People go on diets for different reasons such as losing weight, gaining weight, lowering cholesterol, living a long and healthy life…etc. Diet can be described as a fixed plan of eating and drinking, where the type and amount of food you eat will be planned out for the sake of achieving whatever goal you set for yourself or following a healthy lifestyle. There are different types of diets to choose from, which makes the selection process difficult for the majority.
When someone decides to go on diet there are many questions that pop into his/her head due to the huge number of diet plans out there, and new ones popping up all the time. What type of diet to follow? Will this particular diet work for me? Here’s what you need to know about different types of diets to make up your mind
Ketogenic diet
Ketogenic Diet or what is known as {Keto Diet, for short} is a low-carb diet and high-fat diet, where the main idea is to lower your carbohydrate intake and replace it with fat and protein. You cut back most on the carbohydrate that is easy to digest such as sugar, soda, white bread, and pastries.
I know it does not make sense! right? But this diet allows the body to burn fat as a fuel rather than carbohydrates. Also, healthy fat like coconuts, seeds, oily fish, and olive oil can be added to the diet in order to maintain an overall emphasis on fat.
As a result, the lower carbs intake puts your body into a metabolic state called Ketosis, where your body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy.
If you want this diet to work here is what you need to do:
1- stick with healthy fats such as eggs, extra virgin olive oil, seeds, and avocado
2- Eat real food that is made from whole ingredients
3- Eat low-carb greens in order to maximize your nutrient intake
4- Drink a lot of water because it helps offset the loss of fiber in your diet
5- Have a journal so you can track your progress and how you fell over time
6- Consult with your physician before you decide to start if have a medical condition
7- Avoid eating fast food as much as possible because the fat in them is low quality
8- Always look at the nutritional information before you eat… you would be surprised how much can you learn.
9- Try to avoid processed food especially those listed as low-fat because manufacturers make up for the lack of flavor with extra sugar which is a carb
10- Do not overeat and try to consume as little as possible of dairy products and nuts because they are usually calorie dense and are easy to overeat.
Vegetarian diet
A vegetarian Diet is a nutritional plan in which you refrain from eating animal-based food except for eggs, dairy, and honey. People choose this way of eating for personal, religious, and ethical issues such as animal rights. This type of diet consists of plant-based food like grains, vegetables, and fruits.
There are different types of vegetarians namely; Lacto-vegetarian, fruitarian vegetarian, Lacto-Ovo vegetarian, living food diet vegetarian, ovo-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, and semi-vegetarian. However, the majority of Vegetarians Most vegetarians choose a Lacto-ovo approach, in which they don’t eat meat, fish, or poultry but still consume dairy products and eggs.
Some studies showed that Vegetarians have lower body weight, suffer less from diseases, and they have a longer life expectancy than people who eat meat.
If you decide to go on this type of diet, here are some food that you can and cannot eat:
You can eat:
Vegetables – Fruits – Legumes – Grains like wheat and rice – seeds and nuts such as peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds…etc. – protein
You cannot eat:
Eggs: if you are a Lacto-vegetarian
Dairy: if you are an ovo-vegetarian
Vegan diet
Veganism is more of a lifestyle and philosophy than a diet, where this particular diet excludes the consumption or use of animal-based food including eggs, dairy, and honey. People adopt this lifestyle for different reasons such as health, environmental, ethical, and compassionate reasons.
Vegans believe that people would enjoy better physical and mental health if everyone eats plant-based food. Also, they believe if we stop the modern intensive farming methods, the environment would benefit and animals will suffer less.
If you decide to go on this type of diet, here are some food that you can and cannot eat:
You can eat:
Vegetables – Fruits – Legumes – Grains like wheat and rice – seeds and nuts such as peanuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds…etc. – Dairy alternatives such as soy milk, coconut milk, and almond milk – Vegetable oils.
You cannot eat:
Vegans cannot eat food made from animals such as:
Chicken, duck, and other poultry – Beef, lamb, and other red meat – Eggs – dairy products like Milk, cream, ice cream…etc. – Eggs and Mayonnaise because it includes egg yolks – Honey
The Paleo Diet
A Paleo Diet is a dietary plan whose core is the principle of returning to what early humans used to eat in the Paleolithic era. This diet is based on food that can be obtained by hunting and gathering in the past such as lean meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, and sweet potatoes.
Sugar, processed food, and grains are all eliminated from the Paleo diet. Since you will be consuming fewer carbs the amount of glucose in your body will decrease, which will force your system to use fat as its fuel source.
If you want this diet to work here is what you need to do:
1- Eat the right amount of Meat and make sure the meat is grass-fed and not grain-fed.
2- Eat plenty of vegetables
3- Eat eggs
4- Eat healthy fats
5- Eat the right amount of fruits and try not to overeat them
6- Avoid grains
7- Avoid Sugar
8- Void vegetable and seed oil
9- Make sure that you plan your meals ahead
The Atkins Diet
Atkins diet is a well-known low-carb diet, where it advocates believe that you can lose weight by eating as much protein and fat as you like, as long as you avoid carbohydrates. Usually, low-carb diets are effective because they reduce a person’s appetite.
This diet is split into 4 phases, where it starts with the induction phase. During this phase, you will have to eat under 20g of carbohydrates per day for two weeks. The balancing phase, Fine-tuning phase, and Maintenance phase involve reintroducing healthy carbs back into your food as you approach your goal.
Atkins diet seems to be an effective way of losing weight for many, yet low-carb diets and high-protein diet has different effects on different people, so if you are considering going on this diet you should speak with your physician.
If you want this diet to work here is what you need to do:
1- You should consume 4-6 ounces of protein daily
2- Eat added fat every day, where this diet considers olive oil and most cheese as healthy fats
3- Eat Vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and mushrooms
4- Avoid white bread, pasta, and other non-whole grain wheat products
5- Avoid Sugar and alcohol
Conclusion
There are different types of diets, and new ones pop up every time. So, choose the one that is best for you and your goals. Have you tried any of these diets before? If so, we would love to hear about your experience and whether it worked for you or not … please comment below.
There Are Other Options To Lose Weight
You may find other leaflets in this series helpful which include the following topics:
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