The Dish on Diets: Healthy Eating for a Healthy Life
Fad diets and crash diets come and go, but there are a few diets that have stood strong throughout the years. We will be talking about a few of the most popular and long-standing diets that have come around, emphasizing both the positive and negative aspects of each. Diets don’t work for everybody, and diets are definitely not one-size-fits-all. We are all looking for a balance of food groups, essential vitamins and minerals, and living a healthy and active lifestyle. Steer clear of diets that promote rapid weight loss or have very strict guidelines. A diet is about a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix, and strict guidelines make it difficult for new dieters to stick to their plan!
Paleo
Description
The idea behind the paleo diet is that if cavemen did not eat it, we don’t need to eat it. The diet is supposed to mimic the diets of hunter-gatherer societies where protein makes up anywhere from 19-35%. Any foods that are processed or baked are foods that are excluded from the diet.
Regulations
High protein: meat and seafood are a staple food
High fiber: non-starchy vegetables and whole grains
Healthy oils: the paleo diet has a higher fat intake, but not the type of fats that raise cholesterol or cause other cardiovascular ailments. Focusing on consuming healthy oils allows our bodies to get critical omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
Good For
- Low sugar and low sodium dieters
- Gluten-free eaters
- Easy to track food intake and calories
- Reducing risk of certain cancers
Bad For
- Maintaining steady intake of all the necessary vitamins and minerals since whole food groups are eliminated
Mediterranean
Description
Fewer meats and carbohydrates than our traditional diet. It is intended to mimic the diets of cultures who live in the Mediterranean region—countries such as Spain and Italy. This is more of a lifestyle change rather than an option for a short-term diet. With correct use, the Mediterranean diet can help you maintain better control of blood glucose and assist in weight loss and weight maintenance.
Regulations
If your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize the food, you don’t need to eat it
Lots of fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, and plenty of seafood
Red meat and sugars limited to a handful of times per month
Good For
- Reducing risk of certain cancers, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease
Bad For
- People who do not already have a regular exercise plan in place
- People who do not shop for food frequently
Dash
Description
The name stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Focus on plant-based diets to sustain the body and keep blood pressure at a lower level, DASH is endorsed by many credible institutions and places itself as a lifestyle and long-term diet change rather than a short-term diet.
Regulations
- High fiber
- Low to moderate fat
Good For
- All ages and the whole family
- Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike
- Loweing cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, and makes it easier to lose weight
- Needed flexibility
Bad For
- Those who need additional research and support
- People looking for a “quick fix” to lose weight
- Those who do not like to cook or prep meals as finding DASH-friendly foods elsewhere can be difficult
Volumetrics
Description
The idea that surrounds the volumetrics diet is that the volume of food a person consumes affects how much they eat and how satisfied they feel after eating. By increasing fiber and water intake, a person can still eat the same weight of food per day and feel satisfied but ingest fewer calories per meal. This is how weight loss occurs with this diet.
Regulations
Decrease calorie intake per day by 500 or 1,000 depending on lifestyle. By increasing fiber and water with meals, dieters will still feel full when eating foods they love.
Good For
- People who love to eat! Satisfies hunger which allows dieters to stick to this long-term plan
- Comprehensive weight management and meal recommendations for all lifestyles
Bad For
- People who do not already have a workout routine in place
- Dieters who do not like to cook or prepare meals
More Information on Healthy Eating
Join us for one of our free informational healthy transformaton seminars to learn more about how gaining and maintaining healthy eating and exercise habits can change your life and the health of your body. Bring your questions and concerns about weight loss to our small group seminar!
