24 May Harvard Diet reviews
Healthy eating means a lot of things to a lot of people. Terms such as: good foods, bad foods, cheat days, “on” a diet, “off” a diet, etc. make it hard to have a healthy relationship with food. Then, add the media into the mix and now we really have no clue if a food is healthy or not for us. Case in point, eggs – one day they’re good for us and the next they’re not. The rule same applies to coffee, acai berries, coconut oil, the list goes on and on. Water and ice chips it is I suppose. Not really, but if you’ve ever been frustrated while trying to eat healthy, I’m with you.
I recently had the “pleasure” of being “talked at” by a person at the grocery store who was very enthusiastic about the ketogenic diet (p.s. he had no clue what I do for a living nor did he ask). He shared with me the disbelief and excitement he was in when as he discovered he could eat bacon, butter, steak, etc. to his heart’s desire (80% should be from fat when on this diet), all the while shedding pounds by changing his body’s chemistry to burn fat as fuel instead of glucose. He didn’t mention exercise or what his cholesterol, blood sugar, or blood pressure looked like, but hey it’s all about how we look on the outside, right?! So in true dietitian fashion, I listened intently (without forming a judgement) and wished him the best in reaching his health and fitness goals.
Enter the Harvard School of Public Health – Nutrition Source. Thank goodness for their work! They do the hard work in testing nutrition trends and breaking down the science in a practical and understandable way. Check out their page of diet reviews, which features the aforementioned ketogenic diet, along with intermittent fasting and more!
So what foods should you really be eating as part of a nutritious diet? The Harvard Healthy Plate demonstrates the simplest form of a healthy diet for overall health: ½ to 2/3 of your food from vegetables (mix some fruit in there), ¼ whole grains/complex carbohydrates, and ¼ protein (animal and plant-based). Additionally, remembering that no one eats perfectly, balance should stay at the forefront. When it comes to processed foods and animal products portion sizes and intake frequency are critical.
Keep in mind that fueling your body is unique for everyone and while we all have to eat, we may have health and fitness goals that differ from our boot camp buds, co-workers, and family. So while a certain style of eating or diet may produce results for one person, the results and timeframe may vary.
Give the Harvard Healthy Plate a try over the next two weeks and let us know how you feel!
Enjoy the recipes below this week:
*DIET REVIEW website: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/
*HARVARD HEALTHY PLATE website: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-right-plant-based-diet-for-you
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