I get so many questions regarding which diet I think is the best for weight loss. With all the fads, trends and information on the internet it can be incredibly confusing and frustrating. In addition, there are so many people telling you how you should eat and what to eat.

In Ayurveda there isn’t any one “diet”. One size does not fit all. Each person is an individual and what one person needs may not work for another person. We also don’t use the word diet. A diet is a destination that’s finite. Once you lose the weight you go back to your old eating habits which are how you gained the weight in the first place and then you get depressed. Ugh. It’s a terrible cycle. The bottom line is that you must be ready to change your lifestyle. Losing weight is not just about eating too much of the wrong things. It’s also about why you overeat, when you eat and even how you eat.

I want to start by saying that I am not vilifying the occasional cheat and everyone should enjoy a nice glass of wine or a cocktail once in a while as well as that decadent piece of chocolate cake. However that should be the exception and not the daily rule.

I think eating is mostly common sense. We all know that fried, processed, packaged and canned foods with ingredients you can’t understand should not be ingested. Also anything with partially hydrogenated anything (trans fats) should always be avoided. The other problem is people eat too many carbs in the form of bread, pasta, baked goods, etc. Bread is ok but healthy 100% seven grain or a good sourdough is ideal. I am not even a fan of all the powder protein drinks people are ingesting. Many are adulterated and again, it’s not a whole food. So here’s my two cents….It’s important to keep your glucose balanced and inflammation low. If you eat whole food meaning fresh vegetables and fruit (organic and non GMO whenever possible), stay away from sugar and artificial sweeteners (except on occasion), eat healthy grains, nuts and seeds with some fermented foods that are good for digestion such as sauerkraut, kombucha and yogurt, you should be fine. You will lose weight as well as long as you are not eating too much of any food. Another very important aspect of nutrition is listening to your body. Your body will tell you what works and what doesn’t. We tend to just eat and pay the price later. If you get bloated after eating dairy, then don’t eat it. If don’t feel good after eating grains, then don’t eat them. That rule goes for any and all foods that don’t make you feel fabulous. I don’t vilify gluten as per the new gluten-free craze. Clearly if you have celiac you must stay away from all gluten. I think a big part of it is that many people have underlying digestive issues they have not dealt with. Almost every client I see has some sort of digestive problem whether it’s bloating, gas, constipation or heartburn. We eat too fast, don’t chew our food properly, and eat on the go and with too many distractions. No one really knows how to relax and enjoy a meal in silence.

We also forgot how to cook. Cooking your own food is not only a beautiful experience it will help you keep your weight down and you will know exactly what you are eating. Cooking is the most important thing you can do for the health of your family and yourself. Food is medicine and medicine is food so maybe you can ditch some of those medicines once you start eating right!

Eat well!

Maria