There are so many
weight-loss diets out there that deciphering which one is better for you feels
like an insurmountable mission. Don't worry-we cut through the noise, remove
the guesswork (or at least seek to) and determine the best diet for your goals
and personality.
The reality is no diet is
right for everyone — and what works for you does not work for everyone else.
This article reviews the 6
most popular diets for weight loss and the science behind these diets.
1. Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is
full of plant-based foods, healthy fats (thanks to olive oil!), whole grains
and even the occasional wine glass. Your proteins are mainly fish or poultry,
but red meat is not wholly off-limits.
Research shows that this
way of eating can help you live longer and prevent various chronic diseases,
but there are also plenty of studies showing that it can also help you lose
weight.
Who would it be
appropriate for?
The Mediterranean diet
works for most people trying to lose weight or become healthier-and especially
for those who don't want a diet that's overly restrictive or difficult to
follow.
2. The
Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet is an
ultra-low-carb diet-only about 5% of the calories are extracted from
carbohydrates. The government's dietary guidelines say 45 to 65 percent of your
calories will come from carbs as a reference point. On keto, however, the
majority of the calories (60 to 70 percent) come from fat.
The allure of this diet is
that it works genuinely-you'll lose weight as long as you get to and live in
ketosis (a condition where the body consumes fat instead of fuel carbs).
Research indicates that the ketogenic diet is very effective for rapid weight
loss-and at times more effective than other common diets.
If you have diabetes and
would like to try the ketogenic diet, first check with your doctor. It's also
pretty hard to get on keto with all your nutrients (while leaving out nearly
all the carbs) and some side effects are not so sweet.
Who would it be
appropriate for?
If you are not subjected
to restrictive diets that require some pre-learning or planning, this diet is
for you, because sticking to keto can be both difficult and time consuming. If,
your target is rapid weight loss, this diet may be worth a go as it works for
that.
If you have type 2
diabetes and your ketogenic diet regimen is healthy, then this diet may help
you control your blood sugar and maybe even shrink your medicine.
3. Weight
Watchers
The diet leads you towards a low-calorie way of
eating, lower in saturated fat and sugar and higher in protein. When you
determine the target of your daily points (a number based on your sex, weight,
height and age), you can essentially eat whatever you want as long as you
remain within your limits of points.
Studies show that WW works if you want to lose some
weight but it isn't necessarily more effective compared to other diets. Another
upshot: on the WW (or, ahem, angry) you shouldn't be hungry, as your points
give you room for three meals and two snacks each day.
4.
Cooking Light Diet
The Cooking Light Diet is all about getting care of
calories. The cardinal rule is to keep to your goal of calorie every day. The
diet guides you on how to measure your calorie target to help you reach your
goal of weight-loss-and from there it delivers a customized meal plan (and
shopping list!) every week to your email inbox.
Similar to the WW, there are really no off-limit
foods so long as you don't split the bank of calories. The Cooking Light Diet,
unlike WW, focuses on recipes and meals and cooking, rather than simply foods
and points.
5.
Vegan Diet
It's not just something people do to lose weight
after a vegan diet-it’s also a very lifestyle choice. But there are robust
health benefits to going vegan. Research shows that vegans are typically the
leanest compared to omnivores, as well as those following a diet based on
plants.
Vegan diets help people improve their risk of heart
disease, lower blood pressure, cholesterol and type 2 diabetes risk, and
protect themselves against cancer. But without her challenges a vegan diet does
not come.
If you're leaving out certain big food groups, you
need to be mindful of certain incredibly valuable nutrients including omega-3
fats, iron and vitamin B12-which are harder to get while consuming plants only.
Use this diet as a weight-loss diet if you are
interested in a completely plant-based eating style, or are already moving
toward it. If the idea of paleo or keto followers or even low-carb is
appealing, avoid attempting vegan eating for weight loss.
The downside: Since vegan diets completely ban
animal foods, they can be low in a variety of nutrients, including vitamin B12,
vitamin D, iodine, iron, calcium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids.
6.
Paleo Diet
The idea of adopting a paleo diet is to eat like our
ancestors, meaning consuming plenty of animal protein, "normal"
carbohydrates (aka fruits and vegetables) and some nuts.
The paleo diet is rich in protein and fat, devoid of
dairy and appears to be lower in carbohydrates. Emphasis is focused on bringing
good-for-you omega-3s into your diet from fatty fish such as wild salmon, game
meats, free-range chicken and grass-fed beef, all of which are healthier
options but may be more costly than their farmed or conventionally raised
counterparts.
Eat this way, and you are likely to lose weight (as
long as you put yourself in a shortage of calories). However, stick to it for
too long, and you'll lose out on essential vitamins and minerals such as calcium,
vitamin D and many of the B vitamins.
The downside: The paleo diet prohibits whole
grains, legumes and dairy products which are rich in nutrients and healthy.
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