I am a skeptic. A natural myth buster. No matter what the source of what I read I am always looking for the data that proves or disproves it. The logical problems in the arguments. And let’s face it, food science has been terrible for many years.
From a practical point of view that means most DIETS DON’T WORK. We all know it. Even though I have never been on a diet personally, I love learning about the latest fad. Hell, I even read up on them. I remember laughing to tears reading about the blood group diet. It is very clear to me that it can’t be about this or that SUPERFOOD or anything that simple. Diet is about lifestyle changes. And those are never easy.
(Disclaimer: I make no money from Virta, there is no affiliate program that I know of, I own no stock, personally know nobody there or have any interest at all in their financial success. I have absolutely nothing to gain from praising them. These are my true personal views.)
So when my friend told me she had started Virta I was 100% skeptical. No, negative is more accurate. I quickly understood it was a Keto diet. And she had sort of been on a Keto diet before it. So I lunged at the opportunity to critique it.
And I lost!
I couldn’t find a single word , claim or sentence in any of the information provided which was inaccurate. So allow me to break it down for you, here is why Virta works:
1 They teach on every level and in every way. My friend is naturally curious and loves to learn.Virta provides information in multiple ways. Videos, recipes, stuff to read and of course…
2 …the online coach. This is crucial. It is way better than the nutritionists that many people go to. Because they don’t have a similar God complex. A huge problem with the way most people diet is that they expect simple answers from…God. But in the real world you just need someone to bolster you after you cheated the diet one day. Or to find a solution for how you will meal prep on holiday. By nature of the online tool, the coaches at Virta have to justify their existence by providing something you find useful or you won’t check in with them.
3. The tech just works. Scales, blood sugar measurement, the app, it all comes together without making your life hard. And if something doesn’t work, Virta just swaps it out, no questions asked, always moving forward.
4. It is scientific. I hate to write that because all my hoax sensors fire up. It is such a marketing thing to say, most diets claim the very same. Food science is complex and fast changing as new stuff comes along all the time. There is more that we don’t know than we do know and few in the field like to admit it like that. Our immune systems and our bodies are incredibly complex and different in ways we haven’t even imagined yet. Virta is one of the few I have seen approach this problem with honesty while recognising that it is an incredibly personal journey. We deal with “to the best of our current understanding” type of knowledge and go with that.
5. No pressure. Again, some people claim they need a bogey man to ‘get into shape’ and to ‘eat right’. This is not true. You need to change your lifestyle, not go on a diet. Virta has the right tools and the right approach in my opinion. Weight management is a constant in our lives. So keep the help constant too.
For sure it is not for everyone. My friend “did Keto” before Virta. But it was Keto without calibration, it wasn’t grounded in so many things as it is now. The point is to gradually understand how everything works, your mood, your food, your bloodwork, your life. It’s no good just picking out the right foods at the supermarket. If you don’t want to learn and don’t want to change your life nobody can do it for you. But if there is a way, Virta has the best chance of finding it and I think it is worth you give them that chance.
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