In my line of work, I speak to lots of people who want to find out the latest places to go to rejuvenate and have a wellbeing break. They might have read about the latest nutritional 'in' diet be it paleo, alkaline, juicing etc and want to give it a go or they might want to try the latest fitness regime such as acro yoga or high interval training. That's all well and good but my approach has always been that of personalisation as sustainable results are based on what's right for you rather than going along with the latest craze. Expert opinion and advice, whether it be about where to go on your next holiday or how to eat or exercise is all very good but so is trusting your instinct once you've had that advice...
No-one knows your body better than you and if you only listen to your instinct, it will tell you loudly and clearly if you are on the right path. If you take time to tune into how you feel after eating particular foods or doing particular exercise, you will have a very good idea of what works for you. You'll also have a pretty good idea of what doesn't work for you and what's the point of exercising or eating a particular 'diet' if you are not motivated to follow it because it doesn't really make you feel good despite what appearances may look like? We've all heard of people shedding loads of weight but gaining a whole host of other problems such as bad skin and bad breath and who wants those? It can be hard to trust your instincts and it's easy to feel confused and that you just don't know what's right for you but if you take time to 'tune' in then you totally can! Just think, you trust your instincts in other areas of life so why would you not do it when it comes to your health and wellbeing?
Shaking things up is always good as is learning from others, it's just that you then have to work out if it works for you! So perhaps cutting out dairy or alcohol will work for you or maybe the 5:2 diet will work wonders but whatever you choose, long-term sustainability should be the key not a short-term fix. Yes a crash diet might do the trick to get you into a particular outfit for a special occasion but the chances are you'll feel rubbish too!
It also depends on your character and no-one knows you like you know yourself. Are you 'A type' who's results-driven and determined or are you more relaxed and easy going or a combo of various traits? Chances are that your characteristics will dictate how you eat, exercise and generally lead your life so there is no point in following a certain diet or particular type of exercise if it's totally at odds with what you like or feel good doing.
We're all individuals so clearly an individual approach works best. So definitely seek out professional guidance and expert opinion but then listen to your instinct and increase your awareness - you'll be amazed where it takes you!