Ever feel slow and sluggish? Bloated and grumpy? Think grains and meat, or sugar and dairy have anything to do with it?
A lot of people do.
When it comes to diets or detoxes, those things are the most popular items to cut out. Some diets ask you to cut out those items and then re-introduce them later on, while some recommend you never eat those items again.
I’ve never bought into any diets like the Atkins or Dukan diet, or done any juice detoxes or cleanses. The closest I’ve ever come to doing a diet is cutting out breads because they make me feel awful, and cutting out dairy because I’m lactose intolerant.
I just can’t believe in diets or detoxes. They aren’t backed up by science.
If any of these diets worked, there’d be long-term, double-blind, peer-reviewed studies by qualified doctors that sing their praises. The rate of diabetes and metabolic syndrome and obesity would drastically decrease.
That’s just not the case.
I think the best diet isn’t a cayenne pepper-lemonade-maple-syrup cleanse, or a SlimFast meal replacement shake, or a plate full of kale and carrots. The best diet is the common sense diet.
Find a copy of Canada’s Food Guide and follow it – eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats and whole grains. Prepare your meals ahead of time. Keep track of your caloric intake with a food journal, an app, or a website like Sparkpeople.com. Get exercise each day. Don’t over-do it with the sugar and alcohol. Listen to your body, and stop eating when you’re full.
Those tips are obviously easier said than done, but isn’t that the way it is with any diet?
The best part about the common sense diet is that it’s completely free. You don’t have to pay a membership fee or buy a meal plan. You can start tomorrow and start again three days later or next week if you fall off the wagon. It’s simple and straightforward.
The common sense diet – it’s what’s for supper.
* * * *
Have you ever tried a diet or a detox? Which one did you try and did it do anything for you? Let me know!
erika miller 