Sick of yo-yo dieting and fad diets? See how I took control of my health.

My current eating habits are a blend of keto, low-carb, paleo, and Mediterranean styles. Though I mainly follow these healthy approaches, I occasionally indulge in sweet treats or healthier versions of comfort foods like macaroni and cheese or pizza. The only firm rule I follow is to nourish my body with what it needs and craves.

What is a keto diet?

The ketogenic diet, often referred to simply as "keto," has become an increasingly popular way of eating over the past several years. But what exactly is this diet all about? The keto diet is a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that aims to put the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When following a keto diet, you drastically reduce your intake of carbs, also known as net carbs, to typically less than 50 grams per day. This reduction in carbs forces the body to burn fats for fuel instead of glucose. Specifically, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies, which become the main source of energy for both the brain and body. This shift into using fat and ketones for energy instead of carbs is known as ketosis. While in this state, the body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat stores for energy. The keto diet can provide numerous health benefits, such as weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, and improved brain function. However, it does require discipline and should be undertaken with medical supervision. When done correctly, keto can be a safe and effective approach to better health.

What is a low-carb diet?

When it comes to eating healthy and losing weight, low-carb diets are all the rage these days. But what exactly does "low-carb" mean? Simply put, a low-carb diet limits the amount of carbohydrates you eat, including sugars and starches like bread, pasta, rice, and sweets. The goal is to help manage blood sugar levels while potentially promoting weight loss. Some popular low-carb diet plans like Keto and Atkins drastically restrict carbs to put your body into a state of ketosis. Others are more relaxed, only reducing overall carb intake. The key is choosing nutrient-dense, high-fiber carb sources like vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Moderating carb-heavy foods is the name of the game with low-carb. This effective approach helps many achieve better health, though it may require adjusting your relationship with carbs.

What is a paleo diet?

The paleo diet is based on the idea of eating similarly to our ancient ancestors and avoiding modern processed foods. This diet emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods that humans would have eaten in the Paleolithic era, including meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. By eliminating dairy, grains, legumes, sugar and heavily processed oils, the paleo diet aims to return to a way of eating that proponents claim is better suited to human health and genetics. The diet encourages grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, and organic produce to provide maximum nutritional benefits. While debated by some, many have found improved health, weight loss, and increased energy on the paleo diet by focusing on simple, nutrient-dense foods our bodies evolved eating.

What is a Mediterranean diet?

This popular eating pattern emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and fish while limiting red meat, sweets, and processed foods. Many studies have found the Mediterranean diet to be linked with better heart health, weight loss, reduced inflammation, and lower risk of chronic diseases. The diet takes inspiration from traditional cuisines of Mediterranean countries like Greece, Italy, and Spain. Key components include plenty of plant-based foods, healthy fats like olive oil and avocados, moderate amounts of fish and poultry, red wine in moderation, and low amounts of red meat and sweets. The Mediterranean lifestyle also emphasizes physical activity, community, and enjoying meals with others. Adopting Mediterranean-style eating habits can provide numerous benefits for lifelong health and well-being.

The foods that trigger health issues for me are alcohol, gluten, yeast, grains, and processed foods. Consuming any of these causes rashes, bloating, digestive problems, and overall malaise. To identify my problem foods, I systematically eliminated various items from my diet until I determined which ones my body can't tolerate. Now I seek tasty substitutes for those triggers when cravings strike because who doesn't want pizza or a burger now and then?

To make meals healthier, I use pasta alternatives like miracle noodles or spaghetti squash in place of regular pasta and swap out bread for options like cloud bread or yeast-free sourdough. I get recipe inspiration from social media creators like Alec MacLerena who encourages using what you have on hand, as well as from cookbooks like Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious, which is about sneaking nutritious ingredients like puréed veggies into dishes. Recently, I added kimchi and hummus to chili to pack in more nutrients. Though I haven't read Seinfeld's book yet, it's on my list to check out for more ideas on boosting nutrition in everyday cooking.

I find inspiration for recipes from Pinterest and cooking shows, then I put my twist on them to fit my lifestyle and my family's preferences. Putting your spin on a favorite recipe can be fun to try. For example, you can substitute whole wheat flour with coconut or almond flour to lower the carbs. Turn spaghetti into a lower-carb dish by serving it over miracle noodles or spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Use lettuce leaves or sourdough bread as burger buns for a twist. Sneak different meats and veggies into familiar dishes - add ground lamb or bison to beef chili or a tomato-based sauce to change it up while keeping the flavors your family enjoys. Small tweaks like these allow you to make healthier versions of classic recipes.

I have used low-carb tortillas when making pizzas for our family's pizza nights. We love building our own specialty pizzas, baking them to perfection, and enjoying those deliciously cheesy meals while cuddling up in the living room to watch a movie together. When I used low-carb tortillas to make cheesy bread, I wasn't sure if the kids would like it. But to my surprise, they devoured it all!

They also never noticed that I added butternut squash to the mac and cheese - and I'm not telling them.

While transitioning to a low-carb diet was challenging at first, involving much trial and error to find satisfying recipes my family would enjoy, I no longer feel limited in my food options. Creating delicious low-carb meals took time, effort, and some failures along the way, like my inedible keto biscuits and overly creamy gravy. However, I learned from mistakes, repurposed ingredients, and persevered. For example, I crumbled those hard biscuits to add to my dogs' meals and turned the gravy into a tasty low-carb Zuppa Tuscana soup. With perseverance and creativity, I overcame early struggles and can now make delicious low-carb meals my whole family enjoys.

I know how challenging and frustrating trying to find solutions to your health issues. It will take time, be patient, stick with it, and find support. Having a good support system that can listen, inspire, and encourage is a game changer for success. You are not alone in this journey and will get through this shining brightly on the other side. For more inspiration join the wellness blondie community on Facebook to ask questions or share your stories.

~ Tina