The six most effective diets to lose weight and lose weight in a healthy way
Summer is coming and you want to show off your little body in the pool or on the beach. These are the regimens with which you can best achieve it
It is a classic when diets begin and there is no specialist who does not emphasize it. Nutritionists are very insistent that the key to a good diet is that it be "moderate, varied and balanced." To lose weight, it is enough to follow a series of guidelines, and prioritize some foods over others, but most mortals also need a specific menu: a well-regulated one that ensures success.
So that your diet does not limp and you are informed of false myths, we recommend the following book: 'My diet no longer limps: The practical guide to eating healthy without complications'. New diets appear every year, but not all are recommended. In general, for a diet to be effective for weight loss, but also safe, it cannot be too strict. But, in addition, something must be adapted to our tastes, otherwise it will be very easy for us to go beyond it and end up eating more than we should.
It is difficult to make a selection of the best (although there are many that are not recommended, there are also many of proven effectiveness), but these three have the support of prestigious institutions and scientists and a large group of people who have carried them out successfully. .
1. The Mayo Clinic Diet
The Mayo Clinic is one of the most prestigious private hospital companies in the world, well known for its powerful research work. The institution's nutritionists developed a standardized diet that they recommend to patients to lose weight, but also to maintain a healthy diet over time.
To follow the diet correctly, you must practice 30 minutes of intense exercise a day
It is an excellent diet as a maintenance regimen, as it is very complete and safe, although it does not allow you to lose weight as quickly as other plans. No nutrient is eliminated but, as in most weight loss plans, the intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains prevails.
The goal of the Mayo Clinic diet is to help you lose excess weight and find a way to eat that you can maintain for life. It focuses on changing your daily routine by adding or breaking habits that can make a difference to your weight, like eating more fruits and vegetables, not eating while watching TV, and exercising for 30 minutes a day.
In the initial phase of the diet, which lasts two weeks, you can lose between 2.7 and 4.5 kilos. This is a typical scheme of a daily menu, which contains 1,200 calories. In this stage, you focus on lifestyle habits that are related to weight. You learn to adopt five healthy habits, to abandon five bad ones and to incorporate another five. This stage can help you see some quick results (a psychological lift).
Breakfast
- A skimmed yogurt and a piece of fruit.
- 1/2 cup of oatmeal cooked with one of milk and two tablespoons of raisins, 1/4 of mango and a drink without calories.
Food
A pasta salad made with one can of tuna, four cups of cooked pasta, two cups of diced carrots and zucchini, four tablespoons of low-calorie mayonnaise, and one orange.
Quinoa Sweet Potato Pies, Tossed Salad with Fat Free Dressing, and a Calorie Free Beverage.
Dinner
- One-third of a 12-inch cheese pizza.
- A green salad made with a half cup of sliced tomato, red onion, and mushrooms. And two tablespoons of dressing.
- 1 pita pizza, 3/4 cup mixed fruit, and a zero-calorie beverage
Snack between the three meals
- An Apple.
- 1 cup of bell peppers in strips and 2 tablespoons of hummus.
2. The Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet is the traditional diet that has the greatest scientific support and we all know what it consists of: a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains, legumes and olive oil, and low in red meat, sugars and saturated fats . But, in addition, an important component is the practice of exercise. Since it is the diet that was used in our country until not long ago, it is very easy to follow. But we must bear in mind that what we can understand today as the "Mediterranean diet" does not always correspond to what scientists understand as such.
New diets always appear, but not all are recommended. For one to be effective for weight loss, it cannot be too strict.
The Predimed study carried out in Spain, for example, concluded in an investigation published in 'The New England Journal of Medicine' that a Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts and extra virgin olive oil reduces the possibility of dying from an accident by 30% cardiovascular. New research published today in the 'International Journal of Epidemiology', however, nuances the universal goodness of mixing fruits, vegetables, fish, cereals, legumes and olive oil, and adds a forgotten nuance for this diet to be truly effective: have money or belong to the upper class.
Use olive oil. It is the most used oil in Mediterranean cuisine. It is a food rich in vitamin E, beta-carotene and monounsaturated fatty acids that give it cardioprotective properties. This food represents a treasure within this regimen and has lasted through centuries among regional gastronomic customs, giving the dishes a unique flavor and aroma.
Low-processed, fresh and seasonal foods are the most suitable. It is important to take advantage of seasonal products since, especially in the case of fruits and vegetables, it allows us to consume them at their best, both in terms of nutrient contribution and because of their aroma and flavor.
This could be a daily menu:
Breakfast
- A coffee with milk.
- A slice of bread with olive oil.
- A glass of fresh orange juice.
Appetizer
- A piece of fruit.
Food
- Stewed lentils.
- Meatballs with peas and carrot.
- Strawberries with cream.
Afternoon snack
- Fresh cheese with honey.
Dinner
- Mixed salad.
- Baked fish with baked potato.
- A yogurt.
3. The DASH diet
The DASH diet responds to the acronym 'Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension' ("dietary approach to stop hypertension") and, as its name suggests, it was developed by the US National Institute of Health as a specific diet to treat patients with high blood pressure. . Although it was not born as a slimming diet, it does serve that purpose.
Saturated fats, refined sugars and carbohydrates are practically prohibited
It is a very varied diet in which the intake of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy prevails. Whole grains, meat, fish and legumes are also consumed, but in a more restricted way. Saturated fats, refined sugars and carbohydrates are practically prohibited. The diet is accompanied by a plan of physical exercise activities and reduces alcohol consumption to a minimum. Since it is a diet especially recommended to treat hypertension, salt is limited to the point where our stews begin to taste something.
This could be a daily menu:
Breakfast
- Wholemeal turkey and tomato sandwich.
- An orange.
- A green tea.
Appetizer
- Pineapple.
Food
- Grilled pork loin with brown rice and beans.
- A lettuce salad.
Afternoon snack
- Carrot sticks
Dinner
- Pasta with natural tomato and mussels.
- Sugar free gelatin.
Flexitarian diet
The term of this regimen refers to those people who base their diet on a vegetarian diet but occasionally, and for whatever reason, consume some products of animal origin such as shellfish, fish or poultry. Some will think that then everyone falls under this concept, but it is not. Their diet is based on a green diet and the consumption of animal origin is occasional or exceptional. What defines it is the frequency of this type of food intake.
It emphasizes the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and vegetable proteins, which replace those that meat would provide, although the diet also allows the consumption of eggs and dairy products. Meat as such is only added in very small amounts as an ingredient in pasta dishes or salads.
Power diet
The University of Newcastle, in Australia, has presented a slimming program designed only for men and they have baptized it as Workplace POWER, an acronym for Preventing Obesity Whitout Eating Like a Rabbit ('Prevent obesity without eating like a rabbit'). "Many men do not recognize that they are overweight," explains in 'The Sidney Morning Herald' one of the creators of the diet, Professor Philip Morgan. "Having a belly does not seem to be a problem when all your colleagues have one. Being fat has normalized among men because 70% are obese or overweight."
Here are his top tips:
- Breakfast. Be generous with it and never skip it. Avoid high glycemic index foods and eat protein, which will keep you full for longer. Eggs are always a good option.
- Food. Salads and leftovers from whatever you make for dinner are always a good option. If for any reason you have to eat out, try to choose healthy options, such as vegetable sandwiches. Try to always eat fruit and avoid sugary drinks.
- Dinner. Think about the proportions of your food: half should be vegetables, a quarter meat and another carbohydrate.
Always bring food from home to avoid eating too high-calorie foods from fast food establishments and vending machines. Always read the labels of what you are going to eat and take into account its calories to avoid exceeding your daily requirements. It's the best way to make sure you're not gaining weight. Think before you eat. You don't have to give up the drinks and foods you like, you just have to reduce your intake of the most caloric ones a little and introduce healthier options. Move on. Stand up and walk as much as you can. Every step counts if you're trying to lose weight. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park further away and walk. Moving is the best way to meet your goals as soon as possible.
TLC diet
It was designed by the US National Institute of Health, although this time as a diet to treat cholesterol. Once again, the experts have considered that it is an ideal diet for all types of profiles, as it is “very healthy, complete and safe”. It is a regimen with an approach based on "do it yourself": it is very flexible but requires a great commitment, since it is not as scheduled as other diets. The key to the plan lies in reducing the consumption of fats to a minimum, in particular saturated fats (whole dairy products, fried foods, fatty meats...). For the rest, the consumption of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, fish and chicken (without the skin) prevails.
