What should you be eating and what should you avoid eating?
That’s a common dilemma…
Today even more so than ever before with the easy access to information afforded by the Internet and by YouTube and other resources – information isn’t the problem – it’s trying to decide which of it to follow and which of it to ignore.
Here are just a few options to consider;
- KETO
- Paleo
- Mediterranean
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- MYA
KETO
Let’s start out with a quick overview of KETO. The Keto or ketogenic diet is a low carb high-fat diet. The basic idea is to help you burn fat more effectively for better health overall and for weight loss. Numerous studies have indicated its effectiveness in achieving results.
Yet Keto is not for everyone – and it does have significant health risks if done incorrectly – and in my personal opinion, this diet, in particular, is one that should be medically monitored, especially in the initial phases. So you might want to really consider consulting with your own doctor before you just jump into this one.
Having said all that – millions of people are currently enamored by Keto – and it shows no signs of slowing down in popularity anytime soon.
PALEO
In very general terms the Paleo diet is based on eating only foods believed to have been available to early humans (Paleolithic people) and avoiding processed foods of all kinds. It focuses on nuts, fruits, meat, and other foods considered to be naturally available to our ancient ancestors while avoiding chemically laden and sugar-laden modern processed foods.
Paleo also has both its strong proponents and those who claim it to be a terrible way of eating. You will have to do your own research and decide for yourself.
MEDITERRANEAN
Unrefined cereals, fruits, legumes, vegetables, cheese, yogurt, olive oil, and fish are staples of this diet. Interestingly enough it is credited with being an American invention based on the reported eating habits of people living in Italy and in Greece – or at least what they were eating back in the 1960s.
VEGETARIAN
Basically the idea of vegetarianism is to abstain from eating meat. Beyond that, the opinions and varying ideas on what a vegetarian diet is and isn’t, become somewhat murky if not downright confusing.
There are claims that following a vegetarian meal plan leads to better health – and there are opposed claims that it leads to tooth erosion and reduction in bone density too.
In general, vegetarians eat plant-based foods primarily while avoiding most other types of foods.
There is a lot of discussion regarding choosing vegetarian eating based on philosophical ideas against eating animals more so than on specific health benefits of the way of eating itself. Opinions do vary on this too.
VEGAN
Vegans take it levels deeper than Vegetarians and object to eating any animal-based foods at all. Grains, seeds, legumes, vegetables, and fruits make up the bulk of a vegan diet along with nuts and edible mushrooms.
In large part Veganism is also based on philosophical ideas against the consumption of meat and animal products – more so than any specific health reasons. Opinions also vary on that issue with some proponents claiming the health benefits of eating a vegan diet are superior to other types of diets. There are also those who claim that a vegan diet can easily result in a lack of certain minerals and other important nutrients which can lead to serious health problems for some people.
As always – blindly follow no one – do your own homework and your own research and then decide for yourself.
MYA
The MYA Program – this one I take the credit for – or the blame for – depending upon your point of view I suppose. MYA stands for Move Your Ass. Politically incorrect, I know. But that’s just it, I personally don’t give a damn about being politically correct or fitting into anyone’s “slot” for what they think to be proper or not. The world is already damaged enough by people blindly following along with someone else’s program without honestly facing the hard cold realities that are in fact part of surviving let alone thriving in this world.
Here is a hard cold dose of reality. Most people eat too much and move too little.
There is the simplest and most direct and in your face facts that you have to decide for yourself whether to believe – or whether to just snort and move on to the next fad or not.
Do you really want to lose weight and get in better shape?
The solution you seek is painfully simple – eat less and move more. To take it a step further you can add “eat better” to it as well. So eat less, eat better, and move more. Do that and you will get in better shape.
My personal approach is to take ideas and information from any and all other programs that make sense to me and then use them while tossing out and discarding ideas and philosophies that do not work for me. Of course, that is according to how I see it – and it is what I choose to do – just as you ultimately are responsible for your own choices and for your own results in your own life too.
I will be posting much more information about The MYA Program in future articles and publications, so if you are interested, then be sure to check back here again soon!
Conclusion
It is your body and your life. You and you alone are responsible for how you take care of it.
The problem with so many diets, meal plans, and whatever else you want to call it all – is that they are just fads that are not sustainable for the remainder of your lifetime. So what is the use really?
Instead of focusing on fads and gimmicks that do not work or that are narrowly defined by someone else alone – why not use the information you have available to you and come up with your own meal plans and design them in a way that is sustainable for you over the long haul? Ideally from now on for the rest of your life.
Many of the things you need to do are simply a matter of common sense and applied action.
Eat less. Eat better. Move more.
Cut out stupid bad things like smoking, and related vices. Reduce (or eliminate) alcohol consumption. Stop drinking soda on a daily basis. Stop eating refined and highly processed chemically laden “foods” as much as you can.
Do that and you will get in better shape.