Choosing A Meal Plan

Paleo, vegan, whole food, keto, Mediterranean, the list goes on. Which one should you choose? There are so many options; getting started’s almost too overwhelming.

Here’s the magic secret no one wants you to know: you don’t have to choose.

Most popular meal plans today are based on marketing, not science. They are all pimped by marketers flaunting amazing before and after pictures, testimonials of people who have turned their lives around and avoided certain death, and pseudo-scientific facts about why this plan is better than the “others.” Somebody queue Tiny Tim; it’s time for his tear-jerking miracle scene. I’ll be over in the corner vomiting.

It’s a miracle; God bless us, everyone!

The truth is: if your “diet” before consisted of 1200-calorie Chipotle burrito bowls, craft beer, and meal replacement shakes, any sensible change is going to produce dramatic results. It’s not because you found the one diet; it’s because you stopped eating like shit.

If you do nothing else…

Fill your plate with foods that closely resemble the plant or animal it came from. (I see you reaching for those marshmallow peeps and chocolate bunnies. Let’s get a little closer than that, m’kay?) Minimize processed foods, and don’t drink your calories.

It’s ok if you want to follow one of those meal plans. I have, and on occasion, still do. They are a great way to get ideas for new recipes and minimize information overload for eating. Understand meal plans for what they are: a recipe collection, not a holy grail to healthy eating. Below, I’ll list some of the popular plans, and if one sounds like something you’d like to try, by all means, go for it. One word of caution: regardless of what the “experts” tell you, count and follow your macros. Marketing sells, but science works.

Paleo

The Paleolithic diet, also known as the Paleo diet, caveman diet, or stone-age diet, consists of foods thought to mirror those eaten by our Paleolithic-era ancestors. It primarily consists of eating meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. The overarching principle is ” If a caveman would eat it, so can I”. I’ve not seen any scientific evidence on the impact of leaving a cheesecake in a caveman’s dwelling. 🤷‍♂️

Whole 30

The Whole30 diet is similar to paleo but more restrictive. In addition to eliminating sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, and dairy, Whole30 eliminates natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. One benefit of Whole30 is the comprehensive list of foods you can eat. With Paleo, some foods are hotly debated regarding their availability or consumption by actual cavemen. On Whole30, the authors provide a list of foods; nothing else qualifies.

Mediterranean

The Mediterranean diet is inspired by the eating habits of Spain, Italy, and Greece in the 1960s. The principal aspects include olive oil, legumes, fruits, vegetables, fish, cheese, yogurt, and wine.

Keto

The keto or ketogenic diet has been increasingly popular lately. Keto is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carb diet that forces the body to burn fats rather than carbs as fuel. Its primary use is for its therapeutic effects in patients with neurological disorders, cancer, and obesity. Let’s be very clear: most people claiming to be on the keto diet are doing low-carb (see below). The critical difference is measuring. The word “keto” actually comes from the word “ketosis,” describing the state the body is in when the liver starts producing ketones, which are then used by the body as fuel. Counting macros is critical to maintaining the keto diet. Failure to track the macro ratio will result in your body falling out of ketosis, thus not producing the desired results. For those on the keto diet for medical reasons, this may include death. Carb selection is also critical. With carbs restricted to low levels, it’s essential that every carb you eat contains the most vitamins and nutrients possible to avoid the effects of malnutrition.

Low Carb

The error-friendly version of Keto, also known as Atkins. Foods high in carbs are restricted and replaced with more fat and protein foods. Typically, this means eliminating sugar and grains from the diet. This diet is actually straightforward to follow, and easy to get your daily intake of vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables.

Wrapping Up

Those are just a few of the thousands of diets available. Here’s the thing I want you to take away: you don’t have to choose any of them. If one looks like something you’d like to try, by all means, do so. Measure your protein, fat, and carb intake to avoid overeating and sabotaging your goals. If you decide you don’t like it, switch. As long as you stick to your macro ratio, you can choose any or all of these because you are only changing what foods constitute the source of your macros.

Today’s Tasks

Don’t forget to complete today’s tasks for the challenge.

• Drink 1 gallon of water
• Workout for 45 minutes
• Read ten pages from your book Once completed, be sure to head over to the tracking site and mark them as completed to track your progress for the challenge. Tomorrow we’ll talk more about the source of our macros when we address What should I eat?