Like most people you may automatically think of the word diet to mean some kind of food restriction or program to lose weight. As a registered dietitian/nutritionist the word diet to me just simply what foods one eats.

I googled the definition of diet and this is what popped up:

noun: diet

1. the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
“a vegetarian diet“

2. a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.

“I’m going on a diet“
verb: diet
1. diets, dieting:- restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight.
 
So let’s go with the first definition as this is a healthier way to look at what the primary meaning of the word is. Several thoughts come to mind. For example, my diet is what a eat. I don’t follow any special or restrictive diet. I choose to eat a healthy diet based on scientific, clinical evidence of what we know to result in better health, while customizing it based on my medical history and my family medical history. For me, as am quite active, (including teaching a bootcamp/small group personal training for women,  strength training,  lots of walking and various other seasonal sports, such kayaking, swimming, snow shoeing, etc.), I tend to lean toward a higher percentage of protein to stay lean and build muscle and eat plenty of plant-based foods for energy and include healthy fats for overall health.
 
When working with clients, I do the same. We take into consideration, lifestyle, medical history (inc family), food preferences, etc.
There are some ways of eating that would fall under the first definition that have proven over time to result in healthier outcomes. These include: the Mediterranean Diet, the D.A.S.H. diet, vegetarian Diets.
 
What do these diets all have in common? They focus on including plenty of plant-based foods, including veggies, fruits, legumes and lean animal such as fish, or plant-based sources of protein and fewer processed foods. The current American diet includes only 2 1/2 servings of fruits and veggies daily. The recommendation is 5-9 servings per day. A serving is generally 1/2 – 1 cup.
 
The Mediterranean and D.A.S.H. diet and similar ways of eating are helpful not only for reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, certain cancers, stroke, etc., they are also helpful in managing these conditions. Many of us have other considerations as well, for example GI related, or weight gain or loss, age, phase of life (such as going through  pregnancy, menopause), etc.to consider. In these cases, working with a registered dietitian is paramount to having an ideal plan for optimal health designed specifically for your needs.
 
For more information about working with me, your favorite registered dietitian/nutritionist go to Contact Us