Reading up on some of the latest diet information out there and starting to feel completely overwhelmed? You can join the millions of other people out there who don’t really know which diet is best.
With hundreds of different approaches to choose from, it can be hard to navigate the waters. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most mainstream approaches out there and go over which ones will deliver you the most optimal results for your time investment.
The Paleo Approach
Perhaps the most popular dietary approach right now is the Paleo approach. This one bases it’s eating style off that of our ancestors, allowing you to only eat those foods that come straight from the ground or the wild.
You’ll feast primarily on lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and sweet potatoes for your starch choice.
This diet, when done properly, is one of the most effective diets out there today. It’s all natural, includes all the main nutrients your body needs, and is a great way to ward off health problems.
It’s highly recommended.
Intermittent Fasting
Next you have intermittent fasting. This diet is starting to catch on by those who are tired of having to eat 5-6 small meals on a daily basis. On it, you’ll eat only every other day, or for a select eating ‘window’ throughout the day (typically lasting 6-8 hours).
This diet can work, however it can also be hard to follow. Hunger gets to some people or for others, it’s just too hard to maintain and have a social life at the same time.
For others, it’s the perfect way to eat satisfying meals, lose weight, and increase the productivity in their day.
You’ll need to decide for yourself whether this is a viable option for you.
Very Low Carb Diets
Moving along, very low carb diets are also quite popular as many people believe that carbs are the enemy right now. They cut out all the high carb choices, feasting only on those foods that are high protein and fat.
Bacon, steak, eggs – all of those make the cut.
This approach is generally not the wisest. While cutting back on processed and some starchy carbs is definitely good, you don’t want to fill your diet full of saturated fat either.
Balance is key.
Very low carb diets often lack dietary fiber, which is also important for optimal health.
A lower carb diet that takes on more of a Paleo feel is a better option.
Gluten Free Diets
Which now brings us to gluten free diets. These are also popular as more and more people feel they have an insensitivity to gluten. While few people do, most are just getting caught up in the hype.
The problem with going ‘gluten free’ is many think that as long as food is gluten free, it’s fine to eat.
So they’ll see gluten free cookies and think they can feast on those with their diet. Don’t lose common sense if you adopt this plan.
If a particular food wasn’t healthy before, it’s still not healthy now even if it is a gluten free variety.
Low Fat Diets
Low fat diets are also sometimes utilized by those who believe it isn’t carbs that are the enemy, but rather dietary fat. These diets are generally not healthy and should be avoided.
You do need fat to function optimally and as long as you choose the right fat rich choices, you’ll do far better including fat into your protocol.
Fat gives you a feeling of fullness, which then makes it easier to maintain the lower calorie diet you need for fat loss results.
Furthermore, many of those who are on low fat diets end up feasting on highly processed carbohydrate rich foods just because they are low fat.
But these are foods are some of the worst foods you can eat as far as weight control is concerned.
So there you have a closer look at some of the mainstream diets out there. If you are considering a diet, always ask yourself the following three questions.
- Does it contain adequate calories? (1200 at minimum for women, 1500 for men)
- Does it contain adequate protein? (0.8-1 gram/lb. of body weight)
- Does it contain vegetables and omega 3 fats?
If you can answer yes to these three questions, you will be on the road to selecting a plan that can be a smart one to use.
Which diet plans do you feel work best? Or are worst in your opinion?
