If you want to lose weight, one of your first thoughts might be “What diet is best for me?”. The answer to this question is not the same for everyone. There are many diets out there that have proven to be effective for weight loss. However, the best diet for you will be dependent on your lifestyle, dietary preferences, and your health. For example, if you have diabetes, you may need to follow a diet program that focuses most on reducing insulin resistance. Here’s a look at some of the diets we commonly recommend at WildBerryMD.
Low Carb Diets
Low carb diets exist in many forms, but in general, they cut out all processed carbohydrates and added sugars. Some may also cut out fruits and whole grain carbohydrates as well. Because carbohydrates are quickly processed by the body, they don’t keep you full for long. In addition, they are more likely to be stored in the body as fat. Reducing carbohydrate intake is not only effective for weight loss, because cutting out carbs improves metabolism and allows the body to burn more calories. It is also beneficial in reducing insulin resistance in diabetic and pre-diabetic individuals.
In a two-year study comparing the Mediterranean diet, low-fat diets, and low-carb diets, individuals who followed a low-carb diet lost the most weight.
Paleo Diet
The Paleo Diet is often grouped in with other low-carb diets, but it has some key differences. It is designed to imitate the diet of hunter-gatherers to reduce the risk of modern illnesses. With the Paleo Diet, eaters should be focused on eating whole, unprocessed meats, eggs, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts. It eliminates processed foods, sugar, dairy, and grains (although some versions do allow rice and some dairy products).
The Paleo Diet is relatively new compared to other popular diets, so research regarding long-term health effects is limited. However, one study showed an average weight loss of 5.1 pounds among 14 individuals following the program for 3 weeks.
Low Fat Diets
Low-fat diets were popularized in the 1970s, but following a low-fat diet is not necessarily beneficial for weight loss or managing certain health risks, such as risk factors for heart disease. Since low-fat diets were introduced, research has shown that not all types of fat are harmful for the body. In fact, there are many good fats that should be a regular part of your diet. For example, omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and nuts have been shown to reduce inflammation and be good for the heart. Studies have consistently shown that low-fat diets are ineffective for weight loss, particularly when compared to low-carb programs.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is not as much a diet as it is a pattern of eating. There are several approaches to intermittent fasting, but the most popular is the 16/8 method. With this method, you only eat during 8 hours of the day, fasting for the other 16. This naturally reduces your caloric intake, because you’ll likely eat only two meals per day instead of three. Even more importantly, fasting helps to increase hormones and neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine, which boosts metabolism. In addition, intermittent fasting has shown exceptional clinical results. One study indicated that intermittent fasting may reduce total body weight by 8% with up to 16% fat loss over 3-12 weeks.
Intermittent fasting is also a great strategy to pair with other diets, such as the keto diet or the HCG diet. With these programs, fasting is helpful in reprogramming the body to eat fewer calories during the day, which means that it will burn more of its own fat for energy. Thus, you can maximize your weight loss with intermittent fasting.
Boosting Your Results with Appetite Suppressant
Another helpful addition to any diet program is natural or prescription appetite suppressants. With medical guidance from WildBerryMD, you can choose the right appetite suppressant for your needs. This will help you curb cravings, reduce appetite, and start seeing results faster.
Here at WildBerryMD, we begin every weight loss program with a body composition analysis and health questionnaire to help you finally answer the question: “What diet is best for me?”. We offer special programs for diabetics, thyroid disease, and individuals with arthritis and other health concerns. In addition, we tailor each program to the needs of every client. By building programs based on a person’s genetics, preferences, health conditions, and lifestyle, we promote more successful weight loss that lasts. Call us today for your consultation at (520) 762-1557.