Trust Your Gut: One Size Diet Plans Do NOT Fit All

There are many diet plans out there that claim success to weight or fat loss. You may find yourself
hopping on one band wagon to the next. Diet plan, after diet plan, always trying what works for 'everyone else.' If all of these fitness and nutrition experts put together these diet plans they should work right? If I want to look like my favorite fitness model or celebrity, I just eat exactly like she does...right?

Not necessarily! Although many diet plans can be helpful and set you up for a good foundation, following someone else's plan for weight loss, fat loss or muscle gain may not work for you. Are you the same weight as that person? Do you work out the same? Do you have the same food sensitivities? Probably not! So what do we do now?

Listen to your body when your start a new plan. Diet plans are great, they are tools that can help us reach our goals and keep us on track. Others knowledge, education and experience can help us make our own decisions. The thing you need to keep in mind is that this is YOUR body and YOUR diet. Customize it to fit your lifestyle and goals.

How do we do this without going completely off-track or losing our minds?
Here are some tips:

1. Take into account your own body weight, size, caloric needs & activity level.

2. If it doesn't feel right, it's probably not! Bloating, stomach aches, nausea or headaches could be signs of food sensitivites. If you are lactose-intolerant eating low-fat dairy won't make you lean!

3.  If you feel like you're either force feeding yourself or starving, you may need to make some changes. Seek help from others with similar diets for tips!

4. Make changes that makes sense. We need variety in our lives and if your plan only list 2 vegetables you're going to get pretty bored! So incorporate different foods that offer the same nutrients etc.

5. It's okay to enjoy your food! Choose healthy foods you actually like the taste of. If someone gave me a diet full of things I can't stand, do you think I'm going to stick to it? Experiment with different flavor combinations and know what you crave most, then adjust!

6. Most importantly, if you have that gut feeling that a plan you have been given by a trainer or one you seeked out on your own is unsafe or unhealthy then get a second opinion from a professional!

The days of "One Size Fits All" dieting are over!!! Making a lifestyle change to reach your goals should be a positive, healthy experience. Not saying it won't be a challenge at first, but be a critical thinker and listen to that feeling in your gut when it's not liking what you're dishing out!