Losing weight has never been easy. In our aim of shedding off pounds, the easiest and fastest way possible, many women even men are considering fad diets. They certainly want to wear again their favorite clothes. With many fad diets coming out, you cannot tell which of them works best for you and your current lifestyle.
Here, we compile the most known diet fads, how it works as well as its pros and cons.
1. South Beach Diet
This diet assures women to lose at least 8 to 13 pounds. This diet does not only help you lose weight but also address many diseases.
How does it work?
Dieters should eat small; frequent meals at the same time choose meals with good fats, lean protein and high fiber-enriched foods. There are three phases in South Beach diet. The first phase involves eating small and frequent meals throughout the day. The meal should include lean protein meat, low fat dairy products and good fats in the form of olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and fibers from vegetables and beans. This phase should be done in two weeks. The second phase requires temporary abstaining from simple carbohydrates like grains, fruits and high glycemic index veggies to regulate blood sugar. The third phase of this diet is maintenance. You should pick meals that are low in fat and sugar. Opt for high fiber carbs, low fat dairy and lean protein sources.
What is it for me?
South Beach diet advocates balanced meals. It also favors complex carbohydrates, unsaturated and omega-3 fats. It encourages effective eating patterns that can be replicated for life. Likewise, there is frequent meal intervals as well as spreading out of calories all day..
Why it is not for me?
Dieters under this type of diet experience difficult adjustment period. They are also restricted from vitamins and mineral during the first phase of the actual diet. They may experience sudden weight loss but it may mean losing water weight or lean tissues, which is not recommended by nutrition experts. Apart from the aforementioned, severe restriction on carbohydrates carries the risk of ketosis, an unusual reliance of fat rather than carbohydrates for energy. In addition, South Beach diet requires meticulous meal planning and complicated recipes.
2. Paleo diet
This diet involves consuming lean meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Losing weight happens because of the nature of food. It comes with no hunger pangs.
How does it work?
The foods should come from the natural environment. Foods can be hunted, fished or harvested.
What is it for me?
Paleo diet is rich in food sources like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, omega-3 and other polyunsaturated fats that helps improve body’s ability to utilize fat. Because it is concentrated on low carbohydrates, it decreases inflammation in tissues by altering the composition of fatty acids they contain.
Why it is not for me?
Like South Beach diet, Paleo diet has a severe restriction on carbohydrates. This makes the dieters at risk of ketosis. It does have conflicting findings yet it requires adequate proportioning that may be dreary. It can be abused as an all meat diet. Lastly, finding ingredients and creating meals can be challenging with this kind of diet.
3. Thrive Diet
Thrive diet is about balance of energy to surge “prana” or life-force energy. This kind of diet gives better energy levels and clarity of mind.
How does it work?
This eating program aims to ease nutritional stress from consuming too much refined carbohydrates like white flour, white rice, white sugar and processed foods. This diet subsists alkaline food, complex grains, pseudograins, legumes, essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, and sweeteners that contain low glycemic index.
What is it for me?
Thrive diet is more of a plant-based diet that help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes and cancer. It encourages holistic approach to diet and exercise and is nutrient-dense meal.
Why it is not for me?
Thrive diet may challenge dieters in terms of meal planning and sourcing for ingredients. There is an intense initial withdrawal during the detoxification process. Symptoms like crankiness and loose bowls may pass after a day or two. Vegans need to see that they are getting the most nutrients out of this diet.
4. Raw food diet
Raw food diet does not allow cooking or heating food higher than 118 degrees Farenheit. The short-term effect of undergoing this kind of diet is effective detoxification and alkalinization of tissues. It is considered as “beauty and wellness” diet for it balances hormone levels, rids inflammation, slows down aging process and strengthens bones, nails, skin and hair.
How does it work?
This eating program relieves you from possible allergic reactions because the food is cooked or heated in certain temperature levels. Your food choices should revolved around unprocessed, unadulterated, enzyme-rich, raw plant-based, live whole foods.
When you undergo this type of diet, you might get ill or have skin rashes, outbreaks and other bodily woes. However, don’t fret. These signs are desirable symptoms and an indication of a great start. Please be reminded that the adjustment period during the program depends on the person’s toxicity levels. It can be as short as two weeks or as long as three months.
Continuing this eating program, your cravings or urge to eat fades as the body system becomes clearer and your desire to eat healthy is instilled in your system.
What is it for me?
This type of diet addresses diseases like diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, autoimmune disease, among others. It also helps your body in the detoxification process. This diet is beneficial to your health because you are not indulging in foods with preservatives, trans fats and processed sugars.
Why is it not for me?
With this type of diet, you have limited meal options. You undergo challenges during the transition stage. Moreover, relapsing back to cooked food upturns your body’s acidity levels, straining the liver and draining the pancreas limited enzymes that accelerates aging and accumulates renewed toxins in the tissues.
5. Bon Appetit Diet
The diet promises to lose up to 15 pounds in a month even while you eat foods like chocolates, wine and cheese.
How does it work?
Developed by Dr. Jean-Michel Cohen, Bon Appetit diet is also known as “French Cohen Diet”. There are three main principles in this type of diet. One is well-proportioned and varied meals. Two is exercise. Three is enjoyment of meals. This diet enables dieters to enjoy their favorite food from time to time but they have to recover afterwards.
What is it for me?
This diet makes calorie counting enjoyable and health-based. This method is created as a weight loss program that develops into a lifestyle. This program is tech dependent since it requires subscription to support dieters via e-mail, forums, videos and other form of communication. What is also good about this program, the meals and recipes are provided and adjusted according to your racial taste, ingredients and familiarity.
Why it is not for me?
This program requires subscription or enrolment and is challenging to those busy individuals who do not have sufficient time to prepare their own meals.
