Have you ever noticed how when it comes to dieting people always want to tell you the one they follow is the ONLY one that works?
Paleo, Low Carb, Low Fat, Ketogenic, Gluten Free — the list is endless.
As a trainer and nutrition coach there isn’t a day that goes by that someone doesn’t try to convince me that their way of eating is the only way that works. And, they can get downright angry when you say to them, while it may work for them it doesn’t necessarily mean it is guaranteed to work for everyone. I face this a lot. Especially when I deal with those that push their weight loss products.
What they are conveniently forgetting to mention is that the “proof” they are showing you in the form of before and after photos has a little blurb on the bottom that often says, “results not typical” and that the person “followed a sensible diet and exercised.”
The truth is, anyone who knows anything about nutrition knows, when it comes to getting the weight off, there is only one thing that matters:
You have to burn more calories than you eat.
It really is that simple. So simple, in fact, people don’t want to believe it. Worse, the weight loss industry will go out of its way to try to disprove it.
Folks, no matter what program you follow — even if you decide to spend the hundreds of dollars on those “weight loss gimmicks” — the bottom line is, you need to eat less than you burn off. Anyone who argues against that either doesn’t know what they are talking about or is outright lying to you.
They’ll argue it’s the time of day your eating, what you’re eating when (i.e. you can only eat carbs in the morning) or the types of macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein) that you should be eating usually with a comment to eliminate one or two of them from your diet. All too often they’ll suggest the aforementioned magic pill (raspberry ketones anyone?) they just happen to be selling.
Now, I won’t argue that some of these diets won’t work in some way. I’ve followed some of them in a way. But, I do so after have learned what my body needs and how I need to feed into it to ensure it works. And, I would never recommend to someone that they eliminate an entire macronutrient from their diet.
What to do:
If you want to be healthier, get rid of the fat, shed some pounds or just plain feel better than you should find a program that will work for you in the long run.
If you want to follow the Paleo program go for it. If you think intermittent fasting will help you to succeed. Have at it. But, whatever you choose, remember that in the end its calories in versus. calories out.
It comes down to eating the right foods in the right amounts for you. No gimmicks, no fads, no magic pills just real food in the right amounts. And, did we mention most people end up spending less, far less, on groceries than they do now.
Dan Romand is co-owner and operator of Full Circile Fitness-NY in Colonie, where he is also a certified personal trainer.
