Dieter’s Delight – You’ve heard it all. Low-carb diets. Low-fat diets. Mediterranean diets. Grapefruit diets. Swedish fish and Coca Cola Diets. (No, no – this really exists.)

But forget for a second the individual merits of any one diet. Maybe they work for many. Maybe they work for few. But no matter how critically acclaimed any particular eating plan may be for the masses, there’s only one determining factor that dictates whether it’s right for you: does it work for you.

Img: dieter’s delight, source

That’s right. Not for your friends. Not for your co-workers. Not for Kim Kardashian.

You.

Your body, your genes, your makeup is its own specific entity. That means that, no matter what the hottest diet is in Hollywood or even your own backyard, the only thing that matters is whether it clicks within your system.

That said, some thoughts moving forward.

The Colors, Duke!

Come on. You remember the Popsicle commercial don’t you? With the little dog? Started out with normal colors, and then as the guy starts to lick the…

OK. Nevermind.

Point being, when picking out foods, you should strive for the ones that have the most color. This is because many of the chemicals in food that are responsible for their color are also hugely potent antioxidants and other nutrients.

So, for instance, romaine lettuce is a much better pick than iceberg. (Though, if you’re a fan, spring mixes and other leafy combinations are best.)

Eggplant is much better for you than, say, squash. (Though, in fairness to squash and zucchini, both are delightfully nutritious.)

This doesn’t only apply to choices between different food groups. Blood oranges, for example, have a much higher antioxidant capacity than do regular oranges. And how can you tell the difference? They’re much deeper, richer color.

Same thing with red delicious apples. The reason they’re so much redder than, say, gala apples? Not because they’re angry. (Get it?) But because there’s a much denser concentration of antioxidants situated in their skin.

Point is, when scanning the grocery store for the best food choices for you, it’s important to look for colors. Or, to take a liberty with another cheesy ad campaign, “Follow your nose!” only with your eyes.

Dieter’s Delight – Balance, Balance, Balance

This isn’t so much with particular food groups, per se, though it is very, critically important that you get a lot of different stuff in your system. (We say this this way because so many dieters like to stick to only one or two things once they’ve figured out what works, sometimes keeping the same meal schedule for weeks on end.)

But don’t necessarily look at things in terms of breads or meats or pastas.

Look at them in terms of macronutrients: fats, carbohydrates or proteins.

Your body can derive energy from three chemicals, and those are them. And when drafting a meal plan, it’s important to remember that you get a good dose of all of them.

In reality, low-fat and low-carb diet plans are probably both losers. That’s because you should hardly ever cut out an entire food group from your daily eating schedule.

Your body needs the variety, really.

Think about it: if you’re cutting out, say, carbs, you’re eliminating one-third of your entire catalogue of options. So too, then, are you robbing yourself of all of the nutrients (plant polyphenols from fruit, for instance, and calcium and vitamin D from whole milk) typically found in those macronutrients.

Really, it’s just not a good idea.

What is? Finding something that works for your body, and then sticking with it.

About the Author: Dr. Michael Barakate is a pediatric and adult otolaryngologist located in Sydney, Australia offering health and wellness information at ENTWellbeing.com.au.