What Success?
Keto, Atkins, Slimming World, High Protein, 5:2, Low Carb, IIFYM, Low Fat, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian…
There are so many diets out there, which ones work, which don’t?
The answer to both questions is ALL OF THEM.
I know, thats no help at all…Sorry!
Let’s look at each of them individually and the impact of how they affect you and I-the non athlete.
Low Carb, Atkins, Keto, High Protein.
I have banded these together as they are all following the same principle to achieve fat loss.
The principle of all these diets is to increase Protein (potentially up to 1.5g/Lb bodyweight), whilst simultaneously dramatically lowering Carbohydrate intake to below 30g. This would mean Carbs are coming pretty much from Veggies, most fruit would take you over 30g allowance.
From experience both for myself and from clients whom have tried it, it works very well where I have seen an average weight loss of 5-7Lb in just the first week!!!
Whilst that sounds great, taking your carbs down to zero takes both meal planning and patience. A lot of people find going very low Carb a very uncomfortable experience.
I would recommend that should you use it I have found that using the system for 7-21 days would create some great weight loss.
Gluten Free, Diary Free, Wheat Free
Not necessarily a diet per se, but it is a strategy many people employ. These have been shown to have some effect on weight loss but on a very individual level. Any potential weight loss would be based upon how much of a particular food you remove from a diet, i.e. removing bread from your diet if you eat toast at breakfast followed by a sandwich at lunch.
I would suggest that these diets only be employed on the recommendation of a nutritional or medical professional.
5:2
The 5:2 diet uses a calorie counting system by which for 5 days you eat 2000Kcal and for the remaining 2 days of the week eat just 500Kcal each day.
The principle is that overall you have eaten 11000Kcal across the week, meaning a daily average of 1571Kcal.
Weight Loss Clubs
As an overview of them all, they will have guidelines that allow you to eat a range of foods but you have to manage your overall consumption of certain foods individually and as groups. Some will use a traffic light system, points, or Sins system.
The beauty of these weight loss clubs is the element of community that they offer, they come with an inbuilt support system both in a group leader, providing education but also the other people in the club provide a support community for you.
IIFYM-If It Fits Your Macros
So this system takes a bit more work initially, first off you figure out your daily calorie intake. You can also calculate your Protein/ Carbohydrate / Fat intake based upon your bodyweight.
Once these calculations are made you can then eat the foods you want up to your individual calculated calorie intake.
So which is best? Is it any of these?
Do you need your own strategy?
The best will be the one that you can best adhere to for the long term.
I feel that most people go about the 'diet' game the wrong way. I believe there is too much hype around diets achieving a rapid weight loss and marketed based upon the best result each diet has produced and not including an overall success rate, i.e. how many people have achieved their target weight loss and kept to it.
Surely if you do lose any weight you want it stay off? So why follow a diet plan for 6 months, at which point you return your original diet that gave you your pre diet weight in the first place.
Of all the diets listed above in my experience the most sustainable diet is the IIFYM. This works long term because you can eat the foods you like and just have to control the amounts. The concept does not lend itself to demonising any foods or food groups so nothing is off limits, providing there is no individual medical condition.
To get you started there are some great calorie counters out there such as www.myfitnesspal.com or www.iifym.com
If you do work out your calorie intake and breakdown, why not share your stats here on the Darren Carroll-PT Facebook page and ask any questions if you are unsure of anything.
Otherwise share what diet works for you and an insight into why you think it could help others.
Eat well,
Darren.
So which is best? Is it any of these?
Do you need your own strategy?
The best will be the one that you can best adhere to for the long term.
I feel that most people go about the 'diet' game the wrong way. I believe there is too much hype around diets achieving a rapid weight loss and marketed based upon the best result each diet has produced and not including an overall success rate, i.e. how many people have achieved their target weight loss and kept to it.
Surely if you do lose any weight you want it stay off? So why follow a diet plan for 6 months, at which point you return your original diet that gave you your pre diet weight in the first place.
Of all the diets listed above in my experience the most sustainable diet is the IIFYM. This works long term because you can eat the foods you like and just have to control the amounts. The concept does not lend itself to demonising any foods or food groups so nothing is off limits, providing there is no individual medical condition.
To get you started there are some great calorie counters out there such as www.myfitnesspal.com or www.iifym.com
If you do work out your calorie intake and breakdown, why not share your stats here on the Darren Carroll-PT Facebook page and ask any questions if you are unsure of anything.
Otherwise share what diet works for you and an insight into why you think it could help others.
Eat well,
Darren.
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