Thursday, January 13, 2022

Additive vs. Restrictive dieting: Considerations for balancing your diet

I recently sat in on a presentation by a lifestyle medicine physician talking about her training and program. The idea is to actually take a full body approach to treating medical ailments. Although fascinating, and worth researching on your own, I wanted to share one thing that stood out to me regarding dieting. The presenter recommended additive rather than restrictive dieting. She did not present it in this way directly but the point was clear.

The recommendation was based on information released by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the lack of consumption of enough fruits and vegetables worldwide. Typically we think of diets as restrictive. For example we may cut fats, or limit carbohydrates. Calories may also be limited to control overall caloric intake. More extreme diets may cut meat completely or all animal products. These would be considered restrictive in that they restrict certain food components. These diets are not inherently bad. It is all about balance. The body requires nutrients in certain proportions specific to each person and those nutrients don't necessarily have to come from the same sources for each person. However, out of balance in either too much of something or too little of something can lead to problems on both ends of the spectrum.

Additive diets change the focus from restricting "bad" nutrients to adding "good" nutrients. Again, the use of "good" and "bad" is relative. Fat is necessary for hormone production but may also cause obesity and cardiovascular disease. Additive diets seek to add the traditionally good nutrients to a current diet. These are typically whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. 

I worked with an athlete recently that wanted help with weight loss. Admittedly, I am not a nutritional expert and it feels a bit out of my wheelhouse, so I asked for some help. I had him track his diet for 2 weeks. There were some obvious standouts for changes that could be made. Soda consumption, processed foods, not eating breakfast etc. However, what was pointed out to me was his lack of protein consumption and deficits in certain vitamins. 

The team that I worked with suggested that he cut back on the soda and processed foods but also that he added a fruit or vegetable to each meal. We also got him set up with a lean protein shake for the mid afternoon to carry him over from lunch to a late dinner. 

He didn't lose 50lbs in 2 weeks and this isn't the miracle diet that health magazines are trying to push. He did start to make up for nutrient deficits by adding back to his diet. Eventually, the added calories from healthier foods helped him to eat healthier overall and curb cravings for some of the poorer calorie foods.

The point is, as we make diet resolutions, try to consider what is missing and how you might add that as opposed to restricting. Personally, I don't do a great job with fruits and vegetables. I would like to start emphasizing them more in my meals. I typically like to design a dinner around a meat source with fruits and vegetables playing the side role. I would like to start adding fruits and vegetables into more of a main roll. Snacking is also an issue of mine. Again, the ability to add healthier snacks may help me to consume more of what is necessary for me. 

Bottom line, dieting is about balancing. Too much or too little is not optimal. Restriction is one way to adjust the balance but addition may be just as or more beneficial when seeking to eat healthier. When planning your next meal, consider how to add as opposed to subtract and see how that alters your perception. That's all for now...from the training room. 

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