Are You Confused By All The Different Diets? Here's A Quick Diet
Comparison
By Roy Thomsitt
It would not be surprising to hear your answer is "yes, I'm confused by
all these so called diets." You may read from one expert that low
carbohydrate (low carb) and high protein is the way to lose weight. Another
will try to convince you that low fat, lots of carbs, fresh fruits and
vegetables, is the right way to go. Yet another will try to convince you
that you need to count the amount of sugar; or another that main culprit for
your being overweight is white flour. So, if you are serious about losing
weight, who should you listen to?
The brief summaries below give a quick overview of the pros and cons of
each of the popular types of diet plans.
1. Weight Loss Programmes
There are quite a few well known weight loss programmes, for example
SlimFast, Jenny Craig, and NutriSystem. These and a number of other weight
loss programmes rely heavily on pre-packaged 'diet' foods. However, they
incorporate professional coaching into the programme; plus, they also offer
some sort of social structure and support to reinforce the diet programme.
Advantages of Weight Loss Programmes
The professional coaching and nutritional benefits of such diet
programmes are a big positive factor, as are the reinforcement and support
aspect of the diets. Meals and supplements are prepackaged in the right
proportions, and if you stick to the diets and exercise as directed you
should lose weight.
Disadvantages of Weight Loss Programmes
You will normally have to pay weekly charges for this type of programme,
plus the cost of the meals can be expensive. Furthermore, if you rely
totally on the packaged foods, you will miss out on your re-education as far
as your eating habits go. That could be important to maintaining any weight
loss in the long term.
2. Low Carb & Hi Protein Diets
Diets like the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, and the Zone Diet all
recommend restricted intake of carbohydrates, but allow liberal amounts of
protein, including protein derived from animal sources. Generally, these
diets limit the overall amount of carbohydrates, and/or teach you to tell
the difference between "good" and "bad" carbohydrates. Bad carbohydrates,
which are forbidden, include white flour, white bread, and white sugar.
The diets all encourage learning healthy eating as part of losing weight.
Deriving most of your daily calories from high fiber sources of carbs like
leafy green vegetables and grains is generally considered the best diet for
nutrition by the established medical community. The popularity of the diets
makes it easy to find low-carb foods.
Advantages Of Low Carb Diets
These low carbohydrate diets do encourage you to learn healthy eating as
part of losing weight. That will have long term benefits for you. A diet in
which you derive most of your daily calories from high fibre sources of
carbohydrates, such as leafy green vegetables and grains, is widely
considered by the established medical community as the best diet for
nutrition. Because these diets are popular, it is easy to find low-carb
foods.
Disadvantages Of Low Carb Diets
The allowance for eating all the protein and fats you like does go
against conventional medical wisdom. it is thought that a diet high in
saturated fats could lead to heart disease, diabetes, gout and other chronic
health conditions. These diets are accompanied by cautions and advice, which
suggest you keep portions reasonable. Follow that advice and that concern
may be allayed somewhat; but if in doubt, consult your doctor.
3. The Real Mayo Clinic Diet
This diet is not the one which has circulated for the past thirty or more
years and purported to have originated at the Mayo Clinic! The true Mayo
Clinic's nutrition and diet centre recommends a healthy eating weight loss
plan that is based on limiting fats, proteins and carbohydrates, counting
calories and deriving most of the daily nutrition from vegetables, grains
and fruit.
Advantages Of The Real Mayo Clinic Diet
Really, there is no 'diet' as such, in the sense we often use the word
when we are talking about losing weight. Instead, you are encouraged to take
control of your own eating. By doing so, you aim to achieve portion control,
and a sensible balance of nutrients. These are the pillars of a weight loss
plan that takes weight off gradually, but then helps you keep your weight
down permanently.
Disadvantages Of The Real Mayo Clinic Diet
This may be a difficult diet to maintain. Counting calories and portions
can be difficult if you are eating out or on the run living an active and
busy life, and often away from home.
There are many diets claiming to take weight off quickly and painlessly,
without exercise or changing your eating habits. Most doctors believe the
optimum way to lose weight, for long lasting results, is to lose 1-2 pounds
of loss per week. The variations of the three major diets above are all
capable of helping you do just that.
Roy Thomsitt is owner and part author of
http://www.routes-to-self-improvement.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/
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