“The diet that I believe in is called ‘nude food’. It’s not really a diet, it’s more of a philosophy. It’s based on three key principles.
First, ignore all the fads and marketing because they’re just distractions. The second key principle is eat real food, which is food that comes from the ground, the sea and the sky, and less out of the factories, as much as you can.
And then the third one is trust your instincts because – as I mentioned before – no one person is the same genetically, and therefore no one diet fits all. You’re your best guru to tell you how to eat better than anyone else.
I think there’s a big misconception that being healthy often means watching calories.
Of course reducing your calorie intake is going to help you lose weight, but it’s not the be all and end all.
The most important thing is that you nourish your body with all the nutrients it needs.
You’re never going to lose weight until your body is feeling really nourished and is in a good position to start losing weight.
Another mistake is believing someone else who maybe has lots of letters behind their name is more qualified than you to tell you how to eat. I’m a big believer that there’s no one diet that fits all.
Everyone’s so genetically varied that there isn’t one single diet that can fit every single human being. You look around the world, and there are populations that eat a very high meat diet but they’re healthy, and then there are populations that eat no meat and they’re healthy.
It’s just about listening to your body and its cues, and how it reacts with different foods and different styles and ways of eating, then doing what suits you best. I guess it’s being a flexitarian.”
For more on Nadia’s take on food fads, every day meals and healthy living, see the September issue of Good Health Choices.
