The World Obesity Federation, in its World Obesity Atlas 2022, has estimated that one billion people will be living with obesity by 2030. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men will be obese. Everyone wants to be fit. We are hell-bent on losing weight, whether exercising, dieting, or fasting. However, many of us struggle to lose weight. We become desperate and follow some fad diet that may not work. One thing to remember when you decide on dieting is that short-term diets don’t work. Long-term lifestyles do.
How do you know which dieting is suited for you?
Though it is impossible to include all the dieting trends in this article, let us see two diets. Their similarity and their differences.
Paleo Diet
Paleo comes from the word Paleolithic, meaning pre-historic or stone age. The diet suggests foods that are similar to foods eaten by a caveman. It is a diet that is the modern-day version of hunter-gather. So, the diet consists of foods which could be easily hunted and gathered in the past. It includes lean meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Foods obtained through farming like legumes, grains and dairy products are limited in the Paleo diet. The basic reasoning behind a paleo diet is that the modern-day diet is mismatched to human bodies. With the invention of farming, the diet was rapidly changing, and the body could not adapt. The mismatch between the farming foods and the human body is the cause of prevailing factors like obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases.
What to eat?
- Fruits – All fruits
- Vegetables – All vegetables
- Nuts and seeds – All nuts and seeds.
- Lean meat – Meat of grass-fed animals like beef, lamb, rabbit, kangaroo, chicken
- Fish – Salmon, mackerel, prawns, crab, lobsters.
- Oils from fruits and nuts – Olive oil and walnut oil.
What not to eat
- Grains – Wheat, oats, rice, barley, etc.
- Legumes – Beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, etc.
- Dairy Products – Milk, paneer, curds, yoghurt, butter, cheese, ghee, etc.
- Refined sugar.
- Salt
- Potatoes
- Processed food.
Results of Paleo Dieting
Following a paleo diet has been found to have more weight loss. It also shows improved glucose tolerance and controlled blood pressure. The Paleo diet helps lower triglyceride levels and manage appetite more efficiently.
Doubts about Paleo Dieting.
Though the Paleo diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, and nuts, all of which are rich in vitamins needed for a healthy body. It lacks when it comes to whole grains and legumes. Grains and legumes are rich in fibre and a good source of vitamins and minerals. In addition, the absence of dairy products rich in proteins and calcium causes questions about the wholesomeness of a diet.
Keto Diet
Keto’s full form is Ketogenic Diet. It is about eating the right food in the right proportion to trigger your body to burn stored fat. The diet became popular when celebrities and influencers started promoting it as their go-to diet regime. The Keto diet severely restricts carbohydrates and emphasizes high-fat foods. The Keto diet has been around for a long time. In the 1920s, the keto diet was used to treat kids with epilepsy. However, in today’s time, it is used for weight loss. The concept behind the Keto diet is to make FAT the energy source rather than CARBOHYDRATES. Typically, carbohydrates are converted to glucose. This glucose is burned to fuel energy in our bodies. When you starve your body of carbohydrates, fatty acids called ketones are released from the liver to fuel our body’s metabolism due to low glucose content. By feeding our body high-fat foods, we shift from glucose to fatty acids and ketones to fuel our energy.
What to eat?
- Nuts and Seeds – All nuts and seeds
- Dairy Products – Full fat cheese, plain Greek yoghurt
- Vegetables – non-starchy vegetables
- A small quantity of meat
- Eggs
- Fish
What not to eat
- High carb foods, bread and baked goods.
- Sweets, pasta, breakfast cereals.
- Fruits
- Sugar
- Potato, sweet potato, corn, peas, beans,
- Alcohol
Results of Keto Dieting
The working mechanism of the keto diet is not clear. However, it is known to have brain-protecting benefits. Kids with epilepsy have had fewer seizures after following the keto diet. The Keto diet takes time to get adjusted and show results. Therefore, instant results are not seen. It is beneficial in weight loss too.
Doubts about Keto Dieting
The keto diet is a very restrictive diet that is very tough to follow up with. An average person will find it difficult to keep up with this diet in the long term. In addition, a high-fat diet without fruits and limited vegetables is not ideal from a health perspective. Also, low carbohydrates diet can have negative side effects like constipation, headaches, bad breath, etc.
Conclusion
We know what it is like to lose weight. Some have tried dieting, some are curious about it, and some do not even consider it. However, the truth about dieting is that you should be able to have healthy weight loss. Exercise combined with a balanced and healthy diet with many fresh fruits and vegetables is as good as any fad diet on the market.
