Diet plans for you
Select a diet & know the benefits behind a long-term change in lifestyle
Several food diets trend on social media at given time thanks to celebrities, influencers, and health gurus extolling the diet’s virtues, and as a result, many avid diet fans are left confused about which food regime is best for them.
First of all, before you pick a diet that sounds good and start changing your eating habits, talk to an expert, advises Sirine Abu Zeineh — nutritionist, fitness trainer, health and nutrition blogger.
When choosing a new eating plan, for the right reasons, one should add, another important fact to consider is that it should a maintainable diet.
Not for a specified period
“The word diet doesn’t mean that it is to be done only for a specific period of time. I recommend that the changes to be made should be considered as a longterm lifestyle change. This will allow the person to see the real benefits of the diet,” said Zeineh.
Initially, when changing eating habits, individuals will most likely see a drop in weight especially if they are going into a more restrictive lifestyle as many food items will be cut out. However, none of these trending diets (Vegan, Gluten-free, Raw diet, Keto, Paleo, Omnivore) are made for weight loss or guarantee weight loss, said Zeineh.
She pointed out that what determines if a diet is healthy or good for weight loss is its “nutritional value, portion sizes, and overall calorie intake.”
Almost all diets have their own food restrictions and require preplanning, she said.
“Being an omnivore means that all foods are available to be included in the diet and the person has a wide range of options to pick from and a lower risk of missing out on nutrients as comapred to other diets. On the other hand, Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free or Raw food diets are restrictive with guidelines that control what the person can, and cannot, eat,” explained Zeineh.
A potential dieter must also individual consider the price tag that comes with some diets.
For instance, diets that call for specific food items can be expensive in the long run. “While whole foods are not what rack up the bill at the grocery store, diet-approved replacements are expensive such as: vegan cheese, gluten-free pasta and so on,” said Zeineh.
However, these diet-approved replacements are not the only options. “Many things can be made at home from scratch and made in bigger batches. Individuals can also get their fresh produce from the market instead of the supermarket; cheaper meat cuts straight from the butcher,” added Zeineh.
Listen to your body
She pointed out that it’s often difficult to single out a diet as the perfect food regime, simply because people’s bodies are different.
“A recommendation should be made on an individual basis. I am a big believer in listening to your body. It’s important to eat everything in moderation and read about the diet before trying it out,” she said.
Zeineh also advised people to ensure they select a diet that they would enjoy, highlighting that “food is a pleasure and a medicine.
“Long-term diets can teach you a lot about your body and what works for it and what does not.
“They can also teach you what the best nutrient sources are, how to portion control and read labels, which are all skills that everyone should have. People who stick to diets and a certain lifestyle have great self-control, which is also important to have with regard to food,” she added.