THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT DIET: Are Diets Bad?

There is nothing wrong with the word “diet.” 

Read that sentence again. Let it process and release your anger or disbelief. Now let me explain.

The term “diet” has been vilified, dragged through the mud, and essentially blamed as the reason for our long-standing eating battle. But you know what? The only problem with the word diet is the way we define it. You can look in the dictionary if you'd like, but I can promise that the meaning has been twisted.

Diet is food—it’s what you eat, drink, and enjoy. Everyone has a diet, even if you think you don’t. So it’s time to stop with the misdirected frustration. Your issue (and my issue) is gimmicks that don’t work and promise the world. They’re oftentimes something ridiculous like The Water Diet. (I like to call it “starvation,” but I was never much of a marketer) Sure it has diet attached to it, but it’s really not a way of eating. Or a way of life.

I know what you’re probably thinking: “Isn’t a lifestyle change a better approach?” 

Sure, if that’s what makes you feel better about the situation. But a lifestyle change is still an alteration of your dietary habits. See, there’s the D-Word again. The truth is, how you eat (your diet) is what causes a lifestyle change. 

Look, we’ve tried to bury the four letter word, but it’s omnipresent. So why not embrace it and change the meaning? Stop viewing “diet” as something restrictive and awful. Your diet is a personalized experience. We all want to find an eating strategy that works. And a good diet will create the life you want. A bad one will not. The more important point is figuring out what works for you. And what is actually healthy and sustainable. Those are the three main ingredients you need. Find them in one approach, and you’ll feel reinvigorated, look better, and fight off aging and disease.

That’s why I decided to start The Search for the Perfect Diet. I realize that “perfect”is an ambiguous term. Perfect for me is not perfect for you. So what’s the point?

Simple: My experience can help simplify the process of selecting a lifestyle….or diet…or strategic daily caloric consumption patterns (whatever you want to call it) that might work for you. There are approximately 8,832 diets (give or take a few), and it’s genuinely hard to decipher what’s good or know where to start. 

That's my job: To help you and improve your health and fitness. I’ll try as many diets as possible. If I find that the diet is too difficult or causes health problems, then I’ll let you know and promptly quit (after giving it due diligence. After all, most diets have an adjustment period). If it’s working great, I’ll stick with it a while longer and analyze the results from all angles: medically, physically, emotionally and mentally. All the stuff you really care about. 

Even if I experience success, I’ll eventually start in a new direction. Along the way, you’ll receive my honest feedback about how I react to the different strategies. I’ll have experts share their thoughts, so you know the benefits and flaws of each approach. By the end, you might not like what I’ve done, but you’ll be more informed than when you began. And as an educator, that’s the best thing I can provide.

So bring it on Paleo, Atkins, and intermittent fasting. Toss me your high protein, low carb or break-from-eating slant.  I’m ready for this experiment one meal at a time. 

All I ask in return is that you share your thoughts and spread the word to your friends. Be active. Recommend different approaches. Or tell your own story. This is as much about you, as it is me. So if you like what you see, I want to make you part of the experience. 

My diet journey begins here.