Did I catch your attention? Let me break the suspense right away.
There is no such thing as THE BEST diet plan for everyone. Repeat after me. There is no such thing as THE BEST diet plan for everyone.
What works for one person may not work for you. It is up to each of us to figure out the diet that is suited for our bodies. It takes time, it takes effort but that is the one we can sustain for a long time.
Social media is spewing dietary advice all the time. Let me admit, I do that quite a bit too 😉
As I was contemplating why everyone doles out so much food-related advice, I came to this conclusion - "Right food can change our lives for the better - good health, more energy, better sleep, and much more. When someone figures out the diet that works for them, they want to share their experience with the world"
What's the process that is typically observed?
Person A gets knowledge about a certain diet ABC.
Person A tries the ABC diet for a few weeks/months/years.
Person A wants to share how the ABC diet has helped him/her in reversing certain ailments, lose weight, etc. It could be due to noble intentions to help others. Or to make a quick buck by selling diet plans.
Person B blindly believes whatever Person A has to say.
Person B jumps onto the ABC diet without a second thought, without doing any research or gathering knowledge. Her body goes through a sudden shock. It feels extreme for her body. Shows up certain symptoms. Either person B gives up after a few days. Or person B tortures herself through this extreme diet, without understanding what her body needs or the long-term consequences of the ABC diet.
The right food is life-changing certainly, but what is RIGHT FOOD is something that each one of us has to figure out for ourselves.
Let's take the time to understand our health conditions.
Let's take the time to understand what our body needs, what we like to eat, how our body reacts to certain foods.
If someone says certain foods aren't good, question them why they say so. If they are not taking the time to explain their claims, let's do the research ourselves.
All we need is a bit of curiosity and interest.
I had written a post a couple of years back with the title who is the right nutritionist for you. It's none other than your own body.
Listen to your body's signals. Your body is communicating with you all the time.
When do you feel hunger pangs? If it is usually in the morning, eat a wholesome breakfast. Extended intermittent fasting or having only fruits for breakfast may not be the right decision for you. These might work beautifully for others.
How do you feel after eating rice/rotis? Do you feel content and satisfied? Or do you feel bloated and heavy?
Are your bowel movements regular?
Are you getting good sleep?
Are you feeling active throughout the day?
Do you feel energy slumps after a meal?
Do you have sweet cravings after a meal?
This is not an exhaustive list by any means.
Introspect, Observe.
Become more aware of your body's signals.
Invest time to research before jumping onto a new diet.
Most important of all, be gentle with yourself. Take it slow.
Eat what suits your body.