OK so nowadays it seems like you can get nutrition, diet and weight loss advice from pretty much anyone and anywhere, right?

There are ads on TV, billboards, tons of ads online and everywhere in between promoting diet supplements, before and after photos, promoting super foods, tips on Facebook from unknown sources, you name it I’ve heard it, seen it and read it all!!

Experts popping up all over the place claiming that the new super food for longevity and weight loss is found somewhere deep in some rain forest or jungle and there’s only this one brand that has it and you have to pay heaps of money but you’ll get super powers and become invincible. Tempting, right?

But seriously, this is part of the reason why I chose to study nutrition – I’ve struggled with my weight and body image ever since I can remember and as a result I’ve fallen for every gimmicky, program, FAD diet and treatment under the sun.

Now to be fair, not all of them were baseless and I did see results from some of them, but only temporarily and as a result, my confidence took a hit and I felt like a total failure.

This is a big reason for my sharing what I’ve learnt here; I want to be able to help and inspire people, especially young women, who may be feeling the way I did in the past (and sometimes still do in the present).

If you are reading this and can relate, I would like to challenge you to change the narrative in your head. Try to love the way you are right now, imperfections and all, and work towards improving your health (or anything else you’d like to change) for the right reasons. Work out and eat well because you love your body and want to take care of it, not because you hate the way you look.

The truth is there is some merit to most diets / lifestyle choices; be it going vegan, trying a keto diet, eating ‘clean’, limiting simple carbohydrates, fasting and so no.  There is no one right answer. Do some research and try them out for size.

The only thing I would definitely warn against is anything or any one diet that promotes diet pills / shakes (when you have no idea what’s in them) or anything of the sort! Also, variety is key. Different foods contain different nutrients. Be aware of what is in your food like whether something contains saturated or unsaturated fats for example and how one or the other will impact your health and end goals.

The following are some fact that I’ve learnt through my studies, coupled with personal experience.

Fact: fasting is the best most thorough way to cleanse your body. How to do it, who should do it and for how long to fast is a different question. Studies show that women and men should fast differently because our bodies react to a lack of food differently.

Fact: eating clean – I.e. avoiding highly processed or salt and sugar laden  foods and opting for genuine, simple and whole ingredients in our cooking promotes good health.

Fact: plant based foods contain a multitude of nutrients vital for our bodies’ function.

Fact: refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup cause inflammation. Inflammation leads to disease.

Fact: there are many natural foods that help promote better health, are powerful in preventing and fighting disease and have been dubbed super foods. Now, in truth, most natural foods (which don’t sound nearly as exciting as alfalfa or spirulina) are in fact super because many of which do contain a multitude of nutrients which are really good for us. There’s no need to scour the globe and spend all your money in search for the best super foods that will make you invincible. Just eat whole foods as much as possible.

Fact: most multivitamins are a waste of money and contain vitamins in quantities (and quality) our bodies don’t actually need. Try singling out what your body needs and use supplements to treat whatever it is that you are lacking. I personally swear by magnesium. However, many other people may not find it beneficial (Most women will).

Fact: Exercise is so important; our bodies were not built to be seated all day. Find something that works for you; be it a walk, a class, a personal trainer or whatever suits you and try your best to stick with it.

I’ve been working out consistently for quite some time now and I honestly have never felt better. It’s not just physical changes, it’s the fact that exercise helps with mental health too. My stress and anxiety levels and mood improve immensely when I work out. Physical health is important but mental and emotional health should not be ignored.

Ok I have a feeling that this post is already too long so I’ll stop here for now. But just keep in mind that no one diet no one supplement or superfood is that answer you’ve been looking for. It’s not a one size fits all, one right answer, holy grail situation. Educate yourself and use common sense. If a diet says you should only eat one type of food for example, and you know that you need a multitude of different foods for a healthy diet, chances are the diet is questions is just plain ridiculous and you shouldn’t follow it.

Research and data on the topic of nutrition and health is always ongoing and ever changing so what makes sense today may not be true years from now. Because even though we know a lot about the human body and there is so much data out there, there is always more we don’t know and have yet to discover.

As always, please let me know what you’d like to see more of from me and let me know if you’ve enjoyed reading this rather lengthy post 🙂 I’d really appreciate it!

Thank you for taking the time to be here 🙂 Until my next post, be well x X x