day. It’s not the extreme diet that we can only stick to for one week. It’s the 3o minute walk we do every day whether we feel like it or not.
Billy Hofacker – Owner & Transformation Coach at Total Body Boot Camp – BS, CSCS