“I’m on a diet,” you explain.
“Which one?” she asks.
“The one where I eat for a caloric deficit, particularly cutting foods that don’t offer much nutritional value anyway or cause inflammation to my body.”
You can imagine the shock and awe effect that would be initiated by such a perfectly straightforward and appropriate response.
Wanna blow people’s minds? Eat in a way that cannot be summarized in a single word or phrase.
Aunt Nancy wants to know are you doing low-carb or low-fat? Mediterranean? Are you doing the Whole30? Or Paleo? Are you vegan? Ya know, she juuust read about intermittent fasting! Is that it?
Next time Aunt Nancy asks you for the name of your diet, just strike this pose. Shuts ’em right up.
As I’ve written in the past, I don’t believe in strict adherence to specific diet protocol as far as a long-term, sustainable way of eating. Our activity and exercise patterns morph from season to season, year to year, as we develop new interests, explore specialized training programs, try to balance changing life responsibilities, or simply age.
It just makes sense that we should allow our nutritional habits to morph, as well, in order to maintain energy balance.
HOWEVER, if you are looking to lose weight and–especially if you’re new to this venture of losing weight–there are 3 really good reasons why you might be better off following a Diet With A Name.
3 Compelling Reasons to Follow a Diet With A Name
1. Simplification:
Especially as someone unfamiliar with the landscape of diet & nutrition, having A Diet With A Name offers accessibility. You don’t need to scour textbooks on energy balance and metabolism. You don’t need to keep a detailed food log. You can typically avoid a trial-and-error period.
Every Diet With A Name has a set of rules, and all you’ve got to do is follow them. The more these new rules contrast your old habits, the better! (Actually, the more closely your old habits mimic the Standard American Diet, the more likely the new rules will get you quick results. Potato, Pototo.)
*Plus, the unnamed diet strategy of merely “cutting back” tends to be too wishy-washy to achieve drastic results. For most dieters looking to lose fat, the hard lines provided by any Diet With A Name prove far more effective. Sweeping eliminations can actually be a welcome change of pace compared to generic restriction.
2. Resources:
Trying to follow a unique diet requires time and energy to adapt recipes, research substitutions, etc. If you follow A Diet With A Name, all you have to do is add that name to your online search request, and you’ll get all the resources you could ever want!
Even oxymorons will appear! “Paleo candy” recipes exist.
Entire books are devoted to your chosen Diet With A Name, printable cheat-sheets abound, etc. With all of these niche resources, you take the grunt work out of the diet change by eliminating the risk of error.
(The bonus is that, once you spend some time following a Diet With A Name, you’ll know these types of things off-the-cuff, making healthful eating that much less difficult.)
3. Community:
Both support and accountability accompany each Diet With A Name. There are Facebook groups, question & answer threads, blogospheres, YouTube channels, and Instagram accounts dedicated to your Diet With A Name.
It won’t be hard to find accountability and motivation in local challenge groups, AND it’s likely that a friend could be easily swayed to try out the latest hip, trendy, and cool Diet With A Name. The more interesting of a conversation piece, the better!
You’ll also be able to talk about your Diet With A Name easily and openly; others will understand your plight and might be able to make helpful suggestions or adaptations for you–or even provide unwanted accountability when you go out to eat.
Although arguable not quite as compelling as the previous three, it would be silly to omit the obvious benefit of novelty. Fresh perspective! New rules! New methods! New ingredients! New recipes! New sense of belonging! A fancy-shmancy, packaged Diet With A Name can add a dose of fun and excitement, making reaching a caloric deficit feel like an adventure rather than a drag. Who can argue with that?
By the way, a caloric deficit does not have to be accompanied by muscle loss. In fact, short, bursted workouts signal the body to send nutrients to the muscles and to preserve lean muscle mass when burning energy. Try this one:
5-Minute Sweaty
Set 1, 45 seconds:
Frog Hop, forward, x 3
+ Back-Pedal to reset
Set 2, 45 seconds:
Sprawl to Star Jump
Set 3, 60 seconds:
Cossack Rock (catch your breath here)
Repeat!
P.S. DID YOU KNOW?! Pat’s programs are all-inclusive as it relates to Simplification, Resources, Community, AND Novelty. If you aren’t on his email list yet, add yourself by clicking here. That’s how you can get access to his private Facebook group, where the motivation and support is absolutely unmatched.
Did you and Pat oil up for that pic??
Would it surprise you if I said no?