Nobody wants to be unhappy with the way they look. Whether you want to shed unwanted pounds for that upcoming vacation to the beach or just for a healthier lifestyle, there are many diets out there that can help you achieve your goal of a slimmer, trimmer look.
Unfortunately, many of those diets are quick-fixes that only last for while. Before you know it, the pounds are back and youโre left wondering what you can possibly do to keep them off for good.
The good news is that thereโs plenty of diets that are lifestyle choices rather than a quick-fixes. Here are a few diets that take advantage of continuous good-eating habits that will help you lose weight and stay healthier for longer.
Top 5 Best Lifestyle Diets
Paleo Diet
The Paleo diet is a very popular lifestyle diet plan that stresses the simple diet of our ancestors. The easy rule of thumb is: if a caveman wouldnโt have eaten it, you shouldnโt either. The thinking goes that processed foods and eating large amounts of carbohydrates were not part of our early diet, so it probably should not be a part of any modern diet, either.
The best thing about the Paleo Diet is that it quickly cuts out many food items that are the major culprits of weight gain: refined sugars, dairy products and carbs. These are replaced with weight-healthy choices such as fish, poultry, red meat and fruits and vegetables.
The only drawback is that there is no set regimen for exercise, so to keep the pounds off, researchers recommend that you move as much as our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have and burn calories daily. Websites such as PaleoHacks can help you eat right and offer exercise tips for this diet.
Raw Diet
The Raw Diet is an admittedly high-effort diet, but the results can have you — and your scale — singing its praises.
With this diet, you can give your oven, microwave and even your stovetop a rest, as you will be eating mostly raw fruits, vegetables and grains. The driving idea behind this diet is that cooking foods destroys nutrients and naturally-occurring enzymes that your body needs to be healthy. Besides helping with weight loss, some researchers claim that the Raw Diet will alleviate headaches and allergies while boosting your memory and immune system.
The high effort with this diet comes with meal preparation. Sometimes raw foods can be linked to foodborne illnesses, so it is imperative that you wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming. Pre-packaged meals are also a big no-no with the Raw Diet, as many ingredients have been cooked during preparation. To be safe, only consume foods that you yourself have purchased and prepared.
Mayo Clinic Diet
Developed by one of the United Statesโ leading health groups, the Mayo Clinic Diet stresses breaking bad habits and forming new, better ones that can help you stay healthy and lose weight.
This diet has a helpful guide that will walk you through your first 15 days so you can get acclimated to the dietary demands. It focuses on restricting certain foods at first, but still allows unlimited snacking on certain items to help beginners ease into the diet.
With the Mayo Clinic Diet, no foods are off limits, per se: it works to make you mindful of calorie counts and developing good eating habits that you can stick with for as long as you would like. This is different than other diets that focus on a certain time period and then leave you to stick with it on your own.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet is consistently at the top of many nutritionistsโ lists for healthy dieting. The inhabitants of the Mediterranean are well-known for their longevity and health, and many researchers point to their diet as the reason.
Fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, seafood and fragrant spices are favored over red meat, saturated fat and sugar in this diet. Dairy products such as butter and yogurt can still be eaten and sweets can be enjoyed in moderation.
Red wine is also a big part of this diet if you enjoy alcohol, but always make sure that you are healthy enough to imbibe. The compounds in red wine have been shown to reduce cholesterol and obesity, and there is evidence that the antioxidants found in the beverage can fight disease.
There are plenty of diets around that promise to help you withย losing weight, but rather than a quick-fix, you should look for those that promote a healthy lifestyle that you can stick with for years to come.
Dukan Diet
The Dukan Diet was created by a French physician by the name of Pierre Dukan. The diet itself has been around for about 30 years and has recently become quiteย popular because of famed celebrities like Giselle Bundchen, Jennifer Lopez and even the likes of the gorgeous Kate Middleton. Each of them have raved about their success with the diet.
This diet works quickly because it is both high in protein and low in carbohydrates and fat. While the diet is restrictive in its beginning stages, you get immediate results which keeps you motivated. During phase 1 and 2 of the Dukan Diet, you are not allowed to eat any carbohydrates, sugar orย fats. It’s not as hard as you think though! By the time you get to phase 3 and 4 of the diet, carbs, sugars and fats are slowly allowed back into your diet. For more information about the Dukan Diet, click here.
