Which diet is right for me? This is how a dietitian makes that choice.

By Desiree Nielsen, RD – July 15, 2020

One of the most common questions I get as a registered dietitian is: “Is {insert diet type here} right for me?” With so many different opinions on how to eat out there, it can feel confusing…but it doesn’t have to be. Read on for some sane advice on how to become a more intuitive eater and learn which type of diet is best for your unique needs.

There are very few relationships in your life as intimate – or as complicated – as the one you have with food. The food you eat will literally become your body, for better or for worse. As a dietitian, I strongly believe that an evidence-based approach is critical to choosing a diet for yourself. However, there is also a point where evidence-based guidelines – which by definition aim to serve as many people as possible – leave off and your wisdom as an individual has to take over.

It’s important to say this up front: there are almost 8 billion people on the planet. To think that just one or two styles of eating will serve us all completely ignores the fact that we have unique genetics, microbiomes, cultures, food preferences and medical conditions that will determine what we need (and want!) to eat to feel our best. Of course, if you spend a hot minute on the internet, there is no shortage of opinions on how some foods or food groups are ‘toxic’ or all the reasons why diet x is the best diet (usually predicated on avoiding said ‘toxic’ foods).

Take a deep breath and repeat after me: it’s. just. food.

I get it. We live in a totally confusing time when it comes to food and nutrition. There is an intense amount of information online – and lots of it is bunk. We are also inundated with food marketing and media while being super stressed, pressed for time, money and often dealing with some sort of health condition (or three!)

So if you feel like you don’t know what to eat, you’re not alone. Which is why I want this post to walk you through a whole bunch of things to think about before stepping down one dietary path or another. And of course, you don’t have to go it alone – if you’re feeling ready, you can ask your dietitian what is right for you.

How do I know which diet is right for me?

It is worth noting that many people think of the word ‘diet’ as a weight loss thing…but in fact, the true definition of ‘diet’ is simply the pattern of food that we eat. For that reason, we also tend to think of diets in terms of rules or structures – such as paleo, keto or vegan diets – but in reality, it’s far more nuanced than that. When I say diet, I am referring to that second idea of overall dietary pattern. And there are a lot of things you need to consider when deciding which dietary approach might work for you.

Do you like to cook? How much time do you have to prep? Going raw food vegan won’t work if you need to get dinner together in fifteen minutes. Eating low FODMAP is pretty tough if you have to eat out in restaurants often. On the other hand, if you’re really into food, ditching food groups is probably going to cut into your enjoyment of eating.
What is your food budget, and access to healthy foods? Any diet that requires or encourages specialized products like almond meal or MCT oil will take its toll on your budget and might not be available to you. Dairy and meat can be pricey if you need to eat a lot of it. It might also be impossible to avoid hyper-processed foods if you don’t have the privilege of choosing your groceries.
What types of foods do you like, dislike, want to eat more/less of? If life without bread doesn’t feel worth living, paleo or keto will suck the joy out of eating. If you’re concerned about animal welfare, paleo is going to be a stretch. If you dislike kale, being forced to suck down huge amounts of it for some cleanse is the opposite of fun.
Do you have a health condition that could be better supported by nutrition? In my opinion, there are very few health conditions that aren’t helped by changing up your diet. Food is powerful medicine.
Which foods make you feel really good in your body? Which foods cause reactions in the body? This last question is a biggie because many of us are really disconnected from our bodies. What’s more, our body’s reactions to food are often drowned out by our psychological or emotional reactions to food. Our mindsets about good/bad/toxic foods may create food fear and psychosomatic reactions that we misread as being physical reactions. Or, we may ignore the physical reactions from a food because that food is important to us. Dismantling the effects of Diet Culture – and Diet Culture disguised as Wellness – is something that most of us as eaters have to tackle on the path to becoming truly healthy eaters.

Keeping a two-week food and symptom/wellbeing journal can be an interesting tool to help make the connection between food and how you feel as long as it doesn’t create more anxiety for you. Don’t count calories or measure food portions and don’t use an app that encourages those habits – just keep it in your notes app.

Simply write down what you eat, when you eat, mark down stress level and hunger level out of ten.
Then note any positive or negative responses (feel super energized after your green smoothie? feel hungry and cranky after that dinner salad? Feel bloated after a deli sandwich?).
You may need support from a dietitian to help you create those connections, and understand that food reactions might not be coming from the food itself but your stress level or something going on in your body.