With 2 of 3 Americans overweight or obese many people are seeking the “best” diet to lose weight.
Usually they are searching for the best fad diet. They’re the ones that get a lot of attention (and a whole lot of money). I am not a fan of these, for reasons you will see. However, I recognize that many of you will still look for a diet to get you on your journey to lose weight. So, with that in mind:
There are definitely some dos and don’ts to consider when searching for your best diet.
One thing is certain, the BEST diet is one that you can follow long term.
Very restrictive diets often produce dramatic weight loss in the short term, but ultimately fail because they are usually not sustainable. This is the main reason I’m not a fan. An ideal diet should be flexible enough that you don’t have to “cheat”. In other words, you shouldn’t feel like a failure if you have a cookie or the occasional dish of ice cream. Treats can be incorporated into a healthy diet that facilitates weight loss.
That word DIET is confusing because it has several meanings. Here’s a partial definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary,
Diet- (noun) 1. food and drink regularly consumed
2. a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly to lose weight
(verb) 1. To eat and drink sparingly or according to prescribed rules.
So, most people are asking about #2, which regimen to follow to lose weight. I commonly talk about #1, what you regularly consume.
In addition to being able to be followed over time, the BEST diet should include foods that you enjoy eating AND a variety of food from all the food groups—protein, fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy.
To attain or maintain good health you need to nourish your body with a variety of foods. No single food or food group contains everything the body needs. Balanced meals provide you with both energy and healthy nutrients.
Here are some of the nutrients each food group provides:
- Meats and protein-provides protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, Iron, zinc and magnesium
- Starch-provides carbohydrate, dietary fiber, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, iron, selenium and magnesium
- Fruits-provides potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C and folate
- Vegetables -provides potassium, fiber, folate, vitamin A and vitamin C
- Dairy provides calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin D (if fortified), riboflavin, vitamin B12, protein, potassium, zinc, choline, magnesium and selenium
It is possible to lose weight while eating all these healthy foods. The key is to have the right balance of calories.
One way to do this is to have a limited amount of added sugar and saturated fat. (Fruits are a healthy food and do not contain added sugar.They are not the same as ice pops).
MyPlate.gov is a great resource for education on the proper proportions needed to construct a healthy meal. You can determine how many calories you need and then get a plan for how much of each food group to eat.
This is a good template for healthy diet (as in Diet definition #1). I think of it more like an eating plan. It is based on evidence obtained through research. It is mostly plant based (but not entirely), and flexible. You choose the foods you enjoy in each food group. I like the flexibility of it working for many cultures and ethnicities. The other top-rated diets are all mostly plant-based.
Eat a balance of healthy foods in the right amounts to have a calorie balance (or a deficit for weight loss). Enjoy your foods.
Too often people wanting to lose weight put all their focus on the scale. It’s understandable. Our culture is obsessed with diets. Fad diets have cycled through for decades. Fad diets become trendy because they promise a quick and easy way to lose a lot of weight. Everyone wants that!
Again, research has shown they generally do not work long term. Unfortunately, most people gain the weight back, and then some.
Here’s the biggest problems with Fad Diets:
Fad diets have rigid rules. You might need to buy expensive meal replacement products.
They usually severely restrict calories. Remember the grapefruit or cabbage soup diet? My husband does. It was one of the many fad diets he tried before he met me. After several weeks he couldn’t bear to eat another leaf. The diet crashed with his new aversion to a healthy (and often delicious) vegetable.
Many restrict whole food groups. Every time I hear “carbs are the enemy,” I cringe. (See my previous post about carbohydrates).Every time I hear someone say, “I’ve been bad, I ate bread, or a piece of cake or a chocolate” it is all I can do to stop from telling them, “There are no bad foods!”It’s all about portions, science and common sense. The bottom line: These diets are not sustainable for the vast majority of people.
So fad diets are not the answer. But here’s the good news. There is science-driven research, and a lot we do know about weight loss.
Here are the foundations of a successful weight loss program:
- Feel full on less calories
- Choose nutritious foods
- Pay attention to portion sizes
- Enjoy your food
- Burn more calories in a way you enjoy
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