The worst part about trying to be fit and live healthy is making sacrifices (What? I can’t have pasta?) when they don’t even pay off. If you only eat grilled chicken and veggies and you still aren’t happy with the way you look or you still experience that after-lunch crash, you might want to consider your blood type.
Weird, I know, but a few months ago I donated blood to Red Cross, and in return was mailed a nifty little card that said I am A positive. (Awesome, I’ll take any A+ I can get!) With this knowledge in mind, I read this Men’s Fitness article, and discovered that its assesment of my personality was spot on, and now I am willing to change up my diet in an effort to live the way I evolved. Curious as to what information you might be missing out on? No worries! If you know your blood type, I will relay some important information to you, courtesy of Dr. Peter J D’Adamo’s groundbreaking book, Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer, and Achieving Your Ideal Weight.
Type O
History: If your blood type is O, your ancestors survived by hunting/gathering mainly animal protein.
Personality: You’re extroverted, responsible, decisive, organized, and practical, but if you ever cheat on your diet, stop exercising, or are in a bad mood, you become angry and hyperactive.
What’s in your shopping cart? You should definitely be eating lean beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, or fish, as well as kelp, seafood and salt (but not too much!) For produce, berries and sweet potatoes are always good, as well as veggies like asparagus or broccoli.
Definitely avoid: Type O’s have difficulty digesting dairy, eggs, and gluten, and should avoid wheat products, like bread (sorry!) Beans and legumes can also mess with your digestion and make you tired and inefficient. Vegetables like cabbage, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower inhibit thyroid function, and the thyroid controls your hormones, metabolism, and essentially your weight, so stay away from those as well.
Workout: This blood type thrives on physical exercise, and needs it regularly, so get out there and sweat! Cardio like swimming, running, or cycling, and strength building like weight lifting are both equally important for you.
Type A
History: Type A blood types evolved when their ancestors started to settle down. In a more stable situation, they traded hunting and gathering for farming and vegetables.
Personality: You are responsible, hard working, detail oriented, and crazy organized. You also have a bit of a “Type A” personality–stressed, craving success and perfection. You’re also the most sensitive, artistic blood type.
What’s in your shopping cart? Fruits (berries, figs, plums, apples, avocados, pears, and peaches), vegetables (broccoli, artichokes, carrots, greens, and garlic), protein from nuts (and nut butters), seeds, beans, and soy. Your body can also break down and get optimal nutrition from grains, carbs, and proteins, so cereals, breads and pastas should be staples of your diet (just make sure they’re whole grain!)
Definitely avoid: Meat (sorry!) Type A’s that remove meat from their diet will experience major weight loss (We have fewer enzymes to break meat down and have more trouble digesting/metabolizing it, apparently). Also stay away from anything that isn’t organic and fresh.
Workout: Something calming, like yoga. We Type A blood types get stressed very easily.
Type B
History: Type B’s evolved when their ancestors moved to the Himalayas as nomads and domesticated animals, living on meat and dairy.
Personality: You are dedicated, stick to your goals, and follow your own rules, making yourself not one of the more cooperative blood types. You pay attention more to your thoughts than your feelings, so you might come across as cold sometimes.
What’s in your shopping cart? You should stock up on lean red meat (like lamb, venison, and beef) as well as fish, but choose turkey over chicken. Dairy is good for you, so also work yogurt, cheese, and milk into your diet each day. Don’t forget to devote half of all your meals to leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits as well.
Definitely avoid: Grains, corn, buckwheat, rye, and wheat can alter your ability to metabolize, so stay away from carbs (sorry!) Also avoid peanuts, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds because they do the same thing.
Workout: You value the strength of your mind, so you’ll do best with workouts that challenge the mind and body, like tennis, kick boxing, cycling, hiking, or golf.
Type AB
History: Congratulations! You are the newest and the rarest of the blood types, found in less than 5% of the population. You combine the characteristics of both Type A’s and Type B’s.
Personality: You aren’t as easy to categorize as the other types, but you’re definitely passionate, while at the same time, you long to be liked by others. You don’t mind helping out or volunteering, as long as it’s on your own terms. You probably have a special interest in art or philosophy.
What’s in your shopping cart? Your staples should be veggies, seafood, and turkey. Type AB’s also thrive on dairy and can process eggs differently, so eat a lot of those as well. Fresh fruits (cherries, grapes, watermelon, and figs) will also strengthen your immune system.
Definitely avoid: Meat especially red meat. Your body can digest it easily, but it gets stored as fat. Carbs are also okay in moderation, as long as you pass on corn and buckwheat.
Workout: Since you are a combination of Type A and Type B, your best bet is to alternate calming workouts like yoga with intense cardio/strength building workouts like running or biking.
