With so many different diets out there, how do you even know which one to choose? Are you aware of all the different options out there? And is the one that you choose actually the best and most effective diet to suit you?
I think the best way to decide which diet is the most effective, is to be well informed about your choices available. So below is the top 5 ranking diets (at the time of this post). Have a read through them and decide for yourself which one you think will suit your lifestyle the best.
No.1 – The Mediterranean Diet
This is my personal favorite and rightfully so. It’s full of nutritious fresh foods. Read all about this diet here:
http://www.livingdelish.com/the-mediterranean-way/
What can you eat: Plenty of Fresh produce like fruit, vegetables, Fish, Whole grains and plenty of healthy fats like olive oil, avocados and nuts.
Enjoy in moderation: Very little Red meat and white meat with few eggs.
What to avoid: Refined grains such as white bread, refined oils, any processed and packaged foods. Food with added salt and sugar.
What can you drink: Red wine, tea and coffee in moderation. Plenty of water.
No.2 – The DASH Diet
DASH is short for Dietary Approaches to stop hypertension. In short this diet was developed to help lower high blood pressure. But some of the benefits comes with eating so healthy. This diet does focus on portion control and eating a large selection of different plant based foods.
What can you eat: Plenty of Fresh produce like fruit, vegetables, legumes, fish, skinless poultry, nuts
Enjoy in moderation: Very little Red meat, salt.
What to avoid: Sugar, sodium (Salt)
What can you drink: Plenty of water. Club soda, fruit juices, tea and coffee are allowed. Drink alcoholic beverages in moderate amounts. Stick too no more than one a day.
No.3 – Flexitarian diet
The name suggests “flexible” and “vegetarian”. This diet has all the health benefits of a vegetarian diet, but still allow a bit of meat. Nothing is really off limits. The goal is to go meatless for 5 or more days per week.
What can you eat: Plenty of Fresh produce like fruit and vegetables. Concentrate on plant based proteins like beans or lentils. Whole grains.
Enjoy in moderation: Very little Red meat, poultry, fish and few eggs.
What to avoid: Over consumption of meats.
What can you drink: Pretty much anything. (In moderation of courseš¤£)
No.4 – MIND Diet
This is a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet. The foods that you eat on this diet must me as natural as possible. Also eat loads of fresh produce like fruits and vegetables.
What can you eat: Plenty of Fresh produce like fruit, vegetables, Fish, Whole grains and plenty of healthy fats like olive oil, avocados and nuts, loads of berries and beans
Enjoy in moderation: Very little Red meat and white meat, few eggs.
What to avoid: Refined grains such as white bread, refined oils, any processed and packaged foods. Food with added salt and sugar, any fried food and cheese.
What can you drink: Although red wine is allowed, you need to limit your intake to only one glass per day. Enjoy tea and coffee in moderation. Drink plenty of water.
No.5 – Weight Watchers Diet
You will have to become a member to enjoy the full benefit of this plan. However this plan requires a lot of planning and preparation. Each food item gets scored according the serving size, fiber and calories.
This diet emphasizes the importance of portion control, food choices and weight loss.
What can you eat: No food is off limits, but you will have to stay below your daily point allowance. Each food item get allocated points. Your goal is to stay below the allowed points for the day.
Enjoy in moderation: Very little Red meat and white meat, few eggs.
What to avoid: Nothing as long as it is enjoyed within the allowed points.
What can you drink: Nothing as long as it is enjoyed within the allowed points.
Although there are so many more options out there, these 5 are the current most effective diets. Each of these diets have their own benefits and of coarse also downfalls.
To me the perfect diet should definitely be one that is easy to follow, full of nutritious foods and of course one that gives you the most effective results. You should be able to follow the meal plan with little to no trouble.
I am also a firm believer that cutting sugar has plenty of health benefits. Just by cutting out some sugar, you already improve your health.
Learn to take the first steps to consuming less sugar.
http://www.livingdelish.com/the-sugar-free-buzz-how-do-you-quit-sugar/
Please feel free to leave me your comments. I would love to know which diet you prefer, tried, worked best or even didn’t work at all.
Happy Weight loss!!
