Greetings friends,
After going through the mayhem of graduating from THE Ohio State University (you know I had to say it) with two degrees and both with honors, I decided to take a step back from all social media for a while as this has been a huge time of transition and change for me. During such time, I realized that while it is fun to write and post on social media, there is so much more to life than what is on the screen of an iPhone or laptop. I took a very much needed break from social media for a while and decided to focus on the things that mattered most: family, friends/loved ones, and finishing strong with education. It’s been a very overwhelming and exciting time, but now that it seems my head has stopped spinning (for the most part) and I am in the process of finalizing these next fun and exciting steps of my life, I have decided to get back to doing what I love most…one of them being writing.
It seems nowadays that everyone is on a hunt to find the diet that will set themselves up for the most success in as little amount of time as possible. There is nothing wrong with wanting to become the best version of yourself by any means, but there is not just one Sorcerer’s Stone to find that will be the key to everything you desire. It takes a lot of trial and error, not to mention patience and perseverance. It has taken me YEARS to find a diet and workout plan that works for me, and I am still learning, growing and bettering myself every day.
It can be extremely intimidating to read about all of the fad diets and cleanses people do on social media to lose weight. So for all the fatasses looking to start a new fitness journey or anyone looking to create a better lifestyle for themselves, I have created a list of the most common diets talked about today and what the premises are behind them or why they are supposed to prove great results. This way, you can compare what’s out there side by side and begin with what you feel may work the best for YOU.
The important things to remember are this: no two bodies are the same, and just because a diet works for someone else DOES NOT mean it will work for you. Also, as I said before, finding a proper diet that will work for you takes A LOT of time. It may take weeks before a person will begin to see any changes, positive or negative, so just remember to be patient with yourself and ENJOY THE PROCESS!
Disclaimer: I am no nutritionist or registered dietitian, I am only outlining the basic premises of different diets so that they can be compared side by side. I highly suggest that if a particular diet is of interest to you that you seek further information from credible sources to further explain a particular diet or to answer any questions you may have. Credible sources include medical journals or library databases for example. If all of that is gibberish to you, I highly recommend using Google Scholar for your searches.
Vegetarian – a vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat.
Vegan – a vegan is a person who does not consume any product that comes from an animal, including dairy.
Pescatarian – a pescatarian is someone who does not eat meat but will consume fish.
Intermittent Fasting – intermittent fasting is based on time rather than restricting to specific kinds of foods. A person who is intermittent fasting will choose an eating window (the most common window being 8 hours, from 12 p.m, to 8 p.m.) and fasts for the remaining amount of time in the day (the most common fasting window being 16 hours) but these windows can be adjusted based on the person’s interests, work schedule, etc.
Keto – The keto diet is a diet that is based on higher proteins and fats with minimal carbs. A person who is on a “keto diet” is someone who is looking to put their body into the state of ketosis, which is defined as “a metabolic state characterized by raised levels of ketone bodies in the body tissues.” As someone who has experimented with the keto diet for years, I have personally found that this can be very beneficial for all kinds of people, even those who have a much harder struggle with weight loss than most due to unforeseen circumstances.
Paleo – a person following the paleo diet is only eating foods that is presumed to have been eaten by early humans, such as meat, fish, vegetables and fruit; excluding dairy, grain products and processed foods. This individual is cutting out all of the bullshit and getting back to the basics, before deep fried Oreos and Cinnabon were a thing.
IIFYM – If It Fits Your Macros. This diet is most commonly used by people who are serious physique competitors or body builders who are preparing to step on stage or compete in one of numerous physique/weight lifting challenges. This individual will have a registered dietitian or nutritionist calculate specifically what amount of protein, carbs and fats (aka macros) they should take in on a daily basis to achieve a very specific look/end goal.
This list does not contain all diets by any means, but I have found these are the most common diets people ask me about on a day to day basis, and it is my hope that every person experiments with different diets and finds a plan that works for them.
Another important note I would like to add: NO EXPERIENCE = NO OPINION. Haven’t tried a diet/lifestyle? You have no room to provide input, judge or critique another individual for trying something new. Their body and life is not yours, stay out of it. Until you have tried it and have done extensive research on the topic matter, YOU CANNOT criticize anything another person does with their diet. Period.
