Fad diets have grown in popularity in recent years, as weight loss has become one of the most pressing health concerns in the last decade.
Though these fad diets seemed so good to be true, it still requires a tremendous amount of discipline, consistency, and support for you to succeed in this endeavor.
Here are the most popular fad diets you can try.
Keto Diet
The keto diet or sometimes called the ketogenic diet, is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. It is somehow akin to Atkins and other low-carb diets in several areas.
It entails abruptly lowering carbohydrate intake in favor of fat consumption. When your body enters a metabolic state known as ketosis as a result of cutting carbs, your body then becomes efficient at burning fat for energy. What also happens in your liver is very important since it converts fat into ketones which provide energy to your brain.
Types of Ketogenic Diet
Classic
The Classic Ketogenic Diet was created by Dr. Russell Wilder in 1923 and is the original Ketogenic Diet. With a 4:1 fat-to-protein-to-carbohydrates ratio, fat accounts for 90% of calories, protein for 6%, and carbs for 4%. Although a 4:1 ratio is regarded as the gold standard for classic Keto, most sources also include a 3:1 ratio in their explanations of classic KD. Classic Keto is a well-structured, personalized diet with particular meal plans. For the greatest outcomes, foods are weighed, and meals should be digested in their whole. This diet is also known as a low glycemic since it maintains stable glucose and insulin levels.
MCT (Medium-Chain Triglyceride) Variant
This diet is based on the traditional ketogenic diet. However, it emphasizes using medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) to provide most of the fat content.
Coconut oil contains MCTs, which are accessible as MCT oil and MCT emulsion liquids. According to the notion, MCT ketogenic diets have been used to treat epilepsy because MCTs allow people to ingest more carbohydrates and protein while staying in ketosis. This is because MCTs produce more ketones per gram of fat than the long-chain triglycerides found in typical dietary fat.
MAD (Modified Atkins Diet)
The Modified Atkins Diet (MAD) is a combination of the Ketogenic and Atkins diets. The MAD inhibits excessive protein consumption and instead promotes fat consumption. Weighing food is not required because the macronutrient ratio is typically 1:1, and total carbs per day are generally limited to 10-20 grams. It’s crucial to study ingredient lists carefully to see if carbs are present, even if the nutrition facts panel says otherwise.
Although MAD is usually started in an outpatient setting, the patient must still be closely observed to guarantee their safety. The MAD is frequently used as a bridge to or from a more restricted Ketogenic Diet and for families who lack the resources to implement a more restrictive Keto plan.
LGIT (Low Glycemic Index Treatment)
The LGIT is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. It focuses on the type of carbohydrate, which has a low glycemic index, and the amount of carbohydrate, which is calculated using portion proportions and home measures.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels. When carbs are broken down, glucose is released into the bloodstream. Carbohydrates with a high GI are those that digest quickly. Carbohydrates with a low GI are those that are slowly digested. Foods are scored on a scale of zero to 100 based on their GI ratings. Foods with a GI of 50 or below are included in the LGIT.
Foods containing fat or fiber that are taken simultaneously as carbohydrate foods slow down digestion.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a type of eating that alternates between fasting and eating periods. It’s not about the right food to eat but about when you should eat them. In this sense, it’s more accurately described as an eating pattern rather than a diet in the traditional sense.
Daily 16-hour fasts or fasting for 24 hours twice a week are two common intermittent fasting methods. There are several methods of intermittent fasting since it has been practiced by humans since the beginning of time.
This was because supermarkets, refrigerators, and year-round food were unavailable to ancient hunter-gatherers. As a result, humans have evolved to be able to function for long periods of time without food.
Methods of Intermittent Fasting
16 hrs Fasting
According to some researchers, fasting for 10–16 hours causes the body to convert fat stores into energy, releasing ketones into the bloodstream. This should help you lose weight. This form of intermittent fasting regimen may be a decent choice for novices. This is due to the fact that the fasting window is rather limited, most of the fasting happens when sleeping, and the person can consume the same quantity of calories every day.
The 16:8 technique, often known as the Leangains diet, involves fasting for 16 hours a day and then eating for 8 hours. Men fast for 16 hours a day, and women fast for 14 hours on the 16:8 diet. This sort of intermittent fasting may be beneficial for those who have tried the 12-hour fast and found it to be ineffective. People normally finish their evening meal by 8 p.m. on this fast. The next day, skip breakfast and don’t eat again until midday.
12 hrs Fasting
It entails fasting for 12 hours or longer every day and eating during the remaining hours. The body will transform its fat stores into energy over time as a result of the daily 12-hour fasting window, releasing ketones into the bloodstream.
Weight loss is only one of its benefits. Unlike other weight-loss diets, IF emphasizes when you should eat rather than what foods you should eat.
Due to the method of two meals being 12 hours apart, you need to finish your final meal before the 12-hour fasting-eating gap. If your dining window is 8 a.m., for example. breakfast should be eaten between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Moreover, before 8 p.m. you must also need to finish your dinner. You will have hunger pangs at first, but your body will adjust over time.
Vegan Diet
A vegan diet excludes all animal products from one’s diet. Many people have switched to a more plant-based diet in order to reduce their environmental impact and improve their health.
According to research, eating a vegan diet can help you maintain a healthy weight.
But it’s not because a vegan diet makes you magically lose weight. It’s because if you eat a vegan diet, you’ll typically burn more calories than you ingest. Because you’ll be eating a lot of plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, and beans, this is the case.
These lower-calorie options are packed with essential elements, including vitamins and minerals. They also contain a lot of fiber, which makes you feel full.
Weight Watcher
The Weight Watchers Diet encourages people to live a healthy lifestyle and improves their overall well-being. The Weight Watchers program tries to reduce energy intake in order to lose 0.5 to 1.0 kg per week, which is the medically recommended rate for a successful weight loss strategy. Depending on the version utilized, the food composition is similar to low-fat diets or moderate-fat and low-carbohydrate diets.
Weight Watchers does not focus on calories but instead uses a points-based system called “SmartPoints” to make meal choices easier. Each food type is allocated a point value based on its nutritional and energy density. A point is equal to 50 calories. Foods with low point values, such as high fiber carbs, lean meats, and legumes, can be consumed more freely and in larger quantities, whereas foods with higher point values must be eaten sparingly or avoided. Since most fruits and vegetables have no points worth, they are considered “free” and can be taken at any time.
Paleo Diet
A paleo diet typically consists of lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds — foods that could formerly only be obtained by hunting and gathering.
A paleo diet is limiting foods that became popular around 10,000 years ago. This was during the time when farming was introduced. It is about limiting dairy products, legumes, and grains intake.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is a manner of eating that is based on the traditional cuisines of Greece, Italy, and other Mediterranean Sea-bordering countries.
The diet is built on plant-based foods such as whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices. Additional fat can be obtained through olive oil. In moderation, fish, seafood, dairy, and chicken are allowed. In addition, red meat and sweets must be taken in moderation and with precaution.
Low-Fat Diet
A low-fat diet is one that limits fat, as well as saturated fat and cholesterol. Low-fat diets are designed to minimize the occurrence of diseases such as heart disease and obesity. Because macronutrient composition does not impact weight loss success, they function similarly to a low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss. Fat gives nine calories per gram, whereas carbs and protein each supply four calories per gram.
According to experts, most adults should consume 20 to 35 percent of their daily calories from fat. Consuming 2,000 calories per day equates to 44 to 77 grams of fat per day.
Examine the nutrition labels on food packaging. The number of calories and grams of fat per serving is listed on nutrition labels. To receive all of the nutrients you require, eat a variety of low-fat foods. To help reduce your fat, cholesterol, carbohydrates, and calories, eat largely plant foods and a modest quantity of lean and low-fat animal-based food.