Have you noticed that nutrition advice is going through a very interesting phase? The established food pyramid / food plate is under fire and there are any number of nutrition strategies fighting it out to be “the one”.

How can you possibly know what to do?

The problem with this question is that knowing what to do involves your brain making decisions. Perhaps it’s time to give your brain a break and let your body make decisions for you.

There are so many choices available to us that we can do some testing and let our body work out what is best. If you don’t like kale, don’t eat it. Bread makes you bloat? Don’t eat it. Liver makes your stomach turn? Don’t eat it.

Here are some things to consider when thinking about a change of eating:

• Is your current eating pattern giving you the body and feeling of wellness that you want? If you answer No, then it’s clear that a change is needed.
• Is the new eating pattern you’re considering one that you can do forever? If the answer is No, then don’t do it. Imagine getting the results you’re after, only to then return to the old patterns that gave you what you currently have – or worse.
• Does the new eating pattern enable you to eat foods that are easily available, affordable, and that you and your family enjoy? If the answer is No, is there a different way around it? If the answer is still No, keep looking.
• Will the new eating plan require that you spend hours every day preparing food? Do you have time and inclination for that? If the answer is No, could you make it easier and more realistic? Still No? Find something else.

Once you decide on your new eating plan, how do you know if it was a good choice? Give it a few weeks or sticking to it religiously, then assess:

• Are you feeling vibrant, energetic and ready for anything? If Yes, keep doing what you’re doing.
• Is the number on the scales gradually coming down? If Yes, keep it up (assuming you wanted to lose weight).
• Is the food easy to prepare, and using easily accessible foods? If Yes, it’s starting to look as though you’re onto something good.
• Have you noticed improvements in your skin, hair, fingernails, mood, sleep and concentration? If Yes, you must be asking yourself why you didn’t start sooner.

Our Healthy Inspirations eating plans are designed with flexibility to help you discover the eating plan that works best for your body. Many of our members are surprised that, despite years of following the ‘healthy’ diet, what they thought they knew about nutrition didn’t really work for their body.

You can try by yourself, of course, but it may be worth giving us a call to see how specific coaching and support can be the big difference between poking around making mistake after mistake, and achieving the success you deserve.