TOP DIET TRENDS decoded
THE FOUR EATING PLANS ON EVERYONE’S LIPS
CSIRO LOW-CARB
A carb-heavy diet tends to lead to weight gain and messes with your energy and insulin levels. Enter CSIRO’s version of low-carb, a science-backed weight-loss formula that involves eating 50-70 grams of good-quality unrefined, low-GI carbs, plus adding more fat and some protein into your diet.
The expert says: “The CSIRO low-carb diet focuses on core nutrient-dense foods and delivers all essential vitamins, minerals, trace elements and plenty of fibre required for optimal health. This diet has great benefits for health as well as weight loss,” says Kate Save, accredited practicing dietician and founder of Be Fit Food.
Typical meal: Chicken and almond stir-fry.
MINDFUL EATING
Shovelling down a microwaved meal in front of The Goop Lab is the opposite of mindful eating, which is about slowing down and being fully attentive to your food – the way you shop, cook, prep and eat it. It also teaches you to better tune into your hunger cues.
The expert says: “This isn’t a diet, but it does encourage a sense of appreciation and awareness for the foods that nourish our bodies. The main benefits include increasing your enjoyment around food, improving digestion, and it promotes weight loss and can help reduce calorie intake,” says Save. Typical meal: Anything, as long as you put your phone away and concentrate on your meal.
THE SIRTFOOD DIET
This popular diet from 2016 is back in the headlines after Grammy-winning singer
Adele recently allegedly lost 45kg following it. No food or food groups are off limits. It focuses on upping your intake of ‘Sirt’ foods, which include strawberries, citrus fruits, apples, walnuts, parsley, kale, green tea, soy and dark chocolate – foods that are said to trigger ‘skinny’ genes in your body, called sirtuins. There are three stages to the diet, and the first involves drinking green juices and reducing calories to 1000 a day.
The expert says: “While sirtfoods do have anti-inflammatory properties, the research doesn’t support them having any extra benefits for weight loss,” says Robbie Clark, a dietitian and sports nutritionist. The diet book authors beg to differ.
Typical meal: Prawn stir-fry with buckwheat noodles.
THE FAST 800
Not for the faint-hearted, this rapid weight loss program, which involves eating 800 calories a day for the first few weeks to kickstart weight loss, is immensely popular. Dr Michael Mosley, author of The Fast 800 –and who brought us the 5:2 diet – is a worldwide phenomenon and thousands of people have lost weight and drastically improved their health with his methods.
The expert says: “This is backed by science. At some point though, you are going to want to switch to something which is more gradual and sustainable. This means switching from 800 calories every day to intermittent fasting, where you will be on 800 calories for a few days on the week – otherwise known as the 5:2 week,” says Save.
Typical meal: Mediterranean omelette.