Looking to lose weight? there are many different diets that you can choose from. The best diet for you will depend on your lifestyle, your medical history, and your individual goals.
If you have a medical condition such as pre-diabetes, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease; your doctor may recommend weight loss. Of course, many of us want to lose weight not only for the health benefits but also to look good, feel better, and have more energy.
The most popular diets for weight loss are low-carb diets, low-fat diets, and calorie-controlled diets. Low-carb diets limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat, while low-fat diets restrict the amount of fat in your diet. Calorie-controlled diets are based on the idea of eating fewer calories than you burn in a day.
Losing weight is not easy, I know first hand. Having tried many fad diets throughout the years and still struggling with my weight. I am often asked which diet is best for weight loss?
Which diet is best?
This is a question I deal with all the time at work since I work with patients that have the above mention chronic diseases. I review the scientific data often and make recommendations to my patients based on the latest available information.
The first step is to make the decision to lose weight. Losing weight is not easy, it takes more than willpower and really wanting to lose weight. Also having the information is sometimes not enough, I know.
However, having the right information is very important. But for anyone on the edge of diabetes or trying to manage diabetes or high blood pressure; losing weight can help control these diseases and prevent diabetes.
Any diet you try should have as a goal a healthy lifestyle. There are many diets, it can be hard choosing the right one for you, and some can be dangerous.
No single diet is best for everyone, and it’s important to find a diet that works for you. Before starting any diet, speak to your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you.
When thinking about what diet to follow, consider:
Any diet you try should have as a goal a healthy lifestyle. There are many diets, it can be hard choosing the right one for you, and some can be dangerous. When thinking about what diet to follow, consider:
- Does it include various foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat products, lean protein sources, and nuts?
- Does it include foods you like and that you would enjoy eating for a lifetime — not just for several weeks or months?
- Can you easily find these foods in your local grocery store?
- Will you be able to eat your favorite foods or, better yet, all foods (even if some are in small quantities)?
- Does it fit your lifestyle and budget?
- Does it include proper amounts of nutrients and calories to help you lose weight safely and effectively?
- Is regular physical activity part of the plan?
Low Carb Diet
Low-carb diets are popular for weight loss because they can help you feel full for longer periods of time. They also reduce hunger and cravings, which can make it easier to stick to your diet. Popular low-carb diets include the Atkins diet, the ketogenic diet, and the paleo diet.
These diets are best for people who suffer from immune type chronic diseases, there is evidence that these diets especially keto diet can help modulate the immune system. To lose weight it will only be a short period of time that you can use the diet as there is no long term data for these diets.
Low Fat Diets
Low-fat diets are also effective for weight loss. Low-fat diets help to reduce your calorie intake, while still allowing you to eat a variety of nutritious foods. Popular low-fat diets include the Ornish diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, and the Mediterranean diet.
All three diets above have been associated with reduce risk and even reversal of heart disease, high blood pressure and improved outcomes around risk factors for chronic disease.
Calorie-Controlled Diets
Calorie-controlled diets are based on the idea of eating fewer calories than you burn in a day. This can be done by counting and tracking the number of calories in the foods you eat. Popular calorie-controlled diets include Weight Watchers and the Slimming World diet.
Start by finding how many calories should eat? Restricting calories will help start the weight loss process, set a realistic goal, and try not to get discouraged when the scale goes up and down if the overall result is weight loss.
Take Aways
Losing weight is not easy but it is possible. Concentrate on becoming healthier and not just losing weight. Find a diet that is a lifestyle for life and not just for a few weeks or months. Try time-restrictive eating which is part of fasting.
For weight loss start with nutrition, make sure you are getting all your nutritional needs from food and not shakes. This will minimize the chances that you will regain the weight after you stop the diet.
Being active is an essential component of a weight-loss program because we want to focus on getting healthier not just losing the weight. When you’re active, your body uses energy (calories) to move, helping to burn the calories you take in with the food you eat. Exercise will also help you feel better, improve your overall health and slow down the progression of aging.
Any diet you choose should help you reshape your body and your lifestyle by adopting healthy habits and breaking unhealthy ones. Focus on measuring what you want to improve, make sure you log your food, log your weight and log your exercise. You may also want to log your waste to hip ratio which is a better indication of your metabolic state.
It’s important to remember that no single diet is best for everyone. While some diets may work for some people, they may not be suitable for others. Find an eating plan that works for you and your lifestyle, and that you can stick to in the long-term. And lastly you may want to take into account the impact of the diet on our environment.
One of the best-rated diets is the Mediterranean diet, the most important thing you can do is:
“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
― Michael Pollan,
In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
