We’ve seen it all, from cabbage soup cleanses, 1,200-calorie “meal plans,” to diets that eliminate large groups of foods. And honestly? We’ve tried more than we care to admit. We don’t promote any of those diets here. While we respect your body autonomy and the right to choose what you think is best for yourself, we would not encourage any of these diets! This week, we wanted to highlight a few of the worst offenders.
Intermittent Fasting
I’ve always said Intermittent Fasting (IF) is just socially-sanctioned anorexia. IF encourages restriction and meal skipping, which can worsen preoccupation with food, and exacerbate binge-restrict cycles. IF tends to be unsustainable in the medium- to long-term, and when people fall off, they are apt to self-blame for it. IF often makes exercise harder to maintain. Some folks even give it up entirely because their energy tanks. I’ve also known people on IF who gradually increase their fast windows to really extreme time frames. This is dangerous for your physical and mental health, and can lead you to feeling really crummy and fatigued, with headaches and low energy.
Keto
First off, nearly any diet that requires eliminating a large group of foods will “work” in the short term, meaning you are likely to lose weight, at least in the beginning. Keto is incredibly difficult to maintain for any length of time, because it puts so many foods off limits. Good luck keeping it up while traveling or just eating at someone else’s house. It also can be extremely expensive, as any diet high in meat is. Keto also kicks out foods rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Vegetables and fruits are good for you. You should eat them!
Anti-seed oil
While this isn’t necessarily a full diet, the anti-seed oil craze is loud and seems to be everywhere. Seed oils contain more omega-6 and less omega-3. Both are important polyunsaturated fats that your body needs. Ideally, you should eat more omega-3 than omega-6. HOWEVER, all of this is what we think of as small rocks. If you’re not eating enough fruits and veggies, barely getting any protein, or have a diet with barely any fiber, the specific ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 is the least of your concerns. It isn’t worth worrying about the small rocks if the big rocks aren’t in place!
Fad diets come and go, but the fundamentals of good nutrition are relatively well known: eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, get enough protein, get some fats and some whole grains, and enjoy the treats you love when you want to. You don’t need a cleanse, a chart, or a guru. You need habits that fit your actual life, not someone else’s fantasy of perfection. That’s what we teach here. Our approach to nutrition focuses on developing new habits that will help you to feel your best and improve your overall health without leading you into an obsessive struggle. We focus on nutrition that works with a busy lifestyle, and leaves room for foods you love.
