I want to share some insights and lessons I learned from a great book I just finished reading - Robb Wolf's Wired To Eat. I'll cut short any introduction and dive right in into the meat of the subject.
Here we go:
1 ) There isn’t “one diet” that works for everyone
The human body is a terrifyingly complex biological and chemical machine, so the interplay of all its various parts is endless. There are no two individuals exactly alike when it comes to their bodies chemistry and biological demands, so the results of any nutritional plan will vary.
For example, one study found that people with unhealthy insulin responses lost 4 times MORE weight on the low-carb diet (11.9 lbs) than they did on the low-fat diet (3.3 lbs) (data was analyzed based on the individual’s level of insulin sensitivity vs. resistance). But, the results begin to look more alike as the insulin responses of the body improve.
2 ) There are general nutritional principles that apply to everyone
Insulin sensitivity matters. The health of your gut biome matters. Refined carbs are evil. Sugar and flour should, for all intents and purposes, be considered drugs, not foods. The quality of your sleep matters. Levels of stress matter. Your body needs carbs to survive, but it doesn't need you to eat carbs (HINT: it can create carbs internally).
There are all sorts of general nutritional principles that you can know, but they are only half the equation. The other half is how your body responds to what you are giving it.
3 ) We get sick and fat because our environment has changed but our bodies haven't
Our bodies have formed their responses to food over tens of thousands of year, but our environment has changed drastically in a very short time. The food we eat no longer resembles the dietary choices of the past, but our bodies have had no time to adapt and find new ways of coping with the new normal of refined sugars, processed foods and the overabundance of food choices.
Before, sugar and fat were a way for the body to efficiently consume more calories in a time when food was scarce and there was no certainty of when the next meal would come. Now, sugar is the body's worst enemy.
4 ) A calorie is not just a calorie - why exercise, genetics and the gut biome matter
The healthier we are, the more appropriate and beneficial the body's response to a consumed calorie will be. But, if we lack exercise, or if our gut biome health is damaged, then the body will respond in substandard ways. A person’s glycemic response (how much blood glucose increases for any given meal) appears to be influenced by genetic factors, exercise, body fat levels, and perhaps most interesting, the composition of the gut biome.
What we put into our bodies is important, but equally as important is the body's ability to adequately respond to dietary inputs.
5 ) Stop eating junk food by making it invisible (AKA throw it away)
This is one of the principles in James Clear's Atomic Habits - a good way to get rid of a bad habit is to make the cues that prompt it INVISIBLE.
That means throwing away the junk food. Having self-control and discipline is all well and good, but simply getting rid of temptation is better.
6 ) Sleep matters
Every day, new studies are published that reveal the importance of sleep in general health, but also when it comes to the body's response to food. Any nutrition plan is incomplete if it doesn't deal with stress management and healthy sleep.
Quick rule of thumb: the more carbs you consume, the more you have to worry about getting enough hours of quality sleep.
7 ) Experiment and find what works for you
Maybe it means doing a quick fasting reset, then re-introducing foods slowly into your diet to see which foods cause what kind of reaction in your body. Maybe it means keeping a food and mood diary. Whatever you choose to do, it is important to find a way of doing a personal evaluation for yourself to determine how certain foods affect you. Nothing is more important for your nutrition than that.
P.S. 