The BEST Diet

Good morning and happy Friday!

Many of us are always looking for that perfect diet. Which diet is the best for weight loss? Which diet is the healthiest? And most of all, which diet can I actually stick to? Let*'s face it, whether we stick to the diet or not is the most important thing we can go. Consistency, the one element that will get you to your goals and where you will actually see results. Today, I am going to talk about the 5 overall best diets out there right now. These diets will get your results....but it's up to you to keep that consistency. Zero days off! I challenge you to pick one and stick to it for 30 days, I want before and after pictures and numbers to go along with your results. Winner will get 2 free training sessions. Good luck!

1. The Dash Diet

*This diet is about eating the foods we've always been told to eat and getting rid of the ones we have learned to LOVE (i.e. salty and sweet).

• Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

• 6-8 servings of grains

• 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies (4-5 of each)

• 2-3 servings of fat-free or low-fat dairy

• 6 or fewer servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry

• 4-5 servings (per week) of seeds, nuts and legumes

• 2-3 servings of good fats and oils

• Less than 5 servings of sweets

• Max sodium levels around 2,300 milligrams per day, but work to stay around 1,500 mg

2. The Mind Diet

*This diet is about feeding the mind. Eating brain powering foods.

• Per day: At least 3 servings of whole grains, a vegetable, and yep I'm gonna say it....a glass of wine!!

• Most days: Snack on nuts

• Every other day: A half cup of beans

• Poultry 2 times a week

• Twice a week: A half cup of berries (blueberries are best)

• Weekly serving of fish

• Olive Oil is okay for cooking and salad dressing (moderation is key)

• Less than 4 servings of red meat

• Fewer than 5 WEEKLY servings of pastries of any kind

• Less than 1 tablespoon of butter per day

• Less than 1 serving of cheese, fried, or fast food per week

3. TLC

*Bad Cholesterol will be lowered by this diet (up to 8-10%).

• Choose target calorie amount

• Saturated fat cannot be higher than 7% of daily calories

• Less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol per day (about 2 ounces of cheese is a good example)

• Eat lots of fruits and veggies (4 servings of fruit; 3-5 servings of veggies)

• 5 ounces max of meat per day (skinless chicken, turkey, and fish are your best options)

• 2-3 servings of non-fat or low-fat dairy

• 6-11 servings of grains

4. Fertility Diet (Strictly for women)

*Promote Fertility

• AVOID trans-fats like the plague!

• Consume more unsaturated vegetable oils (i.e. Olive Oil or Canola Oil)

• Increase intake of vegetable proteins (nuts and beans) & less animal proteins

• Increase intake of good carbohydrates (oatmeal, beans and veggies)

• 1 glass of whole milk, full fat yogurt, OR a small dish of ice cream daily

• Think of adding a multi vitamin with folic acid and B vitamins

• About 40 mg of iron per day. Get through veggies, fruits, supplements, and beans

• Ideal BMI is between 20-24

5. The Mediterranean Diet

*Promotes weight loss & keeping the weight off

• A couple times a week have: Emphasis in fruit, veggies, beans, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, legumes, herbs and spices, fish and seafood

• In moderation have: Poultry, eggs, yogurt, cheese

• Special Occasions: Red meat, sweets, and red wine

• Use past nutrition tips to figure out your calorie range for this diet

*Other Winning Diets to choose from that are equally as good: The Mayo Clinic Diet and The Weight Watchers Diet

For more detailed information on these diets check out the link below.

http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets