Keto or vegan diets have gained popularity over the last couple of years because they work… For some. Somehow, we’ve convinced ourselves that what works for some must work for us.
I hate to break it to you, friend… That’s not true.
Those fad diets or systems may not work for your body.
Recently, I had a client ask me if I believed in certain systems (keto, vegan, paleo, etc.) or if I thought getting healthy and reaching goals relied on tips and tricks.
My answer…. Neither.
My answer will always be “honor your body”. Tips and tricks are more of a Band-Aid approach. They may relieve symptoms temporarily, but they never address the real issue. Let’s learn why fad diets may not work for your body.
The Most Important Pillar To Reach Your Fullest Health Potential
Why did I say “honor your body”? Because it’s all-encompassing of my 3 stage framework to help busy professionals reclaim their health. This phrase repeats itself over and over in my mind. It’s become my go-to response to anyone asking me health questions. If you want to know a little more of what that encompasses, here are the 3 pillars to reaching your fullest health potential:
- Eat For Your Body
- Uncover Hidden Stressors
- Master Your Mindset
You could even alternate “honor your body” with the last pillar. We must master our mindset when it comes to honoring our body
Fad Diets Result In Negative Downstream Effects
When there’s a fire, you spray it down with a hose. But if embers fly in the wind and land on a dry patch of grass, that hose is not going to suffice. You’ll be dealing with a wildfire (much like we’ve seen on the West Coast lately).
Likewise, fad diets only address the short term symptoms. While they may work for some time, they may not work in the long term (and may actually damage your health).
Let’s talk about the negative downstream effects fad diets have.
When you get stuck on a certain lifestyle approach, system, or fad diet, it’s easy to stay stuck living in that lifestyle. We dismiss the subtle signs our body is trying to communicate to us. We shrug it off as something unusual.
One of my clients was on a ketogenic diet for 3 years. She was always sick but was so afraid to leave that system to try something better for her body.
When we make the decision to go on a fad diet, we force ourselves to continue following that diet even if our body is screaming it’s unhappy. We fail to listen to our bodies and honor what it’s saying.
Our commitment (or stubbornness) to these fad diets or systems is dishonoring our body’s needs.
When you honor your body, it will honor you back.
(Learn how to balance your plate to feel satisfied, energized, and uplifted in this free guide.)
Why Fad Diets May Not Work For Your Body
The same client mentioned above was stuck following her ketogenic diet for 3 whole years. She knew it wasn’t working for her body, but she wouldn’t stop. Instead, she continued to gain weight. Everyone else around her on the same diet was losing weight. It didn’t make sense.
She wasn’t honoring her body.
Her body was screaming at her to stop in every possible way…. Headaches, irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain, stress, and anxiety were through the roof.
But she stubbornly kept following the system.
When she sat down to chat with me, we addressed her current eating patterns. She wasn’t eating for what her metabolism needed.
After a series of assessments, we quickly learned that a keto diet was not right for her.
She was crippled with fear at first. Something as simple as incorporating fruit in her diet scared her. She avoided it for 3 years. But she trusted the process and chose to try something new.
In addition to the guidelines I created for her, I coached her on honoring her own body and giving what it was asking for.
Transformation After Honoring The Body
Her story didn’t end there. After she implemented those changes, she couldn’t believe how much a small change in her diet could do for her energy. She enjoyed eating things like fruit again! The best part… Her stress levels improved, her hormone related symptoms improved, and she lost over 10 pounds in 3 weeks.
This all happened after following the wrong diet – a fad diet – for years.
There is no perfect diet for everyone.
Ripping The Band-Aid Off To Discover The Root Problem
Just like I don’t believe in Band-Aid approaches to health, I don’t believe in following systems either. Systems don’t work for all people.
If you’re…
- Tired after meals
- Have no energy throughout the day
- Feel foggy after you eat and need to lay down to take a nap
- Feel like you’re hungry within 1 to 2 hours after eating
… Then you may not be honoring your body.
These are all great indicators that your current diet is not right for you.
It’s time to rip off the Band-Aid to discover your personalized system.
Start Honoring Your Body To See Transformation
The simple technique I use helps my clients understand which foods are right for your body. In this technique, you’ll assess how you feel after each meal to determine if you have the right balance of carbs, fats, and proteins.
You don’t need to count calories or weigh your food (if you don’t want to do that).
Simply look at your plate to determine how much of each macronutrient you need to fuel your body appropriately. And it goes without saying that you have to be eating nutrient dense foods.
This technique helps you gauge how you’re going to feel by the types of food you have on your plate. It is transformational. And the best part is, it allows you to even go into a restaurant and pick foods that will fuel you instead of depleting you.
Your body is super intelligent. And if we honor what it is asking for, it will honor us in return. We just have to tune in. And part of tuning in is having the right tools to do the job. Download this free guide on how to balance your plate. Start seeing the transformation today!