Which Do You Choose? Health or Taste?

We could all blame it on government control, fast food chains, and the like but really it boils down to our choices–each time we eat more than we should or the foods we know we shouldn’t we are choosing taste over health.  It’s a choice…or an addiction. What’s more amazing is that often, once we have chosen to eat healthier foods over those that are more tastefully addicting, we end up finding out that healthy foods can taste great too.  Sometimes it just takes a little convincing first.

For me, my weight challenge has always been with food.  Sure, I can exercise to no end but keep my diet in order?  That’s a different story.  And then there’s the “how much is enough?” question and everyone has their own take on that too.  I mean just take a look at the percentage chart below.  No one can seem to agree on what the optimal protein/fat/carb ratio should be.

Diet	% Carbs	% Protein	% Fat
Mediterranean Diet	50	25	25
Jillian Michael’s and the Zone Diets	40	30	30
Runner’s Diet	60	15	25
Sparkpeople	50	20	30
My Fitness Pal	55	15	30
USDA	45-65	10-35	20-35

And how many calories?  I was told by one doctor I should be eating over 2000 calories a day and then by another a mere 1200 calories…yes, there was THAT MUCH difference.  In the end I guess you just have to experiment and find what works best for you, your body, and your situation.  It’s just not going to be the same for everyone.  Personally I’ve found success with the use of Sparkpeople and My Fitness Pal, but others I know enjoy Weight Watchers, and still others an all vegan fair.

So what’s my advice in all of this?  Just try to keep from going too extreme in whatever you do.  In several studies done in comparing different diets, balanced diets such as Weight Watchers and the Mediterranean diet have much better long-lasting results because they are more focused on life-style changes than diets.  Their goal is to instill a proper long-term relationship with food as opposed to a get-it-off quick scheme that leaves recipients hungrier than ever when finished.  It kind of reminds me of Proverbs 14:16 which begins “The one who is wise is cautious….”  When choosing your diet of choice be cautious because as the tortoise and the hare have explained “slow and steady wins the race.”

Want more info on eating healthy?  Check out some of these resources:

• USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• US Health News Best Diets Rankings
• Physical Balance for New Moms found here on Cornerstone Confessions

 

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