Most of us are aware of our weight, especially after the holidays, and may be on/are considering a diet plan. Not only does it feel better to fit into your favorite clothes, but excessive weight is associated with a number of medical issues like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

However, getting to and keeping a healthy weight is not easy, and many companies offer false solutions. And so we’ll share clinically proven weight loss measures you can adopt to help you lose the right type of weight and maintain good health. AND, I’ll also touch on the benefits of cleansing and why you should start your weight loss program with a healthy cleanse.

If you’re looking to lose some excess body fat you might be wondering which plan is best for you. It depends on what your goals are. Do you want to lose it quickly or are you looking for a longer term solution?

The most common diets can be grouped into 3 major categories.

1. Plant-Based Diets

A plant-based diet can be actually broken into several types.
a. Pure plant-based diets like vegetarian diets which eliminate all meat, poultry, and fish, or vegan diets that take it even further by excluding dairy products and eggs.
b. Then there’s the flexitarian or flexible vegetarian diet, which allows for protein and animal products in moderation, making it a popular alternative.

Plant-based diets are healthy and are effective for weight loss, but they can restrict important nutrients typically found in animal products, such as iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and zinc. The flexitarian approach or proper supplementation can help account for these nutrients.

2. Low-Carb Diets
Low carb diets restrict carb intake in favor of protein and fat. Protein can help curb your appetite, raise your metabolism, and conserve muscle mass. The most popular weight plans falling under this category are Atkins, Keto, and LCHF (low-carb, high-fat).

A Paleo diet is not low-carb by definition but it tends to be so in practice. People who eat a Paleo diet typically focus on eating whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seeds. They tend to restrict their consumption of processed foods, grains, sugar, and dairy.

3. Low-Fat Diets
Low-fat diets restrict fat intake because fat provides about twice the number of calories per gram compared with protein and carbs. Ultra-low-fat diets are mainly plant-based and limit meat and animal products.

If quick results are your primary objective, you may consider starting with one of these restrictive plans:

  1. Atkins Diet
  2. Volumetrics Diet
  3. Vegan Diet
  4. Keto Diet

The Keto diet may be popular and gives quick results, but our nutritional scientist Dr. Steve Chaney does not recommend the keto diet as a long term weight plan because it could:

  • Create nutritional deficiencies
  • Deplete essential cellular protein reserves
  • Damage the kidneys
  • Cause osteoporosis

So you may want to approach this one with caution.

If long term results are your primary objective, our nutritional experts recommend you choose a program that is simple, safe, and plant-based.

Here are 4 options they recommend:

  1. Mediterranean Diet
  2. DASH Diet
  3. Flexitarian Diet
  4. Vegetarian Diet

Primarily plant-based diets are associated with a healthier weight and better health long term. The DASH and Mediterranean diets consist of eating plans that emphasize vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy product. Both diets limit saturated fats and refined sugars.

Whatever you choose, they recommend you work with your doctor to come up with a safe and healthy weight plan for you.

In my next blog, I’ll talk about the importance of a healthy cleanse prior to beginning a diet!

For more information, contact me at Jerry@Fit4LifeLLC.com, or visit my website.

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