How to Choose a Diet That Fits Your Lifestyle

Are you looking to finally take control of your weight and food consumption? Do you want to find a diet and daily meal plan that will actually work? If so, then you need to start by learning all that you can about how to choose a diet correctly.

With so many options out there, it can be hard to zero in on just one. How can you pick one out of the pack? What makes one diet a better option than the other?

See below for an in-depth guide on how to choose a diet that fits your lifestyle; one that will be sustainable for the long haul.

1. Assess Your Nutrition Goals

Most people never take the time to cross their nutrition goals with their fitness goals. The truth is that nutrition will be the biggest part of your success; in fact, experts claim that losing weight is 80-percent about your diet and 20-percent about your exercise.

Before you choose the right diet, you have to assess your goals. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to see what that looks like:

• How do you currently feel in your own body?
• Are you looking to shred some fat or bulk up?
• What has hindered you from accomplishing these goals in the past?
• How are you progressing towards those goals?
• Would you say your mental health in this area needs improvement?
• What diet and exercise can you do that you’ll find challenging, yet rewarding?

When creating your fitness goals, we suggest using the SMART goal-setting method. The “SMART” stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based.

That last one might be the most important of all! Set a date that you hope to accomplish your goals by. This will let you know how aggressive or gradual your diet can be to ensure you achieve those goals by the date you’ve set.

2. Assess Your Daily Itinerary

This is where a majority of people fall short. So many people try to pair a diet and exercise routine that doesn’t fit with their lifestyle.

Remember: while this is certainly an important part of your lifestyle, it’s only one facet that you’ll focus on. You have other things that require your attention as well, such as your career, your children, your finances, etc. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Start this process by learning all about any diet you’re interested in. What are the parameters that they set for you? Are there certain times of the day you can/can’t eat? What food are you allowed to consume? How readily available is it?

Learning about the differences in diets can help you make an informed decision. Be sure to read this article for more information on the differences between vegan vs keto. This will help you assess whether either is right for you.

Think about your daily itinerary. Would the diet you’re considering be an asset or a nuisance to your schedule? If you find it to be too mentally or emotionally draining, you won’t stick with it. Set yourself up for success by finding something sustainable in your day-to-day life.

3. Look for a Whole Foods-Based Diet

Far too many of our diets lack proper nutritional balance. We tend to focus on the trendiest diet, thinking that it can be the saving grace we’ve been looking for.

Don’t get us wrong, some of these diets actually work! However, even their inventors will tell you that you aren’t meant to stay on them forever. Eventually, when you hit your goal weight, you’ll need to go into “maintenance mode”—maintaining your ideal weight over the long haul.

To do that, you’ll need a whole foods-based diet. Whole foods are natural foods that haven’t been processed in any way. This includes:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Seeds & Nuts
• Legumes
• Whole Grains
• Meat
• Fish
• Eggs

Each of these can give your body a diverse array of nutrients that it needs to stay in great shape. Keep in mind, if you’re vegan or vegetarian, you don’t require the last three on that list.

4. Consider the Food Prep Involved

For those of you that are dieting for the first time (or the first time in a while), be prepared to prepare your food.

One of the biggest aspects of a successful diet is making healthier choices. Instead of running out to grab fast food during lunch, you’ll bring something healthy from home.

To do that, you’ll need to food prep. Read into what foods your new diet deems acceptable, then consider how easy/difficult it will be to prepare that food ahead of time.

5. Look for Accountability

We’ve all been there; we’ve all told ourselves “I don’t need accountability, I’ll hold myself accountable because I really want to get in better shape.”

Even bodybuilders need accountability. They hire fitness and nutrition coaches to ensure they’re on the right track for their competitions. Adding accountability will help you navigate through the ups and downs of life.

The biggest reason most people give up on diets is that they don’t expect to fail. Failure happens to everyone; you need others to help keep you going when the going gets rough.

Choose a Diet That Fits Your Lifestyle Today

Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on how to choose a diet that fits your lifestyle perfectly, be sure to use this information to your advantage.

Take the time to browse our website for more articles on starting a diet, as well as many other helpful topics along the way.