People often ask what I think the healthiest way to eat is…Paleo, Vegetarian, Low-Carb, Keto, Vegan?? There are so many different styles of eating that it’s easy to get confused about which one is the best to follow.

Are you ready for my standard answer? I don’t know what the healthiest way to eat is for you.

Most diets and programs tout the ONE magic way of eating that will dramatically fix all of your problems, and we are used to hearing about one-size-fits-all diets that are supposed to work for everyone. In my experience though, not everyone fits into the same box…no matter what that “box” happens to be.

No “Healthiest” Way of Eating for Everyone

Common sense tells us that we all have different nutritional needs. An 80-year old woman has different needs than a 20-year old man. A nursing mom has different needs than a teenager. A middle-aged man with a desk job has different needs than a 25-year old with a very active job.

We also have unique genetic makeups, previous life experiences, and health conditions. As we go through different seasons and stages of our life, our nutritional needs fluctuate as well.

As a result, there is not a “healthiest” way to eat that everyone needs to follow. This doesn’t mean that I don’t have some steps for you to figure this out for yourself, though, so keep on reading!

How to Find the Healthiest Way for YOU to Eat

While we each have unique needs, it is possible to figure out what is the healthiest way for you personally to be eating.

Here are some steps you can follow to figure out what will work best for you:

• • Begin with a Clean Eating Foundation. Start by following general “clean eating” principles. This includes adding in lots of minimally processed and nutrient dense foods like plants, vegetables, fruits, good-quality animal protein, nuts & seeds, and healthy fats. While adding in these healthy foods, begin reducing the amount of processed foods and refined sugars that you’re eating.

• • Do a “Study of One”. Have you heard of this concept before? Basically, after you start with the clean eating foundation, pay close attention to what foods give YOU the results you are looking for…improved health, more energy, weight loss, less joint pain, and so on. If clean eating alone isn’t providing you with your desired results, then it’s time to experiment. Maybe you’d like to try going gluten free, reducing your carbs, increasing your vegetables, cutting back on dairy. Choose one variable to try for a couple weeks and pay attention to how it works for you. If it works, stick with it! If it doesn’t, choose another variable to experiment with. Eventually, you’ll find a way of eating that you enjoy and makes you feel amazing!!

• • Be Willing to Adjust Over Time. I’ve noticed for myself that a particular way of eating can work really well for me for a few years. But then, things start to change and I don’t feel as healthy and energetic as I would like to. So what do I do? I experiment with a few variables to adjust how I’m eating for my body’s current needs.

• • Learn to Pay Attention to Your Body’s Signals. To help you get started, I recommend signing up for my FREE 5 Day Weight Loss Challenge. During this 5 day email challenge, I teach you different strategies to become more aware of how the food you are eating is affecting your body, your energy, your mood, and so much more.

• Get Help If Needed. I keep talking about experimenting with variables, and maybe you know exactly what you could start experimenting with. Or, maybe you’re at a loss and feeling overwhelmed. If that’s where you are, then working with a health coach to guide you through the process of figuring out your ideal eating plan might be exactly what you need to get started. If you’d like to apply for a complimentary discovery session to see if my coaching program is a good fit for you, just click here!

As easy as it would be for me to tell you exactly what to eat, I know that it wouldn’t necessarily work well for you long-term. Instead, start with the basics of clean eating and do a little experimentation to create a new lifestyle that helps you reach your goals. Good luck!