The age-old diet debate: low-fat or low-carb?
Three well-known diet plans were evaluated in recent studies to see which one is best for health and weight loss.
Three different diets and their impact on weight loss were examined in research involving 322 obese persons (86% of whom were men). The individual’s health as a whole was also taken into account. This is how they explain it:
An acceptable low-fat diet would have no more than 30% of daily calories from fat, 10% of daily calories from saturated fat, and no more than 300 mg of cholesterol. Total daily caloric intake was capped at 1500 for women and 1800 for males.
The Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet is typically considered to be the “goldilocks” diet due to its moderate fat and calorie content (1500 for women and 1800 for men). The goal of this eating plan is to consume fewer than 35% of your daily calories as fat by increasing your intake of lean proteins like fish and poultry while decreasing your intake of red meat. Olive oil and nuts were included in the diet to increase the amount of healthy monounsaturated fats. The Mediterranean eating style is the inspiration for this meal plan.
In contrast to the other two diets, the low-carbohydrate diet did not limit calorie intake. In the first two months of the weight loss process, participants were instructed to consume no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day (the amount found in a small banana), and then to gradually increase their intake to 120 g per day (the amount found in two slices of bread, three-quarters of a cup of pasta, and a medium apple). This diet, neither the number of calories nor the amounts of protein or fat could be exceeded by the participants.
So, which diet worked better?
For dropping pounds, which diet is better, one that’s low in carbohydrates or one that’s more Mediterranean? All of the participants lost weight, although the proportion of weight loss was greater for those on the Mediterranean or reduced carbohydrate diets. The Mediterranean diet resulted in an average weight loss of 4.4 kilograms (8.5 pounds) after two years, while the low carbohydrate diet resulted in an average weight loss of 4.7 kilograms (11.9 pounds). When comparing the Mediterranean diet to the low-carb diet, women benefited more from the former.
One of the most notable differences was found in the cholesterol profile of the low-carbohydrate group. When it comes to lowering cholesterol, this is the best diet.
As a result, the low-carb diet turned out to be beneficial.
Long-term weight loss and better cholesterol levels are best achieved by following a low-carb diet, according to the survey’s concluding findings. However, it is vital to highlight that this diet doesn’t involve eating a huge amount of meat. The participants had to consume vegetarian diets rich in fat and protein.
Moreover, the results revealed that women who participated in the study had higher success following the Mediterranean diet.
How to build an effective diet plan?
There is nothing unpleasant about the thought of dropping some weight and contouring the physique. But what to begin with? Which of the hundreds of popular diets to start in order to reach your goals?
Before you try to improve your habits, you must be aware of your body mass index. Start a diary of the meals you eat and exercises you undertake every day.
Most people will remark “Why bother? I already know what I consume continuously”. But you genuinely do not know. Eating is something we do intuitively every day without paying considerable attention to it. It’s easy to consume a lot of empty calories without even realizing it, as when you drink five glasses of water every day. Thanks to the notes we produce, we will have comprehensive information about our everyday diet plans.
The next stage is especially crucial. You should establish a long-term plan. You can’t expect instant results from a change in diet and exercise routine.
Which mainstream meal plans and diets actually work?
Virtually every diet will help with weight loss. In whatever book you read, you will discover that their authors basically suggest consuming fewer meals and thus losing weight. But the difficulty is that the body mass loss is soon regained.
The difficulty is how to maintain your new weight and this will certainly demand different tactics. Studies on persons who have lost excess weight and sustained it for years show that these people have regulated and watched their weight using diverse tactics like increasing physical activity or having balanced diets.
Do you have to participate in physical activity to shed pounds?
No. If you cut your calorie consumption every day, you will lose weight. The only way to maintain your weight, however, is to engage in regular physical activity, such as sports. It is not recommended to make diets and lose weight that will soon return if you do not have time to spend on sports, as physical activity, especially when accompanied with a food diet, is a key to keeping the new weight.
How many calories should I take?
To reduce weight you need to take 1200-1400 calories every day. Keeping your calorie intake at this level will unquestionably help you shed unwanted pounds. The difficulty is that such diet programs can be done for a few months, but not permanently.
However, if you work out there will be a time when you will not have to monitor calories and will be free to eat what you want. What’s key is to find the balance between sport and nutrition.
How to stay motivated in reducing weight and keeping it?
Everyone will initially compliment your appearance. But with time you will cease receiving compliments since people merely become used to your appearance, then you should rely on your internal motivation, which is much more difficult. However, the longer you hold your weight, the more driven and habituated to it you become. Therefore you will have more opportunities to succeed.
What foods should include in my diet plan?
People, who maintain their weight for years, incorporate in their diets items high in fibre and average quantity of fat. Most importantly, though, you should eat what you enjoy.
Take the challenge and try!
The perfect way to get in shape as a couple
Men put on an average of 4 pounds and women 2 pounds after a five-year relationship. We are more prone to give in to enticing foods, cook more regularly for our loved one, and put our diets on hold when we are in love. As a result, we exercise less frequently.
So instead of letting us get heavier, why not work together on a plan to cut out the fat? We all know that pair diets are considerably easier.
It’s much less annoying to eat your vegetables while your partner finishes off the rest of the chips when you’re on a couple’s diet. If this happens frequently, it’s easy to give in to temptation and stop eating healthily. Try to be on each other’s backs as much as possible. In the event that one of you decides to give up, the other should try to talk sense into them. It will be much easier to prepare nutritious meals and clear out the junk stuff from the fridge if you and your partner both agree that you need to slim down.
Men naturally burn more calories than women. Muscles are better developed, and body fat is lower (men have approximately 10% and women have about 20%).
Men lose weight faster than women.
If you make a pair diet women are expected to lose 3 kg, while men-5 for a specific amount of time.
Men utilize diets far less than women that’s why they lose weight easier.
Science demonstrates that women have different dietary needs than men.
Males are larger and stronger than women, thus even when trying to lose weight, they should not cut their daily calorie intake below 1600-1800 calories. Diets of 1400 to 1500 calories per day are recommended for women who wish to lose weight.
Hormonal imbalance can occur if a woman does not take the necessary precautions, such as increasing her intake of iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamins D, B6, and B12.
Men require a diversified diet to gain more fibre, carotene, magnesium, vitamin B9, C, and E.
Golden guidelines of couple diets:
Be honest with your partner if you have cheated on the diet and commit to reaching the objectives you set after you have made the decision to do so.
-Do not compete.
Nutrition is not a contest. Men typically slim down more quickly than women. Do not chase periods no matter how slow the results seem.
Share a meal. The whole aim of the pair diet is to take the same meal. Even if you do not eat the same quantity, you receive the same meals, so cook together and enjoy the nutritious menu.
-Support each other
you will see that the most difficult thing is to give up when he/she is not close to you. If you find yourself succumbing to temptation, discuss it with your partner over the phone. And so, he or she will aid you in conquering it.
Controlling One’s Weight
For the sake of the lady:
Do not force yourself to lose weight. The pounds you shed too rapidly are the first to return. You shouldn’t rush to finish your diet just because your partner is doing theirs sooner. Do not stop loading up on the produce. Even if you’re on a strict diet, consuming the recommended five servings each day is still beneficial.
To him:
Don’t give up on the diet just because you’re seeing quick results. Your goal should be to permanently alter your relationship with food, both while dieting and afterwards. Reduce your consumption of permitted sweets, alcoholic beverages, and cheeses, and increase your water intake.
Some of the worst foods for your waistline
Despite our best efforts, it can seem as if famine due to overconsumption is an invisible trap. Even though we try to control what we eat and stick to strict diets, hunger always wins. To reduce weight, however, we need to train ourselves to respond appropriately to our bodies’ natural hunger cues.
Hunger is the body’s way of communicating with the brain that it needs more fuel. Learning to eat a little bit whenever we feel hungry can be our best ally. When dieting, hunger is the number one enemy since it causes us to eat far more than we need.
Some easy methods are outlined below for taming hunger pangs:
No time for breakfast, I see.
You are in such a rush to go to work that you pick up a fatty pastry on the way.
Prepare some porridge with low-fat milk as soon as you get up in the morning. Pick up an apple or banana to eat fast while driving.
You get some quick food because you don’t have time to cook.
As a precaution, stock up on protein bars. They’re comfy, stylish, and will keep you full thanks to their abundance of healthy fibre and protein.
Extreme fatigue sets in around 3 o’clock
Do you feel fatigued and need sugary snacks while at work?
So, if you find yourself feeling tired and run down in the afternoon, pack some raw almonds or dried fruit and snack on them. Nuts are a crucial part of any healthy eating plan.
Still hungry even if dinner won’t be for a while?
You’re already ravenous at 5 o’clock when you have a dinner reservation for 8?
Solution: A couple of hours before dinner eat a snack of yogurt, fruit, or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter for about 150 to 200 calories. It’ll be useful to you.
Visit the refrigerator instead of going to sleep late.
You decide that, even though it’s late and you’re hungry, you should eat something before going to bed.
Avoid reaching for the chocolate in the fridge by first snacking on something light, like yogurt or an apple. The best answer is to simply give up and head for bed. Recent research among middle-aged women found that 32 per cent of those who slept for roughly five hours were significantly more likely to gain weight suddenly than those who slept for at least seven hours per night. Thus, it is imperative that you receive plenty of quality sleep every night.
