Which Diet is Best For You? (this is the final installment)

The Paleo Diet

I’m sure everyone has heard of the Paleo Diet.  This particular diet encourages eating fresh fruits and vegetables, wild caught game and fish, in addition to free-range farm products.  Flour, refined sugar, salt, processed foods, legumes, beans and dairy foods are avoided.

Some short-term studies have been conducted and their results showed definitive weight loss, lowered blood pressure and cholesterol. Improved insulin sensitivity was also a result of this diet. 

Scientists claim that the Paleo Diet does indeed reduce sodium, saturated fat and refined sugar intake.  However, the diet’s low carb profile can lead to reduced exercise performance.  On the upside, there is a Paleo for sports diet that includes more carbs.  

Which Diet is Best For You?......update three of four

Low-Carb/Low-Sugar

With this diet, you will avoid foods high in simple carbohydrates, including white flower, refined sugar, starchy vegetables (such as corn and peas) and some fruits and juices.

A low-carb diet may promote weight loss and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Scientists say that a diet too low in carbs can result in low energy, loss of lean body mass, poor performance and poor recovery, especially for elite athletes.

Which Diet is Best For You?

Yesterday I discussed Clean Eating, and what that means.

Today I'll share the basics of a Gluten-Free Diet.

Following this diet eliminates foods containing wheat, barley, rye or triticale and potentially oats due to cross contamination.

People with celiac disease or other gluten issues may notice reduced gastro-related discomfort and bloating, headaches, and fatigue.

People without gluten issues experience weight loss and increased energy but scientists believe it may be because their overall eating habits have become healthier.

A word of caution…..some gluten-free processed foods have more calories than the original version (for example breads).  Some followers of this diet report fatigue due to a low carb intake.

Your Food Cravings Have a Deeper Meaning

What Your Food Cravings Mean
What You're Craving	What You Need	What to Eat Instead
Chocolate	Magnesium	Nuts, seeds, veggies & fruits
Sugary Foods	Chromium	Broccoli, grapes, cheese, chicken
	Carbon	Fresh fruits
	Phosphorus	Chicken, beef, fatty fish, eggs
		diary, nuts, veggies, grains
	Sulphure	Cranberries, horseradish, cabbage
		cauliflower
	Tryptophan	Cheese, raisins, sweet potatoes
		spinach
Bread, Pasta & Other Carbs	Nitrogene	High protein foods; meat,
		fatty fish, nuts, beans, chia seeds
Oily Foods	Calcium	Milk, chees, green leafy veggies
Salty Foods	Chloride	Fatty fish, goat milk
	Silicon	Cashews, nuts, seeds

Which Diet is Best for You?

Do the terms, Clean Eating, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb/Low Sugar and Paleo make your eyes glaze over?  

Not sure which style of diet suits you best?  

In this 4 part installment I will lay out the basics for you in bite size (pardon the pun) posts. 

Clean Eating

When you follow this particular diet you eat more natural, whole or raw foods.  If you can name the ingredients in one word it’s clean eating.  For instance; chicken breast, apple, fish, egg, black beans….etc.  You will avoid refined or processed foods.  Those frozen veggie burgers at your local grocer are processed.  Soy milk is processed.  Clean eating may also favor organic or non-GMO and sustainably produced foods.  Additives, preservatives and high-fructose corn syrup is avoided. 

Should you follow this particular type of diet, you will improve your nutritional intake because processed foods often are less nutrient-dense than whole foods.  

Multivitamins are no good??

In yesterdays Wall Street Journal, it was reported that Multivitamins are found to have little benefit. In reading further, the clinical trials focused on cognitive functions and cardiovascular health. You can find the report in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Four physicians even went so far as to say that the use of multivitamins are not justified and should be avoided.

As a person that does take multiple vitamins daily, I'm not about to stop. Granted, I don't use multivitamins. I put together a mix of C, D, E and A. More of an antioxidant formula, if you will. But I like my formula and I'm going to continue with this routine.

Personally, I'm not expecting my cognitive function to improve. Nor am I expecting my heart to be healthier because I down a few vitamins.

Scientific studies have shown that as we age, cognitive functions don't decline as drastically when we regularly exercise (versus those that don't exercise). Studies have also shown that exercise helps our cardiovascular health.

So doesn't it just make sense that a combination of exercise, clean eating and yes vitamins is what we should do daily for our overall health? Be it cognitive, cardiovascular, bone and muscular strength?

I encourage you to all draw your own conclusion, but I was compelled to share my two cents.........

To Your Health,

Michelle

There is a reason why it's called "Personal Training"

There is a reason why it's called "Personal Training"

In my experience, clients view me as their friend, someone who can give them the support and encouragement they need on their road to a healthier and fitter life. The internet may be able to answer just about any fitness question, but it cannot replace the emotional, mental and physical support that I as a trainer provide. The web doesn't give my clients the encouragement needed when the training gets tough. They need someone to lean on, cry to. Someone to push them, to motivate them.

I believe I relate and socialize in a way that allows my clients to feel supported and validated while helping them improve their physical conditioning.