RICHMOND, Va. — The health and wellness website, FitnessBrand.net, analyzed Google data finding which diets Virginians are searching for the most.

The top five diets were:

• Mediterranean Diet
• Intermittent fasting
• Keto Diet
• DASH Diet
• Paleo Diet

Bethany Watkins in Richmond has dedicated her life to health, fitness, and wellness. She is a registered dietician and operates Happy Body RVA, providing Telehealth appointments to patients across the Commonwealth.
Watkins said she never prescribes a certain diet to her patients, but instead, finds out the best nutrition plan to meet their needs.

“Many individuals actually equate the word diet to restricting caloric intake or choosing certain foods to eat for weight reduction,” she explained.

She said the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest among the five most searched diets.

The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

You eat mostly veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Olive oil is the main source of fat.

Research showed the Mediterranean Diet can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and many other chronic conditions.

“Any diet that tries to get you to cut out an entire section of [a food group] is not one that I would ever advise. That’s why Keto is not one I would ever push on to a client or a patient unless it was disease specific,” Watkins said.

Meals should simply consist of a serving of protein (for muscle maintenance), a serving of greens (a vegetable or fruit to provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber), and a serving of grain (a healthy whole grain serves as a complex carbohydrate and fiber source).

Watkins shared that those meals can be as simple as a piece of roasted chicken, a serving of a microwavable whole grain packet, and a microwavable vegetable or a bagged salad kit.

Snacks should be planned with the intention of satisfying your hunger and holding off your hunger until the next meal. The best way to do this is to pair a high fiber carbohydrate with a protein.

For example, a Greek yogurt topped with berries, or a few hard-boiled eggs with whole grain crackers would check both the high fiber carbohydrate and protein needs.

Watkins strongly suggests reaching out to a registered dietician for the best advice rather than relying on a Google search. And it’s never too late to start a journey to a healthy body.

“I have a client who is fantastic. She’s in her 70s and recently joined a Pickleball League and she sought out my guidance so that she could feel herself appropriate for all of the Pickleball that she’s now playing,” Watkins said. “Her body went from working at a desk to now being out on a Pickleball court.”

She also encourages you to forgo the scale and not focus on how much you weigh. What’s important to her are the amounts of fat, water, and muscle in your body. A client can be measured using a special device by a registered dietician or professional.