Paige Harris If your restrictive diet hasn’t been working for you, read this post to find out the one major reason why and how you can fix it!
If you’re a living breathing human in the 21st century, there’s a good chance that you’ve attempted one of these diets before. You think that if you only stop eating carbs/sugar/meat/fruit/dairy that weight loss will come. You’ll feel like you’re on top of the world.
We’re definitely in the midst of a huge elimination diet craze in the health and fitness industry. And while elimination diets can be helpful to discover food intolerances, lower inflammation, and manage autoimmune conditions, they often aren’t the first step to achieving better health.
Instead of starting by eliminating a ton of foods from your diet, I’m encouraging you to eat more healthful and nutritious foods first.
Why?
Because if you’re like 80% of the population, chances are that you’re suffering from a nutritional deficiency. In other words, your body isn’t getting enough of the good stuff it needs to function properly. And that means that weight loss will be even harder. Additionally, starting at that disadvantage makes a complete overhaul of your diet and exercise routine is going to be really hard to stick to.
So instead of picking some crazy new diet to try, how about considering one of these factors first:
Water
How many ounces of water do you drink a day? If it’s anything less than 128oz for men and 88oz for women, you should probably focus on getting that first. Dehydration can be the underlying factor for headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, and fatigue.
Vitamins & Minerals
Are you getting in all of your vitamins and minerals? No matter how good you think your diet is, a lot of restrictive dieters are deficient in zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D.
Zinc is removed during food processing and almost never added back in. So chances are that even if you’re eating a “vitamin enriched” cereal, you’re still missing out on this one. If you’re experiencing acne, fatigue, slow healing wounds or injuries, and super persistent colds or upper respiratory infections, adding some zinc is a great idea. Oysters, red meat (especially organ meats), fish, and other poultry proteins all contain a hefty amount of zinc. And you can also get it through whole grains and beans if you don’t eat meat. (Although I definitely recommend you do! 😉 ) It could be that your restrictive diet isn’t working because you aren’t eating enough of these nutritional powerhouse foods.
Magnesium is considered the anti-stress mineral. A lot of modern diets don’t contain enough magnesium, though, because sugar, alcohol, and caffeine all act as diuretics, carrying it out of the body before it can be used. Magnesium deficiency can manifest as high blood pressure, insomnia, fatigue, hypertension, and really bad PMS symptoms. And if your body is combatting all that, removing sugar alone isn’t going to do it. Eat some more nuts, seeds, avocados, and legumes to boost up magnesium levels in your body.
Vitamin D intake may not be a problem for people who spend a significant time outside in the sun. But if you’re like one of the many office workers throughout the country who don’t get to spend some time in the sunshine, you may be deficient. Vitamin D deficiency can manifest as weak bones, persistent colds, fatigue, muscle pain, and depression. That’s right: seasonal depression is definitely a thing, but real food vitamin D supplementation can help! High quality fish oils and oily fish themselves as well as egg yolks, butter, and liver are all great sources. Try and add some into your diet and see how you feel!
This is by no means an extensive list, either. Be sure to rotate your diet according to the season to really get all of the benefits from those seasonal veggies!
Protein
How much protein are you having in a day? Most women consistently under eat protein, especially if they’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Protein is responsible for forming all of the enzymes that spark our metabolisms and many of the hormones that regulate body chemistry. If you’re getting a lot of muscle aches and pains, having issues staying full throughout the day, or having skin, nail, or hair issues, try upping your protein until you’re eating approximately .8g per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. It could be the one thing holding you back from feeling your best! And if you want to get an added nutritional kick, try incorporating organ meats into your diet. This recipe for Beef & Hidden Liver Meatballs would be a great place to start!
Essential Fatty Acids
Are you getting in enough good quality fats? If you’ve been following a calorie counting or point measuring system, the answer to that is probably not. (WW, I’m looking at you.) The thing is, fats are so important! They provide tons of viable energy to the body and act as a protective blanket covering our organs to shield them from traumas and hold in heat. Most importantly, they play an integral part in each and every cell membrane. Each cell, tissue, and organ NEEDS lipids (fats) to do its job properly. And without fats, your body isn’t going to be able to absorb certain vitamins (like vitamin D), either. So load up on high quality butter, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, and fatty cuts of grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry and pork, and wild-caught fish. Those fats will keep your body happy and healthy for a very long time.
Once you start getting in the nutrients your body needs, you’ll start to see results.
Your energy levels will go up, you’ll feel more motivated to stick to your goals, you’ll lose stubborn fat and gain muscle, and your workouts will become easier and feel better. Your restrictive diet isn’t working. It isn’t serving you. It’s time to try a different way.
