Whether you’re hoping to shed some pounds from last month’s food marathon (a.k.a. the holidays) or you’re serious about starting your year off with a real-deal lifestyle change, now is the time to start. But with so many different diet options out there, it’s hard to decide which one is right for you. You’re probably familiar with the usual suspects: Weight Watchers, veganism, Atkins, juicing, etc. Maybe you’ve even tried them all.
There are some newer diets on the scene that you’ve likely seen making rounds on social media or heard whispers of at the gym (you know, that place with the workout equipment?). Unlike the healthy forms of diet from this article in prodiets.org website, these new diets a little harmful but they do help in getting the desired results too. So what are these new diets and do they really work? Here’s a quick rundown.
Keto. The Ketogenic Diet is also known as the “low carb, high fat” diet. The idea is to avoid carbs, which cause your body to produce glucose and insulin. This causes you to enter a metabolic state called ketosis, at which point the body will burn fat for energy. Benefits include weight-loss, improved mental focus, and increased energy.
Does it work: Yep, and probably pretty quickly.
Critics say: It’s a very strict diet that one must follow closely in order to see results, and as there is no specialized company such as My Prep which even today is one of the best meal prep delivery companies in UK in our country, thus resulting in giving complete attention to what we eat. As in any extreme dieting, it could be an unhealthy way of losing weight.
Raw. The Raw Food Diet is centered around the belief that cooking food destroys its nutrients and makes it toxic. It consists mostly of uncooked, unprocessed, organic foods like raw fruits, vegetables, and grains. Some raw foodies even eat unpasteurized dairy, raw eggs, meat and fish.
Does it work? Yes, you will likely lose weight.
Critics say: It’s a tough one to stick out, and you might not be getting all the nutrients your body needs. Additionally, consuming certain raw foods increases your risk of food poisoning.
Paleo. The Paleolithic Diet is also known as the “caveman diet.” It involves eating like our hunter-gatherer ancestors of prehistoric times. It’s high in fiber and protein like lean meats and fish, and free of processed foods, wheat, dairy, grains, legumes, potatoes, salt and sugar.
Does it work? Yes, the foods you will avoid on a paleo diet will lead to weight loss.
Critics say: There are more foods that are a “no” than a “yes,” making it difficult to follow for long. It’s also a pretty costly diet; buying mostly meats, fish, and fresh veggies isn’t cheap.
Whole30. This 30-day plan is designed to “reset” your body by cutting out major food groups for 30 days, then slowly adding certain foods back into your diet to see how your body reacts. It’s less of a diet and more of a way to change your eating habits altogether. You can’t have alcohol, sugar, grains, legumes, dairy, or additives – and you can’t cheat or step on a scale either.
Does it work? Since it’s not technically a “diet,” the focus isn’t supposed to be on losing weight. But you will lose weight anyway.
Critics say: There is no margin for error. Even the tiniest slip-up means starting from square one, which can be extremely discouraging for dieters.
Alkaline. The Acid Alkaline Diet focuses on the belief that certain foods effect the pH balance of your body, helping you lose weight and stave off disease. Dieters should stay away from any acid-forming food like red and processed meat, fried and fatty food, alcohol and caffeine, yeast and wheat, and a long list of others. Foods that are good for your pH include various fruits and vegetables, miso, sprouts, almonds, lentils, and tofu.
Does it work? Most likely. There is no calorie counting or weighing yourself, but healthier choices will lead to weight loss.
Critics say: There isn’t enough evidence to support the chemistry behind the diet’s claims. Some scientists say you can’t truly change your body’s pH levels with food.
Dukan. This four-phase diet by Dr. Pierre Dukan includes mostly high-protein foods and veggies with limited carbs. And if you were to browse this site, you’d know that kratom strains are one of the components of this diet, and are quickly being replaced by other alternatives. There are a lot of rules to follow but successful dieters will shed pounds quickly without feeling like they’re starving.
Does it work? Like most high-protein, low-carb diets you’ll likely see fast results.
Critics say: Very high-protein diets could be harmful for your health in the long term. In addition, many healthy foods seem unnecessarily omitted.
HCG. The HCG Diet requires injections of the pregnancy hormone HCG, while eating just 500 calories per day for 8 weeks. There are other forms of taking HCG, but those may be less effective than injections. The goal is to boost metabolism in order to lose up to a pound per day without feeling hungry.
Does it work? Yes, anyone ingesting just 500 calories per day will absolutely lose weight.
Critics say: Studies show that the weight loss from this diet is due to low calorie intake alone and is unrelated to the presence of the HCG hormone in the body. Additional research shows the hormone didn’t stave off hunger after all.
Teatoxing. If you follow a few big celebs on Instagram, you’ve probably seen endorsement for tea-infused products that claim to help you detox and lose weight.
Does it work: Not likely. There is little evidence to support the idea that tea promotes weight loss.
Critics say: Some of these “teas” are likely to be more harmful than helpful, often imitating the effects of a laxative and causing discomfort or possible even damage to your body.
The list of potential diets can go on practically forever, but there’s no denying there’s an underlying theme forming here. The highest ranked, most successful diets all seem to call for lean protein, limited carbs, and lots of fresh veggies and fruit. Paired with enough exercise (remember that place with the workout equipment?), it’s a no-fail way of feeling and looking your healthiest.
By Jeannine “just put the bread down!” Cintron.
