Good nutrition supports your well-being, 
It does not demand perfection.

Ugh, when will this fad go away? I’ve seen a softened approach to the keto diet lately, which makes me happy. Happier than you are when you avoid carbs, anyway.

Constipation, irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, poor sleep, bad breath, and heart disease are a few of the side effects of the keto diet.

And to really kick you in the teeth, low-carb dieters are much, much more likely to gain back lost weight and then some when compared to those that eat in a more balanced manner.  

And who says you need to lose weight anyway?

*To be fair, there are a few neurological conditions that do benefit from a true ketogenic diet. Individuals who have been recommended by their healthcare practitioner to follow a medically supervised ketogenic diet should stay in close contact with their experienced dietitian as well as the rest of their medical team.

The main components of any healthy diet are vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts/seeds. 1/4 of your plate should consist of your protein. 

When you aim to lose weight, be especially mindful of the calories you are consuming, particularly from nuts/seeds, avocado, and your splurges. Aim for 80-90% healthful foods and 10-20% splurges throughout the week. Typically, an all-or-nothing approach does us no favors, causing us to fall into a guilt cycle that does us no favors.

I urge you to consider why you want to lose weight. If a recent diagnosis scared you into changing your diet, can you consider focusing on healthful behaviors, rather than unhealthy restrictions that leave you feeling terrible and are not sustainable anyway?

Most health conditions can improve in the absence of forcing your body to look a certain way.

Increase your fruit and vegetable intake to 7-9 servings per day. Oily fish at least twice per week, for those of us that eat fish. (Algal oil contains the exact same fats as fish oil, and is veg*n friendly). Avoid coconut as cooking oil, opting for something that is liquid at room temperature instead.   

Snack on nuts and seeds. 

Decrease sodium to below 2300 mg/day.

Move your body more.

The three-month time limit is frustrating because it is easier for people to make gradual, yet meaningful changes to their diet than to change everything all at once. With this time limit, I would focus on increasing your produce intake by 1-2 servings per day every 1-2 weeks.

Add a 10-20-minute walk 2-3 days per week. Then increase as you feel comfortable. Or better yet, if you sit at a desk all day, start getting up every hour and move for about 5 minutes. You’ll feel better overall and your performance at work will probably actually improve as well.

Be honest with your physician. Let him know what changes you’ve made and how hard you’ve been working. Ask for a referral to a registered dietitian. Their expertise and the relationship that comes from repeated visits will help more than you can imagine.

Vegetarians do have to make sure they get enough protein in their diet. For me, getting vegetables in is easy, so I try to plan my meals around my protein source. I also make sure that any snacks I may eat include some protein as well.

Because vegans avoid dairy and eggs, they must ensure they get protein from various sources. Whole grains,  beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and soy are all excellent protein sources. Vegan protein powders can be used in smoothies and shakes, particularly before or after a workout.

Everyone should plan out their meals to some degree, but vegetarians and vegans may have to work a little harder at it. Remember that vegan and vegetarian diets can be very healthy or very unhealthy, just like a diet that includes meat.