Are you completely and utterly confused about what you should be eating?
Are you struggling with losing unwanted body-fat?
Have you plateaued and can't seem to figure out why?
Do you think that you are eating well, but can't shed and ounce?
Are you frustrated about all the conflicting dietary advice out there?
I don't blame you, losing weight today is so complicated!
There are so many diets to choose from! What will work for you?
- Paleo
- Vegetarian (vegan, lacto-ovo, lacto, pescatarian)
- Primal
- Frutarian
- Flexitarain
- The Zone
- High carb
- Low carb
- Fat free
- Ketogenic
The list is endless. So, what is the answer?
The $24,000 Dollar Question
Here's a fun exercise. Head over to Amazon and do a search for "weight-loss" under the books category; what you will find is an astonishing hit of over 24,000 different diet books.
Yes, you read that correctly?
Do ALL of these diets work?
It's hard to believe, but YES they do work.
Here's the catch though, all of these plans are bio-individual, meaning they worked for a specific bio-chemical make-up. Humans are incredibly complex and our internal chemistry varies from one person to the next.
They've worked for the author of the book, many of their clients, or their patients.
So why is that these diets don't work for everyone? Why are some successful and some a big flop?
Well, that question has many moving parts. There are many different variables that can contribute to whether or not a diet will work for someone. For example, some programs are incredibly complicated or restrictive, leaving the person starving and binging hours later. Or perhaps the diet doesn't resonate with your belief system? How about how your moods and energy-perhaps the diet is wreaking havoc on your hormones? What about your digestion-perhaps the program is making you feel heavy and bloated or causing difficulty eliminating?
Here are some variables to consider your weight-loss resistance:
- You are estrogen dominant from years of HRT or birth control.
- You take medications that create a nutrient deficiency in the body leading to bio-chemical changes.
- You have low stomach acid from due to age or using acid blockers for years,
- You've had your gallbladder removed and you aren't using digestive enzymes.
- You aren't digesting and assimilating your food.
- You aren't eating the proper macros for your unique body type.
- You aren't doing any type of strength training.
- Your body is under too much stress, producing too much cortisol.
- You aren't eating a nutrient dense whole foods diet.
- You have an underlying food sensitivity which is causing systemic inflammation.
- You aren't drinking enough water.
- You are drinking TOO much water and diluting your digestive enzymes.
- Food timing and food combining.
Bio-chemical Individuality
We are all unique and our bodies all respond differently to different foods, This is why one diet that worked for your best friend, may not work for you. The same goes for me. What works for me, may not work for you.
I studied over 100 different dietary theories while pursing my integrative nutrition certification and what I've learned through years of practice is that the body is dynamic and always changing. You have to be tuned into your body and the physiological messages it's always sending you. This takes practice, especially if a dietary dogma has been drilled into your brain. You know, like counting calories or eating 6 small meals a day or any other "food rule".
Food rules are great, but make sure they apply to you and your unique body-type.
So if you are wondering what dietary theory works best for you, the answer is within you. Your body is a chemistry lab and what you eat will either benefit and energize you or deplete you and promote disease.
With guidance, you can explore the ideal foods that work symbiotically with your body, plus give you pleasure at the same time.
Losing weight and feeling great shouldn't be a prison sentence, it should be a joyful and fun process of self exploration with a end result that's successful and sustainable for the rest of your life!
What is your Nutritional Style?
How does your body feel on avocado toast?
What about quinoa and roasted root vegetables?
How about Paleo? Are you a steak and roasted broccoli kind of person?
How do you feel after eating bacon and eggs?
What about dairy? Do you choke down yogurt because you think its good for you? Does it bloat you?
Does fruit stimulate hunger?
Are you addicted to certain foods?
These are the types of questions that you should start asking yourself.
My goal as an Integrative Nutrition Coach is to:
- Help guide you through the process of bio-individuality and help you UNcover the best foods that work with your unique system.
- Guide you in testing these foods to see how your body responds to them. Do they energize you? Satiate you? Ignite cravings? Balance your mood? Promote fat-loss?
- Help you implement a food philosophy that is prefect for you.
- Help you uncover and identify your carbohydrate threshold and food sensitivities, if any.
- Identify any nutrient deficiencies caused by your lifestyle/medications and provide you with strategies to correct them.
- Identify the weight-loss obstacles that are preventing you from reaching your greatest potential.
It's time to stop dieting, master your lifestyle and start living!
Your friend and coach,
Christine