Do I Need a Diet or a Lifestyle Change?

Trying to figure out which diet is best is like walking into an ice-cream parlor with 50 flavours to choose from. Some look delicious, some look a bit weird and others just turn you right off. But without asking for a sample, how do you know which flavour to get? Do you go with something you know or do you risk it and try something new?

In this article, I’m going to give you a sample of what the five most popular diets entail, but before you have to choose which one is best, I’ll show you exactly what you need to consider so you may not need to ‘diet’ at all.

The Mediterranean Diet

This diet is based on eating foods that are traditionally consumed by people who live in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Think of countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Malta. It focuses on the flavours, cooking methods and foods found in that region while embracing a healthy lifestyle in general. Exercising, eating for enjoyment and in the company of others is what makes this diet seem like less of a diet and more of a way of living. Because of its focus on consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains and healthy fats, the Mediterranean diet is heart healthy and generally easy to follow. The diet allows for moderate amounts of fish, eggs, poultry, and dairy, but its main focus is plant-based.

This diet is great for anyone wanting to implement healthier habits without feeling like they’re ‘on a diet.’ The diet is obviously not ideal for those who are trying to avoid animal-based products and dairy.

Caution: Though it allows for small amounts of red meat and red wine, consumption of those and sugar should be limited.

The Vegan Diet

The premise of the Vegan Diet is to avoid eating all animal derived foods and ingredients such as meat, dairy, eggs, even honey, mayonnaise, or gelatin. The aim is to focus on eating fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Some people follow a vegan diet for health reasons, some follow it for environmental reasons and for others it can be for ethical reasons such as not wanting to harm animals. For many, it’s a combination of all three.

A vegan diet can help reduce many common ailments such as high blood-pressure, high cholesterol, inflammation, and it can reduce the risk of cancer, however it can be difficult to follow if you enjoy eating animal derived products, including things like yogurt and cheese.

Caution: Many vegan products can be loaded with sugar or processed ingredients. It's important to balance the intake of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats with whole foods for the diet to remain healthy and beneficial.

The Intermittent Fasting Diet

Though Intermittent Fasting focuses more on when you eat, as opposed to what you eat, I include it as a diet because it’s often used as a weight loss tool. It involves periods of fasting and switching to periods of eating within a specific time frame. There are several different ways to do it. One of the most popular methods is to fast for 16 hours a day and to eat all meals within an 8-hour window. Another way to do it is to eat regularly for 5 days a week and eat only one meal a day on two different days of the week. The idea behind intermittent fasting is that when the body experiences prolonged periods without food, it begins to burn the calories from the last meal and begins burning fat.

When meals consumed are healthy, well-balanced, and well proportioned, intermittent fasting can be a great weight management tool.

Caution: This diet is not ideal for those who suffer from certain health conditions such as hypoglycemia, Type I diabetes (those who rely on insulin), or for those who suffer from chronic dieting and eating disorders.

The Ketogenic (Keto) Diet

It’s a high fat, low carb diet. The main idea behind the keto diet is to reduce your carbohydrate intake to ‘almost’ nothing and replace it with fat instead. This process forces your body into a state called ketosis, which is when your body starts burning fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. Since carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy, a reduction in carbohydrate intake can accomplish weight loss by burning fat instead. Foods consumed on a keto diet focus on a high amount of fat, moderate amount of protein, and a very low amount (less than 20grams) of carbohydrates per day. It focuses on foods such as eggs, meat, seafood, butter, cheese, and nuts with small amounts of berries and vegetables.

Caution: The Keto diet can be a quick way to lose weight but difficult to sustain over a long period of time. Large amounts of unhealthy fats such as bacon and deep-fried foods is not recommended.

The Paleo Diet (Hunter/Gatherer Diet)

The paleo diet is based on the idea of eating foods that humans may have acquired by hunting and gathering during the paleolithic era, thousands of years ago. The thought behind this is that if prehistoric humans didn’t eat it, neither should we as our bodies are best suited to eat foods that don’t come from modern farming.

The paleo diet includes foods such as lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. It does not include grains, dairy or legumes. The paleo diet has been known to reduce inflammation and help with weight loss. Those suffering from celiac, gluten or lactose intolerance may also benefit from a paleo diet.

Caution: A diet heavy in animal protein sources can also lead to increased risk of heart disease or other health issues. Choosing lean sources is best.

But there are other diets which haven’t been covered here. How do I know which one is best?

Personally, I don’t think there is one diet that is best. That’s because generally, I don’t believe chronic dieting is the long-term solution to building healthy lifestyle habits that last. That said, I do believe in the power of dieting for specific health outcomes during certain seasons. For example, if you suffer from joint pain, an antiinflammatory diet can help relieve pain and symptoms. (An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on removing any foods or beverages that can cause inflammation in the body, such as dairy, gluten, sugar, caffeine, or alcohol, just to name a few.)

Here are seven things to consider when choosing a new diet or health regime.

What’s your main objective?

First of all, ask yourself, which goal or outcome do I want to achieve? Is it weight loss? Do I want to improve a health condition such as reduce my risk of type II diabetes, lower my blood pressure and cholesterol, alleviate symptoms of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), or do I want to reduce pain and inflammation in my joints? Is my goal short term such as wanting to learn what to eat for endurance in an upcoming marathon or is it a more long-term lifestyle goal?

How much time and money am I willing to invest?

Changing your eating habits can seem as easy as printing off a new meal plan from the internet, but you’ve got to evaluate how much time you’re willing to spend planning your meals, shopping, preparing and cleaning up afterwards. Learning new recipes can be time consuming so if you don’t like prepping or spending time in the kitchen, learning how to create dairy-free nut milk or a vegan based lasagne might not be the way you want to go. You also need to consider how much money you are willing to spend on new ingredients, kitchen gadgets, and appliances.

Does a new diet impact those I live or spend time with?

Anyone who lives with family or a partner will tell you how difficult it can be to have to cook more than one type of meal for lunch or dinner. When choosing a new diet, its important to consider how your diet will impact everyone else. Will they be eating the same food or will you have to prepare multiple meals? Because the truth is, this can only be sustained for so long. If you can’t find a quick and easy way to incorporate making different meals for different members of your household, the diet you choose may not be the right one for you.

How does my work or travel schedule impact my eating habits?

If you travel a lot for work and constantly find yourself out at dinner entertaining clients, your new diet may not be as easy to sustain as you like. Time and time again, I’ve heard of clients wanting to make healthier choices but late-night dinners with alcoholic beverages, accompanied by hotels and plane food, made it difficult to make wise choices. If your new diet can’t easily accompany you along your daily or weekly schedule, it may not be the right one.

Culture, upbringing, and social life considerations

Our upbringing and culture can deeply impact what we eat and how we bond with others through the process of sharing a meal. For example, I was brought up in a German home. When I stopped eating red meat, my mom didn’t quite know what to offer when she invited me over for lunch. Though diet is a personal choice, it can impact those you spend time with, especially if you are invited to their home for a meal. It also affects which restaurants you choose to eat at with others and even which countries you visit on a holiday.

Time and season of your life

Just because you choose one specific type of diet today, it doesn’t mean you have to stick with it for life. One way of eating might work well for you in your 20’s but you may need to adjust as you head into perimenopause and need to consume foods that reduce hot flashes or night sweats. Evaluate what season in life you’re in and check in with the goal you want to accomplish when deciding on which diet may be best for you.

But what about the Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Sugar-free, Elimination or Anti-inflammatory diets?

I’m not against ditching gluten, dairy, sugar or anything that causes inflammation, irritates digestion or wreaks havoc on our hormones. In fact, many studies have shown plenty of reasons not to consume them or at least take a break from them from time to time.

Rather than choosing just one specific diet or strict way of eating, I recommend considering all of the above questions and creating diet/lifestyle habits that revolve around your goals and how you actually will live your most authentic healthy life. You absolutely can incorporate different aspects from your favourite diets and monitor how your body responds. Let your body choose your diet as opposed to committing yourself to fit a label you may not be able to sustain or identify with long-term.

My Overall Diet Advice

Eat more plant-based foods. Consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and healthy fats. Choose whole grains your body tolerates well. Choose sustainable sources for fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy if those are foods you enjoy and can easily digest. Avoid or limit foods and beverages your body doesn’t tolerate well and that don’t line up with your health goals. Exercise daily, get plenty of sleep, drink more water than you think you need and learn how to cope with stress in a healthy manner. Share meals with others and be thankful for your blessings. Now if you ask me, that’s the diet I like to follow.

See Bianca’s original feature article in The Local Biz Magazine (Summer 2024 Edition, page 8-11).