The Perfect Diet

Is there anyone out there that really has a PERFECT diet?  Who gets to define what the perfect diet looks like anyways? 

I am using the word “diet” a lot today, but not in the “lose-weight diet” sense, but the “food that I ingest” sense (see post from last year, “Make it Positive,” for more on “dieting”: http://rdseattoo.blogspot.com/2014/09/make-it-positive.html).

Is a perfect diet void of all things with sugar and fat, void of all things that come in a package?  Is the perfect diet one that never succumbs to the call of coffee table snacks or birthday cakes?  Maybe so in our understanding of the word "perfect," but is it?

My answer to all the things above are “no.”  I firmly believe that the perfect diet comes with a balance that allows for life to happen.  Whether it’s a vacation, a holiday, a birthday, weekends away from home, or maybe your own get-together, there will be occasions that you’re faced with the decision to stick to your diet guns or indulge with grace.

This is not a post to support a diet filled with less than healthy options, but instead to support a diet that is doable and sustainable and enjoyable and healthful. 

So I choose “indulge with grace.”  This is an important point – I am not going to throw caution to the wind and indulge in large amounts and frequently, but instead I am going to take part with moderation in mind.  A cupcake, not two or three.  A juicy cheeseburger, but with a side of salad and fruit instead of potato chips.  A handful of Chex-mix, not two or three or more, while watching a game when I know I’m not really hungry.

Dana’s Dictionary:

“The Perfect Diet”

• Food intake that nourishes, heals, makes strong, delights and allows for life to happen.

I will strive for the “perfect diet” with this definition.  I will choose wholesome, nutritious foods, a balance of all the wonderful food groups and varieties, and, at times, will indulge with grace.  How about you?