Restrictive Diet

Sources:

A restrictive diet often involves eliminating or significantly reducing certain food groups or quantities. Here's what experts say:

  1. Kelsey Pontius, RD, cautions against overly restrictive behaviors, highlighting how they may lead to nutritional deficiencies. Instead, she suggests incremental changes in diet and understanding the reasons behind restrictive eating behaviors to build a healthier approach to food 1.

  2. Peter Attia, M.D., distinguishes between different forms of dietary restrictions, noting that while restrictive diets like keto and carnivore can lead to weight loss, they aren't necessarily healthy if they don't provide essential nutrients. He emphasizes the importance of balancing dietary restrictions with nutritional needs to avoid health issues like nutrient deficiencies 2 3.

    Understanding Restrictive Behaviors

    Kelsey and Elisabeth discuss the difference between restrictive behaviors and fueling in athletes. They provide insights on how to address restrictive eating habits and offer self-help strategies for building a healthier relationship with food.

    The Running Explained Podcast

    s2/e24 "Clean Eating", Food Rules, & Orthorexia with Kelsey Pontius, RD (@sportsdietitiankelsey)
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5

  3. Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., explains that restrictive diets can negatively impact gut microbiome health. He advocates for plant diversity in diets to promote a healthy gut microbiome and suggests that restrictive diets be used temporarily and carefully to identify food intolerances 4.

  4. Michelle Shapiro discusses how overly restrictive diets may lead to binge-eating cycles and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. She advises focusing on sustainable dietary practices rather than extreme restrictions 5.

A key takeaway is to approach dietary restrictions carefully, ensuring nutritional balance and addressing underlying psychological or health issues.

RELATED QUESTIONS