Fact: obesity has almost doubled since the 1980s. In the European region, more than 50 percent of men and women belong in the overweight region while approximately 20 and 23 percent of men and women, respectively, are considered obese. It’s not just the adults who were affected. One in every three 11-year old kids is either obese or overweight.
There are many ways you can do to help you lose weight. Exercise will always be a key player, but you might argue that you don’t have much time to go to the gym and sweat it out. In that case, you say hello to weight loss diet.
What kind of weight loss diet exactly?
It’s your good day today because you’ll find out the different weight loss diets that can help you lose weight – fast. Before that, what does healthy weight loss diet mean?
1. The Healthy and Best Weight Loss Diet
There are many ways to lose weight. While regular exercise and adequate amount of sleep are and must be part of the equation, there are people who keep coming back to diet plans to help them achieve weight loss. Apparently, there are tons of weight loss diets out there, each having their own sets of benefits and drawbacks.
What does it mean to have healthy weight loss diet?
This can be subjective, but here are some guidelines to remember that will tell you whether a diet plan is healthy:
- Does not completely eliminate one or more food groups.
- Cuts back, if not eliminate sugar and starches.
- Encourages intake of healthy fat, protein, fruits, and vegetables.
- Recommends the right kind of carbs.
In other words, nourish your body and never deprive it.
2. Easy Weight Loss Diet
Nothing comes easy when it comes to losing weight. Still, if you want the easy way out, then you should remember these tips:
- Drink water, especially 30 minutes before scheduled mealtime.
- Use coconut or olive oil for cooking.
- Reduce intake of sugar and refined carbs.
- Use smaller plates when eating.
- Chew your food slowly.
- Load up on fiber, fruits, and vegetables.
- Include workout in your routine.
- Get enough sleep.
3. Paleo Diet
One of the popular weight loss diets is Paleo Diet. The premise of this weight loss diet is simple: if cavemen didn’t eat it, then you shouldn’t eat it too.
Also known as caveman’s diet, Paleo Diet is based on the type of food our ancestors eat during their time that makes them strong and muscular. This includes but not limited to:
- Grass-fed meat
- Chicken and other poultry
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Seafood
- Nuts and seeds
- Eggs
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
In other words, your food plan must be high in good fat, moderate in animal protein, and low carbohydrates. This also means any other foods that are artificially produced or rich in sugar such as packaged juices and vegetable oil must be removed from your diet.
The good thing about this type of diet is that calorie counting or portion-control is not encouraged; hence you can eat anything you want and whenever you want it. Just make sure you follow a specific food list.
4. Gluten-Free
What do you know about gluten?
According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. It acts as a glue to keep the food together, thereby maintaining the food’s shape.
Despite its good intentions, there are people who cannot tolerate gluten. If you are one of them, then you could consider the gluten-free weight loss diet, which excludes gluten in your food list. Although this type of weight loss diet is more recommended for those with Celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, there are still healthy people who go for this diet because it helps lose weight, boosts energy, and improves overall health.
Below are examples of gluten-free foods:
- Annatto
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Cornstarch
- Oat gum
- Vegetable oils
- Low dairy products with no gluten add-in
- Fruits and vegetables
- Citric, lactic, and malic acid
- Distilled vinegar
- Beans, nuts, and seeds in their natural form
- Lean, non-processed meat, poultry, and fish
Make it a habit to check the ingredients to make sure that you won’t consume anything with gluten in it. Avoid anything processed since there is a higher possibility that the food contains gluten.
5. Low Carb Diet
Over the years, the idea of carbs creates fear among people because it is usually equated to weight gain; hence low carb diet.
From the name itself, this type of weight loss diet has one rule: lessen your carb intake, which you often get in bread, pasta, and sugar foods. Instead, include real foods like vegetables that grow above the ground, natural fats, and protein in your diet to be able to see impressive results in your weight loss journey.
If you plan to go for this weight loss diet, here is a list of what you should eat:
- Organic or grass-fed meat
- Eggs, although organic is highly recommended
- Fish and seafood sans the breading
- Veggies growing above the ground like cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli
- Full-fat dairy products
- Nuts and berries
Water should be your top choice of drink and if you plan to drink coffee, either go for black or small amounts of cream or milk.
6. Low or High Fat Diet
Similar to carbs, fat is also often placed in the bad spotlight because it makes you gain weight. Apparently, experts recommend that adults get 20 to 35 percent of calories from fat everyday because the body needs it to function well.
How can you go for a low fat diet without compromising your weight? These tips could help:
- Include omega-3 rich foods in your diet.
- Go for lean meat, poultry, and fish.
- Do not eat the skin.
- Avoid fry foods and instead, broil, grill, or bake them.
Consequently, there is a type of weight loss diet called High Fat Diet. This diet encourages high intake of flavorful, whole, and full-fat ingredients everyday. Keep in mind that fats are essential to help you maintain your weight, make it easier for the body to absorb vitamins, and give you an energy boost especially during workout.
On the other hand, there are drawbacks such as increase risk of developing heart disease, so make sure you take note of these guidelines if you are going for High Fat weight loss diet:
- Forget about low-fat or non-fat and choose whole, full-fat ingredients.
- Lessen your intake of carbs.
- Use variety of healthy fats in cooking such as coconut, olive, avocado, peanut, or sesame oil and butter.
- Include cheese in your meals.
- Snack on foods with high fat content like nuts and cheese.
7. High Protein Diet
Protein is an important ingredient in the human body. In fact, it is the king of nutrients. This could be the reason why some proponents push for this type of weight loss diet because protein is and will always be needed by the body.
How does high protein diet work?
In this type of weight loss diet, you increase your protein intake and reduce carbs. This makes you lose weight faster because you also lose water. Consequently, your body burns fat for fuel and makes you less hungry.
Still, this doesn’t mean you should eat steak everyday. Here are tips to remember when going for this weight loss diet without compromising your overall health:
- Choose lean meat because you get all protein with lesser unhealthy fat.
- Remove chicken skin, which is rich in saturated fat.
- Include omega-3 rich foods such as salmon and tuna in your diet.
- Consider soy-based foods like tofu and soy burger.
- Eat more beans to add fiber in your diet as well.
- Don’t skip whole grains.
If you are prone to weight gain, then you have more reason to go for this weight loss diet since it makes you feel fuller longer. You get to skip sugary treats as well, which promotes faster weight loss.
8. Ketogenic Diet
If you are not a big fan of carbs, then this weight loss diet might be perfect for you. Also known as Keto Diet, this type of weight loss diet encourages ketosis or the body’s natural process of initiating “survival” even if the food intake is low. At this state, ketones are produced through the breakdown of fats in the liver.
What should you eat then? You should include the following in your diet:
- Meat like beef, lamb, fish, and poultry
- High fat dairy
- Leafy greens such as kale, Romaine lettuce, and spinach
- Nuts and seeds
- Berries
- Above-ground vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli
- Sweeteners like erythritol and stevia
- Fats such as coconut oil
In other words, you should eat 70 percent fats, 25 percent protein, and five percent or 20 to 30 grams of carbohydrates.
9. Vegan and Plant-Based Diet
Before you say yes to this weight loss diet, you should know something: vegan and plant-based diet are two different types of diet.
Plant-based diet is about incorporating more plant proteins and products in your daily diet without completely eliminating animal products or dairy. Almonds, chlorella, chia, buckwheat, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and tempeh are some of the plant products that are rich in protein.
On the other hand, vegan diet means you eliminate animal products completely. It is stricter because you can only eat plant products.
Nonetheless, the health benefits, especially in the weight loss department, are the same. Cutting back on meat could also benefit your health because it reduces the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Going for plant foods also means you get to fill your body with more nutrients, which is good for your health, don’t you think?
10. Fruit and Smoothies Weight Loss Diet
Do you enjoy drinking smoothies? If yes, then start to be more mindful because smoothies could actually help you lose weight – provided that you use the right ingredients.
Smoothies allow you to control the ingredients and minimize calories. At the same time, this weight loss diet ensures that you get the right nutrients to fuel your body in just one glass.
Below are some of the key ingredients that should be found in your smoothie:
- Avocado
- Berries such blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry
- Chia seeds
- Coconut oil and other kinds of healthy fats
- Cinnamon
- Greek yogurt
- Leafy greens
- Fruit pulp
- Stevia or raw honey for added sweetness
Still, this doesn’t mean a glass of smoothie should include all of these ingredients. Choose fruits and veggies properly to make the most out of your drink.
11. Raw Food Diet
Some say this type of weight loss diet is just a fad diet. Apparently, the believers of Raw Food Diet think otherwise. In fact, this is more like a lifestyle because you prefer eating food in its most natural state and avoid anything processed or packaged. This also means you don’t strip the food’s naturally occurring enzymes and nutrients as a result of cooking. This will enable your body to absorb more nutrients, which believe it or not, the body is most naturally suited for.
Here are some raw foods you should start eating regularly:
- Citrus fruits
- Leafy greens
- Raw vegetables such as tomatoes, pepper, and carrots
- Coconut or organic kefir
- Extra virgin coconut and olive oil
- Cultured vegetables
- Nuts and seeds, preferably unsalted
12. Extreme Weight Loss Diet
The premise of extreme weight loss diet relies on two things: prohibiting certain food groups and limiting calorie intake. This will enable you to lose weight – in double digits, that is – within a week or even less because your body is relying heavily on body fat for fuel. Also, you skip unnecessary foods filled with sugar and complex carbohydrates, and replace them with fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and the right kinds of fat.
Examples of extreme weight loss diet are Cabbage Soup Diet, water diet, and those diet plans that limit calories between 500 and 800 per day. If you want something more extreme, then starvation is on top of the list, which is not highly advisable.
Extreme weight loss dieting can be effective if you want to drop pounds in a snap of a finger. Unfortunately, this could lead to:
- Hair loss
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Gallstones
13. Best Weight Loss Diet for Men and Women
Every person’s body is different from the other. Some are designed to burn fat easily while there are others who need to include exercise in their daily routine to make weight loss diet plans more effective.
What is the best weight loss diet for men and women? The truth is there’s none. In fact, it will depend on your body composition, current state of health, and level of activity. All of the diet plans enumerated above could help you lose weight in the fastest time possible as long as you stick to it. Know your body and don’t be afraid to try various diet plans because that is the best way to help you identify the perfect weight loss diet that will work for you.
