The Perfect Diet

Who knew nutrition would be the hardest part of your exercise journey. Does that even make sense? While we may spend one or two hours working out per day at most. We eat 3, 4, 5 times per day. Here are some things that I have noticed from my experiences. Every nutrition account on social media seems to have a perfect diet to follow. All of these “perfect diets” simultaneously have their imperfections. Each person has unique circumstances that could scare them away from seemingly healthy foods and guide them towards other food that a certain diet has deemed bad. The main reason that I enjoy nutrition so much is the fact that there are so many different solutions and that there is still so much that we just do not understand. Let’s look at some imperfect diets that are still pretty good for different people.

The “Imperfect but Pretty Good Social Body” diet. 🥂 

It is no doubt that being social plays a big role in living a healthy lifestyle. Lonely people die sooner. Many people find themselves eating at restaurants or with friends’ multiple nights a week. It can be very hard to stick to any strict diet that way. A healthy person who lives a social lifestyle always makes sure to eat healthy when they are at home or having a snack between meals. At events they look for filling meals that are packed with nutrients without lots of calories. Foods such as vegetables, fruits, and meats. They order simple meals and get a side of vegetables to go with it. Yes, they still get interesting dishes here and there, but they know that is not a sustainable way to eat.

The “Imperfect but Pretty Good Person Who Wants to Lose Weight” diet. 📉

It is almost impossible to eat healthily 100% of the time. A person who is pursuing successful weight loss that they can sustain eats healthy foods 80%-90% of the time though. They pay attention to what they are putting in their bodies and look for low calorie nutrient dense foods.

The “Imperfect but Pretty Good Person Who Wants to Build Strength and Muscle” diet. 🦾

The person wanting to get stronger or even build muscle has to eat pretty clean. These people look to eat high protein foods such as meat, beans, and greek yogurt. There is a purpose to each one of their meals and they have intent in order to hit their protein goals. You should be eating at least 0.6g/lb. of bodyweight in protein.

The “Imperfect but Pretty Good Person with Kids” diet. 👶

Having kids can throw a wrench into eating healthy. Kids almost always choose high sugar high fat foods. Who can blame them they are delicious! It is important to realize that just because your children do not eat vegetables does not mean you shouldn’t. Sometimes making two meals, one for you and one for your child, is essential. And hey, try and sneak some of those healthy foods into their diet too. Habits are often formed when we are young. Form some good habits when you get the chance.

The “Imperfect but Pretty Good Cheapskate” diet. 💸

When eating on a budget everything can feel a little more complicated. It should not have to be though. Often rice, beans, potatoes, bananas, and other whole foods are some of the cheapest foods at the grocery store. Especially when you buy in bulk. Meat, eggs, and yogurt are often on sale week to week so it can be smart to buy what is on sale. Canned vegetables and tuna may not be bad options either, just watch your sodium levels if high blood pressure is a concern. It is undeniable that all these foods are cheaper than going to a restaurant. And one of the best healthy eating tips I can give is to cook at home.

What you can take from each of these diets and use for your own life. 🧐

The truth is that we all fall somewhere in the middle of each and every one of these diets. We all should be social, we all want to be a little bit fitter, several people have kids, and most of us probably should do a little better about saving money. A common theme between all these diets is that you need to find a way to fit as many whole foods into your diet as you can. These are single ingredient foods such as fruits, vegetables, rice, beans, potatoes, and meats. An imperfect but pretty healthy person does not just eat because there is food around, they eat when they are hungry. And they focus on foods that are full of vitamins and minerals and tend to have a lot of protein and fiber.