Happy New Year!
Let's get right into it. So many new year's resolutions center around diets, and most every advertised program is just some form of food restriction wrapped up in a pretty bow specifically designed for the new year. My very first post on this site talked about some of the commonly held diet beliefs (myths), and it seems appropriately timed to delve further into one of my favorite healthy eating adages - "Add, Don't Subtract".
Let me first say that I absolutely LOVE goal setting. It is not uncommon for me to end a year reviewing my accomplishments and struggles before starting the new year with a whole new set of goals and dreams. I do not, in anyway, judge anyone who wishes to eat "healthier" because they want to feel better. I mean, I love that as a goal. I went into dietetics because I wanted to learn how to better take care of myself nutritionally.
I do, however, find fault with ANYONE financially benefiting from the sale of diet plans, diet products, cleanses, detoxes, appetite suppressants and/or any other random, scientifically unproven restrictive meal plan or foods marketed under the guise of health and wellness. And just to be extra clear... celebrities, models and "influencers", who basically starve themselves for a living or who literally haven't grown into their adult bodies, offering up advice and "what they eat in a day" is just gross.
So, let's say for 2022, our goal is take better care of ourselves and eat foods that benefit our bodies.
Where should we begin?
When we add new foods to our diets we are giving our bodies an advantage or an opportunity that they didn't have when we previously ignored those foods. For example, I would be shocked to meet an adult who has not heard or been taught that vegetables are "good for us". We know this; but, we are creatures of habit and it's super easy to fall into patterns like eating things we already know we like.
Did you know there are over 1000 species of vegetables in existence around the world? And, that within those species, there are thousands of varieties? On average, we each consume less than eight percent of those vegetable species. Every single vegetable offers a unique nutrient profile. When we eat the same type of lettuce, the same carrots, the same broccoli... we are leaving out so many variations of potential nutrients from our diets.
The same exact thing can be said for variety and type of fruits that exist. There are some two thousand varieties of fruit, and we typically only consume less than ten percent. There are 400 types of beans out there and over 20 types of whole grains. You get the point. And although we don't have access to every single type and variety of food that exists, many of us have the ability to control the amount of variety we include in our weekly diets.
This is a great way to look at "add, don't subtract". Every time we include some new food into our diet, we are introducing new combinations of nutrients into our bodies. We are providing new nourishment for our gut bacteria to break down. We are exposing ourselves to foods that might become our next favorite food.
Now, "add" also simply can mean adding "more fiber each day" or aiming for the "daily dozen" (referenced below) or "one more fruit serving" or "two more glasses of water each day". These are attainable goals. These are not the kinds of goals that you ultimately break because you feel like you're missing out.
Lastly, I'm not going to spend a ton of time on what subtracting from your diet looks like, because it's literally everything you see everywhere when it comes to eating; however, it is worth mentioning how "subtracting" (restricting) foods is not sustainable in the long-term (check out the intuitive eating video below). Yes. Weight loss definitely follows restriction. I have no argument with that. I could eat only Twinkies and ice cream every single day and if I consume less than what my body needs for energy, I could lose weight; but, that does not mean it is healthy for me to do so.
Related Resources:
Mini-Webinar: Intuitive Eating
A six minute presentation I did about four years ago. The content still holds true. The first few minutes describe why diets don't work and the side effects caused by restrictive behaviors. It's especially worth a listen if you cyclically engage in diet behaviors or if you place "dieting" in the same category as "healthy" eating.
Poodle Science
An animated quick describing the limitations on research around weight and health. Created by ASDAH (Association for Size Diversity and Health).
Nutrition Facts
Daily Dozen Checklist: All of the things Dr. Greger tries to fit into his day.
Resources:
1) “ASDAH | Committed to Size Diversity in Health and HAES®.” ASDAH, https://asdah.org/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2022.
2) More than a Thousand Vegetables, Many of Them Forgotten. https://www.bioversityinternational.org/news/detail/more-than-a-thousand-vegetables-many-of-them-forgotten/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2022.
3) Whole Grains A to Z | The Whole Grains Council. https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whole-grains-z. Accessed 10 Jan. 2022.
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