Summary of this blog
The blog explores various diet forms and their effectiveness in weight loss. It emphasizes that the best diet is individual and depends on personal preferences and circumstances. It introduces popular diets, including the Keto diet, Low Carb diet, Intermittent Fasting, DASH diet, HCG diet, Almased diet, and Low Fat diet.
The Keto diet highlights the importance of healthy fats and emphasizes minimal carbohydrate intake. Similar to the Keto diet, the Low Carb diet aims to reduce carbohydrates and has positive effects on body perception.
Intermittent Fasting focuses on specific eating windows, potentially benefiting the calorie deficit. The DASH diet, initially designed to lower blood pressure, promotes the consumption of vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains.
The HCG diet, controversial and banned in Germany, involves a drastic calorie reduction and administration of the pregnancy hormone HCG. Almased diet relies on shakes as meal replacements, while the Low Fat diet restricts fat intake.
The blog warns of health risks associated with certain diets and underscores the importance of individually tailored, long-term dietary changes. It addresses the yo-yo effect after diets and emphasizes the significance of a calorie deficit for success.
In conclusion, it states that the best diet is one that can be customized individually and sustained in the long run. Frequently asked questions about diets are also addressed.
End of summary
If someone wants to lose weight, they cannot avoid the term "diet" during the preparation. Often, people give up as soon as they hear the word. The majority avoids it, believing that a diet is always associated with significant sacrifices and strict control.
What the term actually means and why exclusively a "diet" leads to success in fat loss is explained in this blog. Additionally, the most common and effective diets are introduced and compared.
The most popular diets
The term "diet" comes from Ancient Greek and means "way of life," initially having nothing to do with deprivation. However, many interpret it incorrectly, associating a diet with a radical lifestyle change.
Today, diets are mostly used to lose excess pounds. When researching on the internet, one comes across various suggestions that often obscure the essentials.
Every form of nutrition or diet certainly has its justification. Whether based on personal experiences or scientifically proven diets, few people keep their successes secret. Therefore, it often happens that a low-carb diet works for some, while others opt for a low-fat diet.
The best adjustment of nutrition to one's own lifestyle can be determined based on the following overview of the most popular diets. Probably, the saying "trial and error" applies here as well.
Keto Diet
The ketogenic diet is especially suitable for individuals who consume a lot of meat and dairy products. By almost completely avoiding carbohydrates, the keto diet is a more extreme form of the low-carb diet, with a special focus on healthy fats.
The key is the proper distribution of macronutrients in the ketogenic diet. Many people mistakenly believe that proteins should be the main focus. However, in the keto diet, it is crucial to place a high value on healthy fats from nuts, avocados, meat, fish, and plant oils.
These fats should constitute about 70% of the consumed calories, while proteins should be 20%, and carbohydrates should be 10%.
Low Carb Diet
The low-carb diet aims to consume as few carbohydrates as possible. There are many variations of this diet. Essentially, it involves a reduction of carbohydrates, similar to the keto diet. While in the ketogenic diet, only 30-50 grams of carbohydrates are allowed, in a standard low-carb diet, it can be up to 150 grams.
Many studies confirm the positive effects of a low-carb diet on body perception. Visceral fat is supposed to disappear more quickly due to reduced carbohydrate intake, blood sugar levels remain more stable, and intuitive eating becomes easier with clearer (non-)hunger feelings, while water retention decreases.
A strict form of the low-carb diet is the Atkins diet, where only up to 20 grams of carbohydrates per day are allowed, making it challenging to adhere to this nutritional approach. It is also controversial in terms of health, as deficiencies can occur.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is not about adhering to specific ratios of macronutrients but rather adhering to specific time frames for eating.
There are different forms of intermittent fasting, such as the 16:8 diet, where nothing is eaten for 16 hours straight, or the 5:2 diet, where fasting occurs on two days a week. Intermittent fasting has particularly positive effects on calorie deficit. By having longer periods without food intake, it is easier to maintain this deficit.
DASH Diet
The Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a long-term dietary change originally developed to lower high blood pressure. In addition to its blood pressure-lowering effect, the change can also contribute to effective weight loss.
It is important to largely avoid animal products, salt, and sugar in the DASH diet. In the DASH diet, one should rather opt for plenty of vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, whole grains, fish, and unprocessed foods. However, there are no fixed guidelines or numbers for this nutritional change.
HCG Diet
The HCG diet is a strict and controversial diet for women. During the dietary change, a maximum of 500 calories per day is consumed. At the same time, women are administered the pregnancy hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), either through injections, tablets, or drops.
The positive effects of HCG on weight loss have not been proven to date. It is logical that women lose weight because they consume only a fraction of their caloric needs. This likely leads to a long-term yo-yo effect, where the body retrieves the required energy in double measure.
In addition to the hormone for triggering ovulation and extreme calorie reduction, women must also strictly avoid alcohol and sugar. Due to the potentially dangerous consequences of HCG, this method is controversial and purely prohibited for weight loss in Germany.
Almased Diet
Almased gained recognition through the practice of replacing meals with shakes. (Source: Oksana Mizina/Shutterstock.com)
The idea of a drink for the dream figure may seem enticing at first glance. Almased is considered a pioneer among diet beverages in the German market. Depending on the timeframe, the protein-rich shake will replace either all meals or only one to two meals per day.
In addition to the not particularly pleasant taste, the effect is dubious, as fewer calories are consumed anyway. Since it is a short-term diet that can significantly restrict lifestyle, the possibility of a yo-yo effect also exists.
Low Fat Diet
In this diet form, a maximum of 30% of the daily calories may come from fat. (Source: Ekaterina Kondratova/Shutterstock.com)
The Low Fat Diet can be seen as the opposite of the Low Carb Diet, where as many healthy fats as possible are consumed. In the Low Fat Diet, a maximum of 30% fat per day is allowed.
The effectiveness of the Low Fat Diet is mainly based on the fact that fat contains more than twice as many calories per gram as proteins or carbohydrates. Therefore, it is easier to maintain a defined calorie deficit with a Low Fat Diet.
Info
- Carbohydrates: 4.1 kcal per 1 gram
- Protein: 4.1 kcal per 1 gram
- Fat: 9.3 kcal per 1 gram
- (Alcohol: 7 kcal per 1 gram)
Although many swear by long-term success and a more balanced diet with the Low Fat Diet, the success of this nutritional approach has not been scientifically proven without confirmation of a calorie deficit.
Health risks
Some of the mentioned dietary practices carry certain dangers. Especially in the case of health impairments, a restrictive diet should be discontinued or at least continued in a milder form. In such cases, the body requires sufficient energy to combat pathogens.
By the way: Physical activities should also be significantly reduced during a period of illness to prevent chronic diseases. After the necessary rest period, one can then restart.
Low Carb dietary practices often face criticism due to the increased fat content; according to doctors, fats, especially in pregnant women, older individuals, and those with cardiovascular problems, could clog arteries. Additionally, a long-term overdose of protein is said to be harmful to liver and kidney values.
Pregnant women should thoroughly research before embarking on a diet or dietary change. In general, significant weight loss during pregnancy is not advisable or necessary. The focus here is primarily on the health of the baby.
Weight loss should only be pursued in consultation with a doctor. Otherwise, it is always advisable and healthy to maintain a balanced and fresh diet.
Yo-yo effect after diet
Certainly, the yo-yo effect is familiar to anyone who has started and possibly prematurely ended a diet. This effect describes the rapid weight gain after a restrictive dietary change. Often, the final weight is even higher than before the start of the diet.
Such failure naturally affects the psyche. Those affected are often demotivated and cannot determine where the mistake in the dietary change occurred. The reasons for a yo-yo effect are usually similar.
In a short-term, highly intensive reduction diet, the body is supplied with very little energy within a short period. Often, this period is too short, and the calorie deficit is too high. The result is a general decrease in the basal metabolic rate as well as the loss of water and muscles.
When transitioning back to normal food intake after a crash diet, the body, due to the low energy intake, can no longer process it properly. Consumed food is therefore directly stored in the fat depots, leading to renewed weight gain.
So which diet is the best?
What the best diet in the world is will probably always remain open. As mentioned earlier, lifestyle, dietary habits, and individual goals play a role. Nevertheless, it can be stated that any dietary change - provided it is carried out correctly - can lead to short- or long-term success
The best diet for a person is the one that they can sustain in the long run. Especially when a dietary change is viewed as a long-term alteration, success is only possible if the diet aligns with one's own habits.
For lovers of bread, pasta, and rice, a low-carb diet is probably not suitable. Conversely, fans of cheese may not be satisfied with a low-fat diet. Even short-term diets with shakes or hormone supplements do not particularly support long-term success without a yo-yo effect.
Caloric Deficit Leads to Success
It is the secret of success, and yet some may close their eyes to this fact and hope to lose the maximum weight with minimal effort. Nevertheless, one method for weight loss is guaranteed to be the most promising: the caloric deficit.
"Anyone who consumes less energy than they expend will lose weight."
There is certainly something to this well-known statement. If the daily caloric intake is below the calculated calorie requirement for an extended period, weight loss will occur over time. The optimal distribution of nutrients, minerals, and macronutrients still improves bodily functions and contributes to fat reduction.
Frequently asked questions about diet
Which dietary approach is optimal?
In general, this question cannot be definitively answered. The most suitable dietary approach is definitely not one that promises quick results, as the yo-yo effect usually sets in rapidly. It is advisable to choose the dietary approach according to personal preferences to maintain it over the long term. An overview of possible dietary forms can be found in this blog.
Which dietary approach actually produces results?
Practically all dietary approaches can contribute to (short-term) weight reduction. However, the most efficient method is always a healthy and balanced diet with a calorie deficit of 300-500 kcal.
How can one best stick to a dietary change?
The best strategy is to choose a dietary approach that aims for a long-term transition. Therefore, the choice of the dietary approach should be based on one's own eating habits and capabilities to minimize restrictions.
Which dietary approach is right for me?
That is individual; if you prefer a mixed diet and enjoy balanced eating, the principles of the DASH diet or various forms of the Low Carb diet may suit you. For vegetarians and vegans, it might be easier to adhere to a low-fat diet.
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