To each his own
Every weekday for as long as she can remember, Lisa Sasson’s husband has eaten two pieces of fruit for breakfast and a bowl of cereal plus a banana for lunch. She calls it absurd, but he calls it comforting. “He doesn’t want to have to make a decision,” says Sasson, a registered dietitian and clinical assistant professor of nutrition at New York University who enjoys eating more varied and flexible meals. Clearly, if the pair went on the same diet, one or both of them would be miserable. “If it’s not the right diet for your personality, it backfires,” Sasson says. Here’s how to find the right one for yours:
Getting to know you
The first step in finding the best diet for your personality is actually being honest with yourself about how you operate — something many people kid themselves about, finds Jill Weisenberger, a registered dietitian in Virginia. “People think, ‘I can just suffer long enough to lose this weight and then my life will be good,'” she says. “People can’t suffer that long.” Instead of asking what diet drops pounds fastest, ask yourself what your daily life would be on various plans — and whether that day sounds like one you’d like to live. “Focus on the process instead of the pounds,” Weisenberger says. Do any of these personality types sound like you?
Spontaneous
Sasson likes to know that if a friend invites her for a last-minute glass of wine or a colleague wants to grab lunch, she can say yes without straying from her “diet.” For people like her, the DASH diet is ideal, Sasson says, since it’s structured enough to make a difference in health but is loose enough to be different every day. The diet, which stands for “dietary approaches to stop hypertension,” tied for best overall diet in the U.S. News Best Diets rankings. It encourages whole grains, produce, lean meat and healthy fats, but allows for swaps — say, more plant-based protein and fewer grains, explains Sasson, an expert panelist for the rankings.
Social
If you’re happiest when your calendar is packed with meetup group outings, professional networking events, concerts and classes, you’re probably not going to be happy on a diet that isolates you. For social butterflies, Weight Watchers can work well not only because it’s flexible (shared a muffin on your coffee date? Adjust your lunch accordingly), but also because it involves strong social support via in-person meetings, online communities and personalized coaching. Other non-commercial plans like the vegan diet also have robust online communities, says Weisenberger, author of “Prediabetes: A Complete Guide,” who also served as a U.S. News expert panelist. “Look into something like that and focus on the process.”
Private
Unlike those social types, some people like to keep their weight-loss efforts to themselves, Weisenberger finds. She points to the meal replacement program HMR as an option for private folks who still want structure. The program, which U.S. News ranked top along with Weight Watchers for fast weight loss but 29th overall, involves home-delivered meals, as do other diets including Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem and South Beach. If you’re a homebody who likes cooking, try a meal delivery service like Blue Apron or Plated, which aren’t explicit diets but may help you eat healthier and avoid snacking, suggests Jen Widerstrom, a personal trainer in Colorado and author of “Diet Right for Your Personality Type.”
Giving
Widerstrom, who starred as the trainer in ABC’s “The Biggest Loser,” calls altruistic people “everyday heroes” in her book. They’re the parents, nurses, teachers and others who enjoy putting other people’s needs before their own. For them, meal prepping is important because once their weeks start, their own goals will get put on the backburner while they answer others’ calls. Any diet can involve meal prepping; but Volumetrics is one with a book packed with meal plans and recipes. If even taking time to prep feels too self-indulgent, remind yourself you’re modeling self-care for those who usually get your attention, Weisenberger says. “Turn that strength inward and care for yourself,” she says.
Rebellious
Giving a rebellious-natured client a detailed meal plan is about as effective as throwing it in the garbage, Widerstrom says. “They’re so free-form, I can’t give them too much structure.” Instead, she gives them “gentle boundaries,” likening herself to the bumpers on a bowling lane. Healthy but non-restrictive plans like the Mediterranean diet or the flexitarian diet do the same thing, Weisenberg says. Both are highly-ranked across the U.S. News rankings; the Mediterranean diet emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry and healthy fats from foods like nuts, seeds and olive oil, while the flexitarian diet is a plant-based eating style that allows rebels to eat the occasional burger.
Type A
Do you love lists? Thrive on routine? Feel off when a spoon sits in your silverware organizer’s fork slot? A rule-heavy diet like the ketogenic diet may appeal to you, Widerstrom says. “It’s very rigid, it’s very specific, there’s no gray room.” In fact, the plan is so strict (not to mention high in saturated fat and devoid of carbs) the U.S. News expert panel ranked it last. Still, you can find structure in more nutritionally-balanced plans like Weight Watchers, whose points system your tracking-happy personality might love, or a meal-delivery program that removes all the guesswork. “There are some people who … don’t want to have a choice,” Sasson says.
More from U.S. News
Best Commercial Diets: Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
The 10 Best Diets for Healthy Eating
10 Healthy Habits of the ‘Naturally’ Thin
The Best Diet for Your Personality originally appeared on usnews.com
