With so many diet and eating lifestyles out there, how do you know which is the right one is for you? They say it’s really just about calories in and calories out when it comes to maintaining or losing weight, and while the basics of that may be true, there are other things to consider. Should you eat carbs? Should you go organic? What is the difference between vegetarian and vegan? Are there good fats and bad fats, good carbs and bad carbs, good protein and bad protein? What’s Paleo? Do you need to be gluten-free? How many calories should you eat?

All of this info is enough to make you throw your hands up and grab a bag of Doritos and think about it tomorrow, right? Put them down, lick the bright orange cheese powder off your fingers and slowly back away. Here is some insight into what all of this health jargon means.

First, let me squash the idea of “dieting.” In truth, there is no such thing, unless you are planning on only having results for the duration of your diet. If you want to have a healthy body and lifestyle, then you need to make a lifestyle change. A healthy-eating lifestyle means that you eat healthy 90 percent of the time, with the occasional treat.

Vegan and Vegetarian
They are not the same thing, though both of these lifestyles do not eat meat. In general, vegetarians do not eat meat (though some will eat eggs or dairy) while vegans exclude all meat and animal byproducts (not only eggs and dairy, but also things like honey and gelatin) and do not use non-edible animal-derived products like leather, wool, fur or any products that may use or condone animal testing (beauty products, especially). Anyone can adopt these lifestyles, but people who tend to be low on iron, B vitamins and protein will need to be sure to eat foods that are rich in those or take supplements.

Organic
Organic food is simply, in a nutshell, farmed under organic standards set by organizations and the government. If there is an “organic” label on the product, it has been approved by food safety authorities. These foods are usually sustainable under conservation regulations, and chemical/synthetic pesticides and fertilizers for plants or hormones for livestock are not permitted for growth. It also stands by a “cage free” environment for animals to be used as food sources. Speaking personally, I prefer organic food most of the time. Not because it tastes better necessarily, but because who needs to eat chemicals and hormones?

Paleolithic/Paleo
So while it might seem similar to the diets above, Paleo is even more rigid. That being said, I know several people who eat this way and it has worked for them. Also called the “Caveman Diet,” Paleo calls for its followers only to eat food items that are of the natural world ~ plants and animals that were available 10,000 years ago. It avoids foods that contain corn syrup, salt, caffeine, alcohol, trans fats and other man-made elements, as well as grains and dairy products. It focuses on eating non-starchy fruit and vegetables for nearly half of the day’s calories, along with grass-fed meat, fish and nuts. This is a great lifestyle for those prone to or who have diabetes. Dangers include lack of calcium and vitamin D, so supplements need to be taken.

Atkins/Low-Carb
Low-carb diets are also great for people who carry most of their weight in their stomach and people prone to diabetes. Similar to the Paleo diet, where protein and low-carb vegetables account for the majority of the diet, this is a less strict approach, as it does allow for some carbs such as brown rice, beans and unleavened bread. The diet avoids foods like white bread, sugars and pasta.

Gluten Free
Suddenly, gluten-free products are filling supermarket shelves. Why? Gluten is a type of protein that acts as a binding agent and is found in wheat, rye and barley. People with celiac disease have an auto-immune reaction to gluten, causing it to wreak havoc on their intestines, which can prevent them from absorbing necessary vitamins, among other issues. Many people are gluten intolerant, though, due to grains being modified and containing more gluten than they ever have before. However, most people have no issue with gluten.

Whichever healthy eating lifestyle you choose to adopt, it is crucial to be sure that it is right for you, so check with your physician and be sure to add supplements of essential vitamins that your diet may not provide. Also, be sure that you are getting at least 1,200 calories a day. Though cutting calories is important, eating them and burning them off with exercise is the better way to stay healthy and be sure your body is getting all it needs.

By Jennifer Russo