Every once in a while, some celebrity shows up with incredible weight loss results, and then they swear in some popular diet that changed their life. But we are not millionaires. We can’t afford the same food, personal trainers, and dietitians celebrities can. So we surf the internet, listen to other people’s experiences to find a diet plan that will work for us. We are surrounded by numerous sources that are filled up with all sorts of diets. A person who tried to lose weight must have come across at least one of the diets that we will mention in this article. But some of them helped, some of them didn’t. We are going to explain why all the most popular diets are good and bad for your health.
Keto
What is the keto diet?
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb diet and high fat and protein diet, primarily used to control epilepsy, but then people discovered that the keto diet gives impressive results in weight loss. Since then, it has become the trend. When you follow the keto diet, you replace carbohydrates with fat; this puts your body in a state of ketosis. When you significantly decrease your consumption of carbs for some time, your body achieves ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic phase in which your body burns fat for energy instead of carbs. Following a keto diet will get you in a state of ketosis quicker than any other diet.
Pros
- You won’t be hungry
It’s impossible to be hungry during keto; there are so many recipes with meat, eggs, fish, and dairy that you won’t even have a feeling you are on a diet. You can eat burgers and pizzas that are prepared by keto rules, which are very satisfying.
- Control of blood sugar
That’s why keto is a perfect diet for people who have diabetes. Also, keto is helpful to people with insulin resistance. By reducing sugar intake keto diet can help us improve our skin, and it can help people with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) symptoms.
- Food to our brain
Scientists say that food we consume when we are on keto is very beneficial to our brain. Studies in 2019 showed that eating by keto rules can prevent brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
- May improve heart health.
On a keto diet, we eat a lot of fish, olive oil, and nuts. This food is very important for our triglycerides and HDL (good cholesterol), and the state of triglycerides and HDL is essential for our hearts. If these parameters are in disbalance, we are risking getting a heart attack.
Cons
- Keto can cause constipation
When you give up whole grain food, beans, fruits, and many vegetables, it can cause nutrient deficiencies in your body, leading to digestive problems
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- Keto can cause headache
Only, in the beginning, a lack of carbs can affect your headache. So for approximately one week, you will suffer from headaches, but if that headache lasts longer than one week, you should consider trying another diet.
- Keto is a very restrictive diet
Even one cheat meal can get you out of a state of ketosis. You are not allowed to consume above 20-50 grams of carbs a day, which is very hard, especially if you eat lots of sweets and processed foods before starting keto. That’s why you could give up quickly, and after you give up, the chances to overeat carbs are enormous.
- Keto can mess up your cholesterol levels
Despite the fact it can improve your HDL, there are some cases of people who have been through some serious problems with LDL (bad cholesterol). Increased level of LDL is hazardous for our heart health, so you have to be careful when you are deciding to start a keto diet. It would be best if you visited a weight loss clinic like A Better Weigh, checked your organism’s state, and then choose the best diet for you.
Atkins Diet
What is the Atkins diet?
Dr. Robert Atkins introduced the Atkins diet in the 70s. This diet is very similar to keto, it’s a high-fat diet, and carbohydrates are restricted. Many celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Robbie Wiliams, and Kim Kardashian followed this diet and achieved excellent results.
Pros
- You don’t have to count calories
Some people are constantly obsessed with counting calories, which can be stressful and make weight loss much more difficult. On the Atkins diet, there is no need for counting calories as long as you watch your carb intake.
- Eating protein-rich food
By eating enough protein, you will prevent eating too many calories during the day because you will be satisfied and won’t feel any need for snacks.
- Resources widely available
If you plan to start following the Atkins diet, you can easily find all you need to know online. Rules aren’t that complicated, and you can always find the information you need in Facebook groups because there are plenty of people on the Atkins diet. You can read many books to inform you about this diet better. If you aren’t going out with your friends to eat because you are on a diet. The Atkins diet is the solution because it’s very familiar in most parts of the world. There are many restaurants having meals prepared by the rules of this diet.
Cons
- Hard to maintain
People usually are on and off this diet because it’s tough to maintain it. When you want to lose weight, you have to follow the diet which will allow you to be consistent.
- Counting net carbs
That can be even harder than counting calories, and we can make even more mistakes when counting net carbs.
- You might feel exhausted
Many people reported feeling tired when following the Atkins diet, and that’s because of low carb intake. If you feel tired for a longer time, you shouldn’t continue with this diet.
Paleo Diet
What is a Paleo diet?
Paleo nutrition is a diet based on food scientists assume we have eaten during the Paleolithic era. On this diet, you are allowed to consume fish, lean meats, some fruits and vegetables, and nuts.
Pros
- Diet without chemicals, additives, and preservatives
Not just will this diet help you lose weight, but also it will benefit your overall health.
- You will be getting enough iron
This diet is rich in meat, so you won’t have iron deficiency, which can be a side effect of weight loss.
- Anti Inflammatory benefits
You will get anti-inflammatory benefits from the food you eat, such as plant nutrients, oils, seeds, and nuts.
Cons
- It’s expensive
You have to choose a diet you can afford. Many people complained that eating a paleo diet is very expensive.
- It’s tough to follow for vegetarians
Meat is the leading food you eat on a paleo diet, so if you choose not to eat meat, you might be hungry and give up quickly.
- It’s hard to follow for professional athletes
When a professional athlete, you have to eat carbohydrates, at least 3 to 6 grams per pound of your body weight. If you don’t eat enough carbs, your performance will decrease.
Final thoughts
Before beginning any diet, you should consult your dietitian or doctor. It would be best to get in touch with a weight loss clinic where you could do all the necessary tests to find out about the state of your organism. Then, the team of experts could give you advice on which diet plan you should follow.