There are over 100 dietary theories out there to complement each and every one of you; however, the most important part of any diet is to understand that no one diet will work for everyone. The food that I eat and that works for me may be considered another one’s poison and vice versa. You need to find what works for you. Whether it’s Paleo, Aruvedya, Atkins, Gluten Free, Blood Type, 90/10, etc, it needs to be unique to you and your body!

Being educated on these dietary theories has really helped in understanding what will work best for me and my lifestyle. It is a work in progress but the best thing about it is that I get to experiment with new foods and more importantly learn how to listen to my body. Listening to my bodies’ needs and responses has been a pivotal change in my life. Overloading myself with carbs/processed food/junk often times leaves me feeling bloated, sick and unhappy with my food choices. This may happen frequently with many of us and although it’s not an easy transition to incorporating better eating habits, it can be a very rewarding change.

The diet that seems to work for me and fits my schedule the majority of the time is the 90/10 diet, which means you eat clean 90% of the time and whatever you want the rest of the time, leaving room for those certain cravings you just can’t resist. Clean Eating means consuming whole, natural, unprocessed foods. Below are a few simple guidelines for Clean Eating success.
1. Eat small frequent meals 5-6 times per day to level blood sugar and prevent hunger
2. Include fruits, vegetables, lean protein, complex carbohydrates and heart healthy fats in your daily consumption
3. Avoid processed and/or refined foods (sugar, baked goods, candies, white flour, white rice, etc)
4. Avoid high saturated and trans fats
5. Avoid sodas, high calorie juices and other drinks that give your body no nutritional value and lots of unnecessary (unwanted) calories
6. Avoid high calorie, non nutritious foods (i.e. junk food)
7. Drink at least 8 cups of water per day

If eating this way is a new concept, it may take some practice and commitment to eating clean. For me, it has been a gradual process over the last few years and it is still a work in progress, however, the improvements such as weight loss, improved energy, and overall happiness and wellness has been life changing.

The best thing about it is that there are so many satisfying ways to make “clean” food taste good. Whether it’s using herbs, spices, or homemade marinades, there are ways to satisfy your taste buds. Even sweets…which I will make sure I blog about and provide you with some healthy sweet treat recipes, which I know can be a downfall for many of us, including myself!

Now, all this being said and as I mentioned earlier in this posting, this way of eating may not work for all of you and that’s ok but it’s a great place to start and figure out what works best for you specifically. If you are interested in any particular dietary theories, please email me at lacey.maiman@gmail.com and I will be happy to provide you with the details including pros and cons of the diet itself in a helpful way that is easy to understand.