Weight Loss Diet Plans, Do Any Diets Work Over The Long Term?
We all have been in a situation where our favorite dresses no longer fit us. While walking down the shopping mall aisle, we have to look for one bigger size. Every time we see mouth-watering dishes, we have to control our urges.
You left that piece of pastry you really wanted, didn’t you? But the idea of gyms and their hectic schedule seems too far-fetched. So what to do? Where to start?
Weight Loss Diet Plans
Studies say that half the American population attempts to follow a plan to lose weight every year. You google diet plans or ask someone who has been in this situation before, but you feel too confused about what to believe and which one to follow.
To attempt at answering every question and solving every doubt you have, the following are some of the best-picked diet plans, which serve two purposes-overall health, and weight loss.
Intermittent fasting
A diet strategy called intermittent fasting is a cycle of balancing periods of fasting and eating. The two main forms include the 16/8 method and the 5:2 method. The first one includes restricting the intake of calories to 8 hours every day. The latter one limits calorie intake to 500 to 600 calories two times a week. Intermittent fasting limits your eating time, which further reduces your calorie intake. This helps in shedding extra weight.
Studies show that following intermittent fasting for over 3 to 24 weeks can help lose 3-8% of the weight. This has proved to be a highly effective method compared to other methods. Many studies also conclude that practicing intermittent fasting burns fat faster and preserves muscle mass at the same time. This can improve metabolism.
Some other benefits of intermittent fasting are its anti-aging effects, brain health improvement, low inflammation, and high insulin sensitivity. However, people with diabetes, underweight, people with eating disorders, and pregnant women are not advised to start this method before consulting their doctor.
Low-carb intake
Low-carb diets are one of the most popular weight-losing diets. These include the ketogenic diet, Atkins diet, and low-carb high-fat diet. These diets work at limiting carb intake favoring fat and protein.
These plans are loaded with protein because it helps in feeling full and curbs the appetite. Proteins also lift your metabolism and sustain muscle mass. In the keto diet plan, the body uses fatty acids instead of carbs for energy. This process is known as ketosis.
Studies have proven that low-carb diets are more effective than low-fat diets when it comes to weight loss. An analysis of 53 studies that included 68,128 participants examined that for weight loss, low-carb diets are highly effective than low-fat diets. Low-carb diets have proven to be successful at burning belly fat.
Except for weight loss, these diets also reduce risks associated with blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart diseases. They also maintain blood sugar levels in people suffering from type-2 diabetes.
Plant-based diets
Following a vegetarian and vegan diet helps in losing weight. They do not promote the consumption of animal products for reasons of ethics, health, and environmental preservation. If this becomes hard to follow, flexitarian diets also exist which allows moderate consumption of animal products.
As changing the diet from non-vegetarian to vegetarian or vegan, it is more of a change in lifestyle than just diet. It promotes vegetables, whole grains, fruits, legumes and also allows animal products for protein in moderation, which has made it a popular alternative.
A study with 1,151 participants showed that a plant-based diet helped lose around 2 kg weight compared to diets including animal product consumption.
The low-fat diets
Just like low-carb diets, low-fat diets have been practiced for decades. This diet restricts fat intake up to 30% per day. Many ultra-low-fat diets restrict consumption of fat up to 10%. Compared to carbs and proteins, fats contain double calories per gram. They are primarily plant-based and restrict animal products and meat intake. Among people with obesity, ultra-low fat diets have proven to be highly effective in losing weight. A study confirmed that 56 participants who for 8 weeks followed this diet lost 6.7 kgs. Other benefits of low-fat diets include reduced stroke and heart disease risk.
health and a fit shape, there are also a number of other diets and workout plans. The above-explained ones are mostly cheap and easy to follow.
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