Nutrition 101: How to determine the best diet for you

Written By Ghazal Maboudi

With countless nutrition trends, diet plans, and social-media “experts” competing for attention, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. How do you decide which diet is actually right for you—or who you should trust?

The truth is simple:
The best diet for you is the one that meets your biological needs, aligns with the Five Pillars (below), respects your preferences, and delivers the results you want.

In this article, we’ll break down how to cut through the noise and evaluate any diet with clarity. You’ll learn our “5 by 5 Approach”—a five-step process grounded in the Five Pillars that determine long-term success:

  1. Energy balance

  2. Metabolic health

  3. Adequate protein

  4. Micronutrient sufficiency

  5. Long-term adherence

You’ll also learn how to assess whether a diet is working for you by using objective tools—such as DEXA scans, lab testing, symptom tracking, and continuous glucose monitoring. Science—not opinion—is the most reliable path to the results you want.

Let’s dive in!

The 5 by 5 Approach

The first “5” = Five Steps
The second “5” = Five Pillars

Step 1: Understand the Five Foundational Pillars

These are non-negotiables for any sustainable diet. They were true 50 years ago and will still be true 50 years from now.

✅ Pillar 1 — Energy Balance

A diet must help you consume not too much and not too little energy.

Common problems:

  • Excess calories → weight gain + illness

  • Too few calories → nutrient deficiencies + poor health

The body can tolerate a range of intake, but chronic imbalance eventually leads to problems.

Although many diet styles can support energy balance, the challenge lies in sustainability—especially since low-quality foods can disrupt hunger cues and encourage overeating.

✅ Pillar 2 — Metabolic Health

Energy imbalance and poor metabolic health often reinforce each other.
Someone may appear to eat “normally,” but still be metabolically unhealthy if the diet lacks quality, balance, or micronutrients.

Key metabolic health markers:
Basic tests:

  • Fasting insulin

  • Fasting glucose

  • Hemoglobin A1c

  • Fructosamine

Optional advanced testing:

  • OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test)

  • Continuous glucose monitor (CGM)

✅ Pillar 3 — Adequate Protein

Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle and supporting physical function—especially as we age. Insufficient protein accelerates sarcopenia (loss of muscle), reducing strength, mobility, and quality of life.

General daily guideline:
1.6–2.0 g protein per ideal kg bodyweight

Example for ~200 lb ideal bodyweight:
200 lbs ÷ 2.2 = ~91 kg
91 × 1.6–2.0 = 145–182 g/day

Distribute protein evenly across meals.

Higher end recommended for:

  • Older adults

  • Highly active individuals

  • Pregnancy

✅ Pillar 4 — Micronutrient Sufficiency

Micronutrients—vitamins, minerals, trace elements—support nearly every biochemical process in the body.

Deficiencies are common in:

  • Diets high in processed foods

  • Highly restrictive diets

Common nutrients to monitor:
A, B6, B9, B12, C, D, E, iron, zinc, magnesium

Whole foods are the best foundation. Restrictive plans may require supplementation.

✅ Pillar 5 — Long-Term Adherence

Even the most perfectly designed diet is ineffective if it cannot be followed long-term.

Sustainability depends on:

  • Convenience + cooking skills

  • Cost

  • Social compatibility

  • Psychological health

  • Enjoyment

Consistent, realistic habits matter more than perfection.

Step 2: Clarify the Diet You’re Considering

Think like a detective. Ask:

  • What are the rules?

  • What can and can’t I eat?

  • Does it align with my goals?

  • Who is it designed for?

  • What are its strengths and weaknesses?

  • How can I address its gaps?

Step 3: Gather Your Personal Data

Assess your starting point:

  • Classify nutritional status (see 4-quadrant model)

  • Take before photos

  • Complete a DEXA scan

  • Get basic bloodwork

  • Track symptoms

  • Consider a CGM for glucose insights

Individuals who are over-nourished + under-muscled face the highest risk for chronic disease. Their priority should be to:

  • Reduce excess body fat

  • Increase muscle mass

  • Improve metabolic health

DEXA is ideal for measuring:

  • Body fat %

  • Visceral fat

  • Lean mass

Desired trends:
↓ body fat
↓ visceral fat
↔ or ↑ lean mass

Step 4: Execute Your Plan

  • Set SMART goals

  • Follow your chosen plan for at least 30 days

  • Take consistent action

“What gets measured gets managed.”
Your goals determine what you measure—whether body composition, metabolic markers, cognitive improvements, or disease-risk reduction.

Step 5: Analyze Results

Reevaluate the metrics you collected in Step 3.

  • Did you move toward your goals?

  • If yes → continue

  • If no → adjust

Now you know what works—and what doesn’t.

Key Takeaways

  • There is no single perfect diet for everyone.

  • The best diet meets the Five Pillars and aligns with your goals and preferences.

  • Your ideal diet may evolve over time as your lifestyle and health needs shift.

  • Stay curious, flexible, and science-driven—not dogmatic.

  • Use frameworks to guide decisions, not restrict them.

The Bigger Picture

The word “diet” dates back more than 2,500 years. In ancient Greece, “diaita” meant “way of life”—a holistic approach encompassing food, exercise, sleep, and habits. Only much later did the term narrow to focus on food alone.

Nutrition is more than what you eat—it’s how you live.

Talk with your Lifted Fit For Life coaches to explore how to apply the 5 by 5 Approach to your goals.

Acknowledgment: Thank you to Peter Attia, MD, for inspiration and foundational concepts.
Learn more at www.peteratiamd.com

Tim Gagne
Co-owner & Coach
Lifted Fit For Life

Ghazal Maboudi