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Home » Diet » Considering change in diet? Keep these tips in mind – Aiken Standard

You walk into a restaurant. You look over and see one person munching on a salad loaded with colorful vegetables. You glance at the adjacent booth and spot another patron biting into a thick bacon cheeseburger.

Each person in that restaurant, at your office, at your kid's school and even in your own home has a reason for picking the food that they eat. You more than likely have your own favorite dishes, too.

While some people stay content with their diet plans, others might decide it's time to change their plans.

With countless combinations available, it might feel overwhelming to figure out which one to not only pick but to actually implement into your routine.

"It almost comes down to the individual," said Dr. Andrew Hatchett, an assistant professor in USC Aiken's exercise and sports sciences department. "Often people would want to try to find the diet that fits their lifestyle but don't necessarily fit their nutritional needs, and that might be one of the reasons why there might be so many out there."

For those seeking a chance, the following points are some tips to keep in mind:

Reasons people have for wanting to change their diets include lowering their risk of certain diseases or to lose weight.

"Find your goal first and what will serve your goal best," Hatchett said.

Hatchett then recommends to start investigating possible avenues.

Patrick Gelinas, a senior instructor in USCA's exercise and sports sciences department, advises to be wary of misinformation.

One example he gave is the classic food pyramid or its more recent form, the plate.

"They are designed as templates but are highly misleading," he said. "Where I tell people to start is to learn as much as you can about human physiology and try to go as far back as you can. ... Food consumption patterns have changed radically in the very recent past. For most of human history, ... we essentially ate most of the same food, those which we can be hunted and gathered."

Also, any diet plan that you consider should provide your body with its essential needs.

"At the end of the day, ... if we are worried about making the healthiest choice, what we really ought to concern ourselves with is getting the best quality protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water that we can. ... Diets that exclude certain nutrients or certain categories of nutrients should be considered highly questionable," Gelinas said.

Gelinas also advises to lean more toward a naturally-based diet.

"Stay away from highly processed foods," he said. "If it's not natural, you've got to question it."

Before you throw out your current plan's staples, Hatchett recommends actually talking to someone who currently practices the plan you are considering and has practiced it for a long time.

"Learn as much as you can, then gradually transition to that philosophy, if you believe that it will serve you well," Hatchett said. "(Doing it gradually) ... allows your body to adapt to it, allows you to figure out what works well for you."

Usually it takes a couple of weeks for your body to adjust. If during that period or right after it, you have trouble digesting your food, sleeping or staying full, then you might want to consider a new plan or reverting to your former plan.

"One of the great things about paying attention to nutrition and health in general is you learn your body," Hatchett said. "Oftentimes, the word 'diet' gets construed into a very short-term application. ... True nutrition is a lifestyle. It's not a moment-to-moment choice."

Stephanie Turner is the features reporter with the Aiken Standard, where she covers health topics, the arts, authors and restaurants. She graduated from Valdosta State University in 2012.

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Considering change in diet? Keep these tips in mind - Aiken Standard

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Home » Diet » Considering change in diet? Keep these tips in mind – Aiken Standard