Dieting isn’t just about weight loss. More importantly It’s also about healthy living and quality of life.
Years ago dieting was primarily about weight loss and not much else but these days people know that there are many more benefits to dieting than just that.
As the old saying goes “you are what you eat” and this is most definitely true. We have featured here information on diets that can also improve your quality of life as well as assist with weight loss. Traditional diets have been superseded as modern research shows more clearly what your body needs and what it doesn’t.
It is vital though for you to experiment with different diets and see which one works best for you. Each person has a unique make up and what is good for the goose isn’t necessarily good for the gander. So be sure to read carefully so you can choose for yourself which diet suits you best.
1: The Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet is named after it’s main promoter and inventor Robert Atkins. It is a low-carbohydrate diet based on the principle that limiting the consumption of carbohydrates in turn promotes healthy living and especially weight loss. You can get more in depth information about the specifics of the diet in this great article by Allison Klein of howstuffworks.com.
2: The Raw Food Diet
This one became popular in the states after it was mentioned in the blockbusting tv show “sex in the city”. As the name suggests it is a diet based on the intake of raw or unprocessed foods as well as those which are unprocessed and organic. The diet also promotes the consumption of wild foods such as rice and includes lots of sprouted whole grains, nuts and seeds. Non-pasteurized and non-homogenized dairy products are also favored.
3: The Macrobiotic Diet
Interestingly and some would say poignantly the word macrobiotic comes from “macro” meaning long and “bios/t” meaning life. Advocates of this diet say just that it does just that, keeping you healthy and promoting a long life. For the most part it discourages highly processed or refined foods and favors eating grains as the main staple along with fresh vegetables. The diet suggests whole grain cereals only, Pulses, seaweed and plenty of fruit and vegetables.
4: The South Beach Diet
The south beach diet is adapted from the Ornish diet and Pritikin diets which were popular in the 1980’s. The diet plan itself was originally developed to prevent heart disease but became popular after it became clear that it was also great for those wanting to lose weight. It’s main philosophy is switching bad carbs for good carbs and bad fats for good fats. Egg yolks are a big no-no as are all foods containing high cholesterol. For further information about the south beach diet check out this great article on health.com.
5: The Zone Diet
A variation of the Atkins diet, the zone diet was created by Barry Sears and is a very popular diet in Hollywood. It certainly promotes the low intake of carbs but is not as strict as the Atkins. The suggested balance is 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% Fat all within only 2 meals and 3 snacks per day. It is a lifestyle diet for sure and promotes alertness and a sense of well being. Typically diets come in fads and the zone diet is a perfect example of this with the media and Hollywood celebrities making it ever more popular.
6: The Paleo Diet
One of the newer diets around the Paleo or “caveman” diet is gaining popularity, fast! Based on the principle that all grains, pulses and dairy products are detrimental for humans and should not be consumed, in other words bird food! Paleo is also known as the caveman diet as the food eaten is based on what cavemen would have eaten before the advent of processed and refined foods. Things like eggs, poultry, meat and certain natural oils are fine. Anything that requires processing, even corn and peas as they are dry when raw are out. It’s not the easiest diet to keep but if you have the right items in your kitchen and the correct discipline it’s a winner!
