Wellfie Wednesday Tip 57: No One-Size Fits All "Diet"

Happy Wellfie Wednesday folks! Welcome back!

     I cringed coming up with the title of this week’s piece, the term “diet” has become so skewed nowadays, and because of that, I try to avoid it at all cost. But none the less, people still refer to how they eat as a diet, especially when it is intended to reach a particular goal. We need to remember that everyone is different physically, metabolically, spiritually, and so forth. People have cultural preferences, likes/dislikes, intolerances, and allergies when it comes to food. Not to mention the differences in availability of foods, whether geographically or financially. It is virtually impossible for one “diet” to encompass all of that. So beware of those marketing promises.

Here are some quick general ideas to spot a poorly suggested “diet”:

  • Significantly reduces caloric intake
  • Completely cuts out entire food groups
  • Replaces meals with supplements or specialty products
  • Includes a bunch of pills or herbs

     The right foods are the foods that make your body feel good, as well as help make your blood values (glucose, cholesterol, etc.) and other measurements look good. Though there isn’t one special “diet,” an eating pattern focused around more colorful plant-based foods has shown to be beneficial for a majority of people. And the great thing about plant-based foods, you can build any meal you desire to meet your individual needs.

Eat for yourself, not by the rigid plan everyone else is!

     As always, thanks for reading. And be sure to tag the WW crew members in your post (@PBernerSPT@Eric_in_AmERICa@AaronPerezPT@DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellness Wednesday Tip #20: Shift to Healthier Food and Beverage Choices

Happy Wellfie Wednesday Folks!

     Welcome back! This week’s tip is Shift to Healthier Food & Beverage Choices, a key recommendation from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020. This is #4 among the five key guidelines that are set forth to encourage healthy eating patterns. Please see the images below for further details and visit entire guidelines here.

     Try to make a shift today! And as always, thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures again this week and tag Eric (@Eric_in_AmERICa) or myself (@PBernerSPT) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

-       Dr. Patrick Berner, PT, DPT

-       Dr. Eric Uveges, PT, DPT

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015.