Effective And Popular Weight Loss Diets
By GetFitFocus
So often we hear about new diets that assure success and promise to be effective and ensure we lose weight rapidly. The list is long and contains examples of diets with varied success.
So how do you choose a diet that is right for you? How do you find a diet that works for you no matter what your friends or others proclaim about this diet or that one. The internet contains countless diets and diet fads — some we know and some we may have never heard of before.
In this article we discuss three of the many known diets that many claim to be effective. Some names you may have heard or know of, and some you may not. We will outline the goal of the diet and provide you with some of the foods and tips that should get you burning fat fast!
1. Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is known around the world. It is considered to be one of the few diets that is a complete and proper diet. Just as the name indicates, the diet is based on the eating habits of people that live in areas that border the Mediterranean Sea — such as France, Greece, Italy and Spain.
The focus of the diet is to limit processed foods, food high in sugar and red meats; but emphasize plant based foods, seafood, nuts and legumes and healthy fats.
Due to the fact that many of the foods in this type of diet are desirable, the diet is thought to be less restrictive than other types of diets. Over time it has proven to be good for the heart, reduce certain cancers and improve mood.
Foods associated with this diet are:
- Tomatoes
- Spinach
- Potatoes
- Greens
- Fruits
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Grapes
- Red Wine
- Oats
- Brown Rice
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Fish
- Cheese
- Garlic & Peppers
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Avocados
- Eggs
The foods in this diet are essential to good health, and are quite tasty also. This is the main reason this diet is so effective. Due to the foods that are available to eat with this diet, choosing it becomes less about the diet and eating style becomes more of a lifestyle choice.
2. Hypocaloric Diet
The Hypocaloric Diet is just a fancy name that means a diet consisting based on the consumption of very few calories. These diets are highly effective but most time require the participant to check in with their medical professional to ensure it is being followed safely.
This diet typically consists of only consuming about a third of you daily caloric intake — app. 700/900 calories. The diet is usually considered when needed to assist with other medical procedures, such as surgery or manage negative health conditions. Many point out although this diet produces clear and noticeable weight losses, it is often not sustainable due to the weight gain that occurs when the person’s normal diet returns.
Studies show that the diet should be used as a jump start to get the get someone in a favorable position regarding weight then followed by a more healthy low-fat diet. This combination would make this approach more safe and lasting then just trying the low calorie intake only.
Foods and Strategies for the Hypocaloric Diet:
- Soups
- Shakes – Protein
- Fasting
- Smaller Portions Meals
- Skipping Meals
This is considered a very restrictive diet and could potentially have some adverse side-effects. However, using precaution and following medical advice this diet will absolutely help with weight loss. Adding this with other physical activity has shown to also be a premier fat burning technique. If used as a jump start then followed up with a healthier low-fat diet, then you can see why this type of diet is so highly regarded in some circles of the health fitness world.
3. Scarsdale Diet
This diet is probably one of the least known of the three diets discussed, but that does not make it less effective than the others mentioned. The Scarsdale Diet was developed in the ’70s by American cardiologist Herman Tarnower. Originally created for his cardiac patients, it soon became known to the world and became very popular due to its simplicity and noticeable results. One of the pros or favorable aspects of the diet is the weight loss that occurs in a short period of time.
Similar to the Hypocaloric Diet, the Scarsdale Diet restricts calories from your daily intake and should be considered only with input from a medical professional. The diet promised 20 pounds of weight loss in only half a month. This caused many experts to be wary, but is very popular with dieters to this day.
The diet is essentially a low calorie, high protein diet. It minimizes the intake of carbohydrates and fat intake. Fats and carbs daily percentages are reduced to make room for the more than 40% protein intake of all daily nutrients. The breakdown is 44%, 22% and 34% for protein, fats and carbs respectively. The diet limits the daily caloric intake to 1000 calories.
Foods associated with the Scarsdale Diet:
- 4 cups water – minimum
- Coffee / Tea
- Carrots
- Celery
- Proteins – all varieties
- No snacks
- No potatoes
- No rice
- No beans
- Limited Fats
- Low sodium foods
The diet is a precursor to some of the latest diet fads like the Low Carb diets. Popular with dieters but looked down upon by some experts. The diet can lead to massive weight losses — and in a dramatically short time period. Though restrictive to some degree because it eliminates some of the healthy fats and more allowable carbs, it still provides excellent results and is a viable option to dieters.
In Conclusion
Regardless of the diet you choose, whether it be one from this list or any of the numerous options available, you should choose a diet that is right for you in addition to effective. The participant must adhere to medical advice if the diet is restrictive or has possible side-effects due to the food allowed or the rate of change in weight loss.
So if you hear of these three diet options in your fitness journey you will know exactly what you are dealing with and the potential results you could expect.