There are many ways to lose weight and get healthy - but, some approaches work better than others.
More than anything, you need to find something that works for you, something that you can stick to in the long-term. What this looks like differs from one person to the next, so paying attention to how your body responds is an important approach.
These following five approaches are all science-based lifestyle changes that can work in the short-term and in the long-term. What's more, many people find them effective and easy to follow.
A Low-Carb Diet
Low-carb dieting is a flexible approach where you decrease your calories from carbs and get most of your energy from fat and protein instead. [Read more...]
The power of this diet is in its flexibility, as you can tailor your food choices and carb intake based on your own preferences. This lets you choose how much freedom you have.
The diet approach itself involves a strong focus on meat, vegetables, eggs, fish, fats and similar foods, while cutting down on grains, starches, processed food and sugar. You can read more details here and check out additional articles below.
The Ketosis Diet
Ketosis can be considered a very low-carb diet. The food choice is similar but you are restricting carb intake much more heavily, typically under 20 grams per day. [Read more...]
The idea is to push your body into a state known as ketosis, where it is burning fat and producing ketone bodies, rather than using carbs as the primary source of fuel. By doing so, you increase your potential to lose weight and may lower disease risk in a range of areas.
Because keto is fairly strict, it doesn't suit everybody. Still, there is a wide range of foods that you can eat and many people love cooking for ketosis once they get used to it. You can read about the approach in depth here and the articles below offer further information.
The Paleo Diet
Paleo has been immensely popular and the approach focuses on eating the same foods that our ancestors did. This includes cutting out some food groups, along with refined foods. [Read more...]
Paleo is not specifically a low-carb diet but you do end up having a lower carb intake anyway because of the food selection. The diet avoids some other food groups, including beans, legumes and dairy. While the approach doesn't appeal to everyone, many people rave about the health and weight loss advantages.
You can read more about the theory and practice of paleo here, as well as in the articles below.
The Mediterranean Diet
There are actually dozens of Mediterranean diets out there but the general idea is a plant-heavy diet that strongly relies on whole foods and healthy fats. [Read more...]
The overall approach has been extensively researched and linked to many health benefits, including decreased heart disease risk. It is also the least controversial out of these lifestyle changes and is arguably the least restrictive. This is a particularly good option for people who still want bread and pasta in their diets and who don't want to entirely cut out food groups.
You can read more about the Mediterranean diet here and in the posts below.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is a little different than the other options, as it focuses on when you eat, rather than what you're eating. As the name suggests, you're fasting for periods of time, which can actually offer health and weight loss benefits. [Read more...]
There are multiple versions of intermittent fasting, with one of the most popular being 16:8, where you fast for 16 hours each day and eat for 8. Doing so naturally decreases your calorie intake and is easier to achieve than most people expect.
Some people do intermittent fasting on its own, while others combine it with a specific eating approach, such as ketosis or paleo. You can read more about intermittent fasting here and don't forget to check out the posts below.
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