Today we want to talk about what a diet or nutrition strategy is . We also want to talk about what a diet or nutrition strategy is not. Read on to learn more.
What is a diet or nutrition strategy
A diet or nutrition strategy is any organized approach to eating. This excludes random eating that some may pass off as structured. For example, just randomly picking up food and calling it intuitive eating is not intuitive eating. People who eat intuitive are still aware for food quality, food portion, and other aspects, such as a rough idea of macronutrient or calorie content. Most people who eat intuitively followed a more common structured eating plan for years before beginning intuitive eating. Again, a diet or nutrition strategy is any organized approach to eating.
An organized approach to eating may include any structured approach. This may mean, a plan well known in popular media, a plan from a doctor, or a plan you created. As long as there is structure to it, it is an organized approach to eating. Here are examples:
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Paleo – focuses on what our ancestors are believed to have consumed
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Veganism – focuses on consuming only plant-based foods
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Atkins – focuses on controlling carbs
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A macro-based plan you created – controls macros to control calories
Each of these and many more examples are a diet or nutrition strategy. The plan does not have to be popular, it does not have to be from a doctor, it does not “have to be” anything except structured that you can follow.
What a diet or nutrition strategy is not
A diet or nutrition strategy is not randomly picking up food and calling it controlled eating, which we mentioned above. This is poor control rationalized as a structured approach. A diet is not something that promises extreme weight loss, the best foods for weight loss, or the best way to lose belly fat. This is a sales pitch. If you see a statement promising extreme weight loss, that person is trying to sell you a product or has no idea what they are talking about and is just repeating what they heard.
A diet or nutrition strategy does not mean taking supplements to make up for nutrition deficiencies you could correct with a proper diet. This is laziness taking the easy road and will likely not lead to success or will lead to less success than ideal.
A diet or nutrition strategy is not something that has to be a certain way. For examples, some people say you have to avoid sugar, meat, processed foods, skip fast food, or other consumables in order to lose weight, gain mass, increase performance, or reach any other diet dependent goal. This is not true. A nutrition strategy is something that allows you to reach your goals. As long as it does that, the other elements are just after thoughts that may be helpful.
A diet or nutrition strategy is not an ideology or ethical standing. Some people base eating habits on a belief system. This is fine, but at the core of a diet, this is not the diet. Beliefs are adjacent to the diet and do not make the diet more or less effective. For example, believing that low carb is the best approach for weight loss does not make low carb more or less effective. A diet is a controlled way of eating, nothing more, nothing less.
Eliminate the confusion
Information about nutrition, diets, what is clean eating, etc. are spread across the internet, in books, and in the mouths of people. Due to this, persons looking for information about a diet or nutrition strategy can easily become confused. This can be exasperated by the bias people through into dietary recommendations, such as low carb is the best ting for weight loss even though this has not been proven.
While the internet, books, and even word of mouth can help you in efforts to learn more about nutrition, you have to be able to filter out the information. For example, someone telling you apple cider vinegar “torches fat” is only trying to sell you their product or has no idea what they are talking about and is just repeating what they heard. You have to be able to filter this out. In that same vein, if someone tells you that you “need” supplements to lose weight or gain muscle, that person is trying to sell you a product or has no idea what they are talking about and is just repeating what they heard.
You have to be able filter these things out are you may struggle to find a plan that works for you. If you cannot filter these things, you should hire a professional to help you.
The best diet or nutrition strategy for you
The best diet or nutrition strategy for you is the one that you follow. There is no such thing as the perfect diet or the best diet. Even if there was, if you could not follow it, it would not matter how good the strategy was. You have to be able to follow it for it to be effective.
Find what works for you. If you can follow a plant-based diet, great, then be a vegan. If you like carbs, follow a plan that gives you carbs. If you like counting macros, but not following a strict meal plan, then use an “if it fits your macros” approach. If eating fast food is something you enjoy, then incorporate fast food into your plan. As long as the overall plan allows you to reach your goals, the other things are after thoughts that might help.
That is the end, but before you go, you read this far, so why not check out our online workout plans and nutrition programs, which include options for at home workouts, gym workouts, and bodyweight workouts
Nathan DeMetz holds degrees in Exercise Science, Business Administration, and Information Technology as well as certifications in strength and conditioning, sports nutrition, run coaching, and other areas. His credentials come from organizations such as Indiana Wesleyan University, Ivy Tech College, Utah State University, and the ISSA College of Exercise Science.
Nathan has 20 years of personal and professional experience in the health and fitness world. He works with people from across the globe, including locations such as Kuwait, Australia, and the USA.
To work with Nathan directly on your personal training goals, contact him today!