Fad Diets Explained

Living in Southern California, I constantly hear about all sorts of diets. I’m living in the center of it all; the juice cleanses, vegans, even diets I swear are made up;). I often get questions asking what macros are. Or questions about if I’ve done Whole 30. I find dieting so interesting and love trying out new diets or eliminating categories from my diet for periods of time to see if I notice a difference in my health. I truly believe that they way we eat can effect everything; our mood, mental health, fertility and overall quality of life.

I wanted to explain a few of the popular fad diets you may have tried or were curious about. I love hearing what works for other people. Let me know your favorite way of eating healthy!

FAD DIETS EXPLAINED

Whole30

This is a high elimination diet. For 30 days, you only eat grass-fed or free range proteins, no dairy, no artificial sugars, limit natural sugars, high in vegetables, limitations on nuts, such as no peanuts, no grains, and no legumes. It gets easier as the days go on. This is not meant to be a long term, lifestyle change, but more of a total body cleanse. I know this diet works well for the “all or nothing” personality. It takes dedication and going out to eat can be a bit of a hassle. I’ve heard mixed reviews on the end result. Once your body is cleansed for a month, it can have a hard time adjusting to certain food groups again.  I also know athletes who were injured a decade or more ago feel no pain the injured area after completing Whole 30.

Paleo

This is a diet high in meats, think cavemen, everything you can gather from the earth, as is. The paleo diet is similar to Whole 30, and also a difficult long term option in my opinion. I do like how the Paleo Diet eliminates processed foods, sugars & soft drinks.

Juice Cleanses

I actually don’t consider this a “diet” unless done for longer than 7 days or used every month for several days to “cleanse” your system. Juice cleanses vary depending on the juicery, but the setup is relatively that you have a number of greens, roots, fruits/citruses, and nut milks. A 3 day juice cleanse is a great way to shock your system and help curb sugar cravings after the holidays or a long vacation. Jeff could live on Pressed Juice. I on the other hand crave being able to chew food. Incorporating a few juices into your weekly diet never hurts though! It’s a great way to get in fruits, vegetables & start off your day on the right food. I’ve realized that when I eat a healthy, balanced breakfast, it’s easier to make more healthy choices throughout my day.

A Sugar Fast

Again, I don’t consider this a “diet”,  but many do. I think cutting sugar out of your life is healthy for everybody. I feel my best when I eliminate ALL sugar, including fruit for a minimum of 3 weeks. After 3 weeks, the cravings are gone and I feel incredible. I’ve gone 9 months before with zero sugar. I notice a more clear mind, extra energy and the ability to get a deeper, longer sleep. Eliminating sugar from your diet every few months offers a great “reset” to your body.

Gluten Free

No wheat or related grains; oats (unless label states otherwise), barley, rye. I’m sure most of you have heard of celiac disease; an allergy to gluten. But many people have chosen to just omit gluten from their diet, even if they don’t have an allergy. Even if you aren’t gluten free, it’s good to switch up your grains or go without them periodically. If you notice bloating and fatigue after eating gluten, it may be worth trying to eliminate it from your diet for a few weeks to see if that helps?!

Intermittent Fasting

With intermittent fasting, breakfast is usually skipped even after a morning workout, and then lunch and dinner are eaten like usual, just long periods of not eating, and then only eating a few meals in the day. You can choose to eat only in a certain time window (ex. only eating from 11am- 5pm) and fasting the rest of the time (while drinking water of course).

Vegan

The next step up after vegetarians. On top of not being able to consume meat products, vegans do not consume any food item that comes from an animal in any way. If you really think about it, almost everything is made from an animal, so this is an extreme elimination diet but there are so many substitutes in stores and restaurants now. I’ve also tried out some amazing vegan recipes that I love!

Counting Macros

This is one I have done (pre-Ozzy), because it didn’t feel like a diet. This is a lifestyle that takes dedication but can become second nature to track food and counting after a while. When counting your macros you are breaking your protein, fats and carbs into different percentages based on your goals. I loved the flexibility while still maintaining my weight. HERE is a great source to start tracking your macros and you get workouts from my friends Chris and Heidi Powell. It’s like My Fitness Pal and BBG had a genius baby named Transform App. Like really, GOOOD!

Intuitive Eating

Referred to as the non-diet and conscious eating. The idea behind intuitive eating is to listen to your bodies hunger and fullness cues. To practice being more mindful and trust your relationship with food. Eat when you are hungry. Stop when you are full. To eat intuitively you may need to relearn how to distinguish the difference between physical and emotional hunger.