There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet.
It feels like everyone I know is always going on about some new diet or other. I’m not much for fads, so I don’t pay trendy diets much mind. That being said, I do know the importance of dieting from a health perspective. Getting onto a full diet plan is a big investment of time, effort, and money, and it can be really disheartening when you realize you absolutely have to go onto a diet for your health. But those are the key words right there; “have to.” Unless your doctor tells you you absolutely have to go on a diet, then the decision falls to you. Before you make what can be a truly massive life change, you should consider a few things.
First of all, is the diet you’re considering realistic? Are you trying to make a permanent life change, or just drop a few pounds? If it’s the former, is this diet something you know you’ll feel comfortable sticking with for the rest of your life? If it’s the latter, can you keep the weight off with your previous eating habits once the diet period is over? You need to figure out a plan that gives you the health benefits you want while still leaving room for things you enjoy.
Secondly, will this diet still get you your major nutrients? A lot of fad diets advocate a complete removal of certain vitamins and minerals. If you have some kind of sensitivity to a particular nutrient, fine, but otherwise, it’s not a good idea to deprive your body of the things it needs. Safety should be a major consideration before you enact any kind of major dietary change. Don’t just start the first diet you see on Facebook; consult a dietitian, keep track of your medical history. If you start a diet that doesn’t agree with your particular body chemistry, you could suffer some dangerous side effects.
Finally, will getting on a diet make you happy? If you’re really unhappy with your body and your health and that unhappiness is directly affecting your lifestyle, then by all means, improve yourself. But if you get carried away and start counting every single calorie and carb, you’re just going to drive yourself crazy. Being dangerously skinny is not an improvement over being dangerously overweight.
If you’ve got some doubt in your mind about a diet, it’s probably not a good idea to do it, at least right away. Make sure to do all of the research and consult the right people. It’s more than possible to improve yourself physically without compromising yourself emotionally.
