Republican or Democrat?
Politics. Almost nothing invokes more anger, passion, and mean-spirited arguing... Except for... Diets. Paleo, Keto, Vegan... Friendships and families have been torn apart from these cults. 😂 I am only half kidding, by the way. Seriously though... Nutrition is quite possibly the most significant factor in living a healthy lifestyle, and for some reason, we quickly get caught up in what is 'perfect' and thinking there is a holy grail solution that is inferior to everything else. But this is a flawed approach. There is no single, best diet. The best approach is you one that works and is MOST SUSTAINABLE for YOU. Whether that is paleo, vegan, keto, tight budget, no budget... When it comes down to it the #1 most important nutritional factor for any diet is controlling how much we are eating. We need to have some awareness of the amount of food we consume by journaling, logging, or tracking points, calories, pictures, something in some way. Keeping a simple journal is one way, or using something like myfitnesspal to track our calories is another. I prefer keeping it simple and using a 'hand-guide' system.
Your palm determines your protein portions.
Your fist determines your veggie portions.
Your cupped hand determines your carb portions.
Your thumb determines your fat portions.
This system counts your calories for you, and gets your macronutrients in order too, without having to do a bunch of math.
Plus, your hands are portable—they go wherever you go, making portion-sizing very convenient. We love using a base template at our gym with clients to help them get a grasp on portions. We have clients who get lean, strong, and healthy on a plant-based diet and others on a meat-based diet. It doesn't matter as long as we control the food amount and the approach is sustainable for the individual. There are many environmental, religious, political, and emotional factors that can go into the way we choose to eat.
But no matter which 'diet camp' you fall under, just remember that the first thing we need to control is the amount we eat. Dedicated to your success, Gary Deagle