Why Patrick Holford may have it wrong

Why Holford, Atkins and South Beach may have it wrong!

Written by Ted Frazer

“One size does not fit all”

Diets come…diets go. Some diets work for some people…and
don’t work for others. Be it High-protein, Low fat, Low Carb,
Low GI or even Low GL…if we haven’t learnt by now…there is
no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” diet.

To lose weight we need to consider that our dieting needs are
unique and that to lose weight successfully, and for the
long-term, we need to find an approach to eating that is
individual, and not general.

There are always new and exciting dieting trends being promoted
in the media. New authors promoting new dietary teachings and
trends, claiming to have the single answer to permanent
weight-loss. But how often have we seen popular authors come and
go?…to be replaced by new authors, new diets…or existing
authors releasing new books, new revised theories.

If one thing is clear, its that there cannot be a single dietary
solution that suits everyone’s needs and physical make-up.

Some people responds positively to low-fat, high-carb diets,
where others respond better to high-protein diets. Some people
respond poorly to diets that are rich in grains, where others
seem to find diets rich in complex grain carbs more favorable.

So how do we find a diet that works?

“Finding the shoe that fits”

The key is to find a diet that works for YOU.

There are countless diets to choose from, but before deciding
which diet to follow, it makes sense to first consider your own
individual “eating profile”. Although this is mainly common
sense, one could start by having a food allergy test – to test
which foods cause an allergic reaction. But in terms of common
sense, most dieters know instinctively which foods cause both
positive and negative reactions in their body’s. They know which
foods they absolutely cannot sacrifice for extended periods or
“avoid” and it is here that the roots for finding a long-term
eating plan can be found. Now, basic common sense also tells us
that eating too much processed junk and sugar is not the path to
successful dieting or wellness, and although there is much
conflict within the various popular approaches to dieting, there
are 5 key food groups over which the debate wages.

“The Big 5″

If we examine the various approaches to dieting, we usually find
that the points of difference lie mainly in 5 separate groups of
foods. Outside of these 5 groups, although there may still be
points of difference, they are relatively minor when compared to
the “Big 5″.

These are:

* Starch & Grains * Dairy * Sugar * Fat * Meat

Fruits, vegetables and their derivatives are seldom brought into
question, however, if there is a “dietary culprit” over which
the authors of popular diet trends may disagree, the chances are
it will be found amongst the “Big 5″.

We typically hear about so many “problem foods” that we need to
avoid, or even entire food groups that we need to restrict, and
for many dieters, this may indeed be true.But the key aspect
that is so often overlooked, is that for every dieter who
responds positively to a specific diet…there is almost always
another dieter who does not. So whether it’s the GL approach
promoted in the latest “Holford Diet” or the ever-popular
high-protein approach as recommended in the “Atkins Diet” or
perhaps another new diet or even a hybrid version of an already
existing diet approach, no matter how scientifically sound, it
is very unlikely to be an equally viable weight-loss and eating
solution for everyone.

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