The Ideal Weight-Fat Loss Diet

What is the ideal diet?  Does such a diet exist?

You may ask: what diet should I follow?

Low Carbs or Low Fat Diet?  High Protein Diet? The Zone Diet?  The South Beach Diet?  Vegetarian or Vegan Diet? The Paleo Diet?
All these diets can be confusing and overwhelming.

I would like to point out that the decline in our general health and the systemic incline of diseases such as diabetes, obesity or autoimmune disorders is mostly attributed to poor western diet. This diet consists mainly of highly processed foods, packed with sugar, colorants, chemicals and other synthetic compounds detrimental to our health. 
This brings me back to my first question. Is there a diet that can prevent modern life diseases and reverse our declining health? Is there a diet that can help us to be healthy? Is there a diet that eliminates our dependency on drugs?

The documentary ‘In Search of the Perfect Human Diet’ intended to find out the answers to these questions.  Personally I liked the film where the film producers interviewed many of the world's top scientists and researchers in the fields of archaeological science, paleo and forensic anthropology, nutrition and metabolism, biomolecular archaeology, and the field of human dietary evolution. Anthropological evidences clearly indicate that humans evolved eating mostly food rich in protein (meat) and fats.  The evidences also show that the consumption of meat allowed our brains to grow and develop.  The scientists clearly explained that we thrived on a protein rich diet without much carbohydrate. 

It's interesting to think that low carb diet many of us categorize as trend or abnormal diet, but in fact it's what our ancestors ate for 1.98 million years!  This observation technically makes all other "natural" diets a fad instead.

Tips from our ancestors

Processed foods:

• Discard processed grains, sugar, dairy and legumes.
• Stay away from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

Proteins:

• Include various sources of quality protein from meat, fish and fowl. A 1 g of protein per lean body mass should be consumed by those who are active. Inactive women or men should consume less protein.

Carbs:

• Keep your carb intake low under 100 g a day. This is my view based on results hundreds of my clients. Eat mostly vegetables and fruits.
• Eat roots vegetables (sweet potatoes, yam) about 15% of total carbs intake.

Fats:

·       Consume enough healthy fat from red meat(grass fed), cold water fish (high in omega 3 fatty acids), olive oil, coconut products, coconut oil, avocado and nuts.

•   Stay away from trans fats by avoiding processed foods.

Beverages:

• Keep your liquid intake from pure (filtered) water or herbal teas.
• Stay away from fruit juices, sports drinks, soft drinks and alcohol.

The great thing is, eating this way not only allows you to achieve optimum health while preventing or reversing diseases, but it's also the most effective way to burn fat and lose weight! 

Is this coincidence? What do you think?

To your healthy weight!

 Maria Pawlicka, CNP