“How to find a diet that works for you?"

“How to find a diet that works for you?"

A wide range of diets exist out there but how does one realize which diet would be the right fit for you? With so many options to choose from it gets confusing as to which diet one must opt for. By reading this you will be able to find which diet is effective and nutritious for you.

Factors To Consider When Choosing A Diet

            ◊  The Diet You can stick to

According to experts the best diet plan is the one that you can stick by. It does not matter how effective or how fast the diet helps you lose weight. Chances are you might regain the weight as fast as you lose it. Instead of focusing on the fastest diet, choose the diet that you won't have any qualms with following.
The problem with quick diets is that they are usually not reliable and you gain the weight as soon as you lose it. This is why intermittent fasting is so popular; it's a whole lifestyle as opposed to a single diet plan and pretty sustainable too. 

For an individual to lose weight the basic formula that nutritionists recommend is less intake of calories and burning more. But the problem is how one identifies how sustainable a diet is. They're usually characterized by a slow but steady loss of weight, backed by research, exercise, and controlling one's food portion with foods from a variety of groups.

                ◊  Does it Compliment Your Lifestyle?

Whatever diet you choose consider whether it compliments your eating and exercise habits. Consider intaking foods that fulfill you so as to minimize food cravings so as not to start overeating and have adverse effects.

◊  Eating Style

If you live a lifestyle that requires you to travel and you struggle to make dinner for yourself chances are this diet won't be the right fit for you. Things you might want to consider include; household eating patterns, traveling patterns, cooking habits, snacking and meal timings, etc

◊  Exercise

Some plans require you to spend long hours in the gym whereas some require the bare minimum. If you are a beginner it probably won't be wise to follow a diet plan that recommends rigorous exercise. Select a program where you can gradually move to the hard stuff.

◊  Consider Sustainability

As mentioned above do consider how long you can follow through with the diet? If chances are that you'll leave it on the first day, don't bother with it.

◊  Preparation And Affordability

Consider if you'll be able to afford or prepare the said meals. Does the diet require you to prepare unrealistic portioned meals? Will it be difficult for you to prepare long meals due to long working hours?

◊  Diets that Increase Healthy Habits

Another factor to consider is going for a diet that improves every aspect of your lifestyle and decreases your bad habits. Opt for a diet that minimizes bad habits. For instance intermittent fasting makes you drink more water and since your fasting you wont binge on snacks.

To conclude, don't just start practicing a diet just because your friend or co-worker is trying it out. Do your research because the thing that works for one person won't work for the other.  

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“How has Covid-19 changed the way we eat?”

“How has Covid-19 changed the Way we Eat?"

We are all aware that the global pandemic Covid-19 took the world by storm causing drastic changes. Among these changes was altering our lifestyles; the way we eat, the way we live, the way we sleep, the way we function, and the way we shop for necessities. Our nutrition intake was also an aspect that has been altered by this pandemic.

 

The Shifts Observed in Food Trends Due to Covid-19

According to approximately 1170 registered nutritionists, the focus of nutrition trends has changed in health and immunity due to the pandemic. This focus will also change how the food and nutrition industry has operated for so long. The rise and popularity of foods that enhance one’s immunity and nutrition trends of 2022 further support this claim. Following are the diets that will and have been trending due to Covid-19:

◊                Increase in Plant-based Diets

Plant-based diets focus on foods that are minimally processed and come from plants. These include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, etc. Although the diet is not new, the rise of covid made people more aware of their eating habits making this popular among many. This diet does not imply that all you need to eat are vegetables and you will have to turn vegan. That would be a nightmare for many! But rather it lets you incorporate at least fifty percent of your meals with plant-based foods. The rest you can opt as you [lease, The end goal however is to add more plant-based foods to your diet.

◊                Increase in Consumption of Foods Good For Your Immune System

Due to the pandemic, the buying of supplements was observed to increase. Seeing this buying behaviour of consumers many nutritionists opinion that people will shift their eating habits to foods that are nutrient-rich and will improve their immunity. Instead of taking supplements they will  This is because trends show consumer buying behaviour will be determined by taste, convenience, focus on health, and taste. The demand for innovative medicinal products for health was also seen to sharply rise during the Covid time period. The use of cannabis and hemp to make medicinal products; tinctures, oils, creams, and supplements is one such instance.

◊                More focus on Fat and Lowered Carbohydrate Intake

Diets such as the Keto diet involving high fat intake and lowering of carbohydrates, although not new, has observed to capture a magnanimous consumer interest leading many nutritionists to believe this will be a diet that is here to stay.

◊                Intermittent Fasting

A diet being practiced for centuries and in various religions also gained popularity for weight loss very recently. Due to it not involving any complicated calorie measurements and many influencers of YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok also undertaking it. This diet gave showed grave results and its simplicity is what makes it easy to follow making nutritionists believe this diet will stay.

◊                Healthy Snacks

The pandemic has made the consumer more health and diet conscious. Therefore, healthy snacking habits will also be seen on a rise according to nutritionists. Healthy snacking options include foods such as berries, strawberries, seeds, chia, hemp, melon, sunflower, avocados, green tea, etc.

Therefore many diet trends have changed, and many have re-emerged and will be seen to be followed by consumers. You should also jump the bandwagon and start to incorporate these diets for a better and healthier you!

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“Intermittent Fasting: A miracle diet?”

“Intermittent Fasting: A miracle diet?”

Fed up with restricting certain food groups? Constantly worrying about what you’re going to eat? How many carbs? How much protein should you eat? Intermittent fasting is the solution to your problem folks. Being able to diet and not have to scrutinize everything you eat sounds like a dream, right? Well, it’s not.

The solution to your problem exists, Intermittent fasting. What exactly is it you ask?  A trend that took the internet by storm. A time-restricted eating pattern. It does not entail what foods you need to look out for but rather tells you when you should eat them.

 

How does it work?

If you looking to try it out, there are several methods you can undertake. All of these involve splitting you’re eating schedules.

Sixteen to Eight Method: 

This involves skipping one of your meals; breakfast, lunch, or dinner restricting your eating to eight hours only. The great thing about this is you can choose whatever time suits you the best! You then proceed to fast for 16 hours where you are allowed to only drink water.

 

Eat-Stop-Eat: 

This pattern requires you to restrict your eating for 24 hours. Then eating the next day. You can do these two to three times a week according to your preference.

 

  Five to Two Diet: 

This requires you to restrict your eating to limited calories (500-600) for two days and follow the same routine of eating for the remaining five days.
Since the basic principle of weight loss is to maintain a calorie deficit, this seems to work out for many people. Unless you start eating to compensate for what you did not eat in the restricted eating periods, this will work out for you.

Since the 16 to 8 method is relatively easy many people tend to opt for this. However, if this still is too tough some people start with a 14 to 10 restricted pattern.

 

How Beneficial is it?

  Not only aids in weight loss but improves metabolic health

Weight loss is a goal that it achieves but metabolic health improvement is one of its benefits as well. By improving your metabolism your blood pressure and sugar levels are also maintained. 

 Simple and Healthy Lifestyle Change

With the beneficial health effects that it brings this is a healthy lifestyle change as well. You feel yourself needing to prepare fewer meals saving you effort and time. Clarity of mind is another beneficial aspect it brings.

 Helps with Reducing Diseases

Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve insulin resistance and inflammation. Research says it improves cardiac health, and brain health and has anti-aging effects.

Practiced in Religion and History

                                                  

Throughout history, ancient hunter-gathers could not find anything to eat so they used to fast. They did not have methods to store food which is primarily why. Many religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism also have incorporated fasting in their religious practices.

 

Should you try it out?

After all this discussion, it all comes to if you should try this out or not. I have tried this and have seen reinvigorating results. The mental clarity, less hunger, and refreshed feeling can match no words. I’d simply rate it a 10 out of a 10. However, it requires discipline therefore it might not work for everyone.

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The Keto Diet ; A Fad or Here to Stay?

The Keto Diet ; A Fad or Here to Stay?

Finding the nearly ceaseless commercialization of weight-loss programs and diet programs perplexing? We'll focus on various popular diets and look at the data that backs them up.

The ketogenic or "keto" diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet program that has been used to treat various medical issues for ages. The ketogenic diet was widely utilized to help treat diabetes in the nineteenth century. It was launched in 1920 as a successful therapy for epilepsy in children who had failed to respond to medicines. The ketogenic diet has also been used to treat cancer, diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease in carefully regulated conditions.

Due to the low-carb diet trend that began in the 1970s with the Atkins diet, this diet is garnering a lot of interest as a possible weight-loss method (a very low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet, which was a commercial success and popularized low-carb diets to a new level). Other low-carb diets, including the Paleo, South Beach, and Dukan, are rich in protein but low in fat today. The ketogenic diet, on the other hand, is distinguished by its very high-fat content, often 70 percent to 80 percent, despite just a moderate protein consumption.

◊      HOW DOES IT WORK?

The ketogenic diet for weight reduction is based on the idea that by depriving the body of glucose, which is the major source of energy for all cells in the body and is obtained by ingesting carbohydrate meals, an alternative fuel called ketones is created from stored fat (thus the word "keto"-genic). Because it cannot retain glucose, the brain requires the most glucose in a consistent supply, roughly 120 grams per day. The body initially takes stored glucose from the liver and briefly breaks down muscle to release glucose while fasting or eating very little carbohydrate. If this goes on for 3-4 days and the body's stored glucose is depleted, blood levels of an insulin-like hormone drop and the body switches to fat as its preferred fuel.

Ketone bodies are produced by the liver from fat and may be utilized in the absence of glucose. Ketosis occurs when ketone bodies build in the blood. During periods of fasting and highly hard activity, healthy people naturally experience moderate ketosis.

According to proponents of the ketogenic diet, if the diet is followed correctly, blood levels of ketones should not rise to dangerous levels since the brain uses ketones for fuel and healthy people create enough insulin to prevent excessive ketones from accumulating. The length of time it takes to enter ketosis and the number of ketone bodies that build in the blood depends on a variety of parameters, including body fat percentage and resting metabolic rate.

◊      KETO DIET BOTTOMLINE:

In the short term, the ketogenic diet has been demonstrated to generate positive metabolic alterations. Along with weight reduction, health markers related to obesity, such as insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and raised cholesterol and triglycerides, have improved. Low-carbohydrate diets, such as the ketogenic diet, are also gaining popularity as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. There are several ideas as to why the ketogenic diet aids weight reduction, yet none have been proven in research:

◊       Due to the high fat content of the diet, it has a satiating effect and reduces food cravings.

◊      When consuming a low-carbohydrate diet, appetite-stimulating hormones such as insulin and ghrelin diminish.

◊       Ketone bodies, the body's principal fuel source on a diet, have a direct hunger-reducing effect.

◊       Increased calorie expenditure as a result of the metabolic impacts of fat and protein conversion to glucose.

◊       Fat reduction is prioritized over lean body mass, thanks to lower insulin levels.

 

◊      RECOMMENDATION

Those people who have struggled to lose weight with traditional techniques may benefit from a ketogenic diet. Because of their genetic makeup and body composition, the exact ratio of fat, carbohydrate, and protein required to attain health advantages varies by person.

If one decides to begin a ketogenic diet, it is advised to consult with a physician and a dietitian to closely monitor any biochemical changes that occur after beginning the diet, as well as to develop a meal plan that is tailored to one's current health conditions in order to avoid nutritional deficiencies or other health complications. Once you've lost weight, a dietician can advise you on how to reintroduce carbs.

Ketogenic diets can help you lose weight by suppressing your hunger and increasing your calorie burn. In practice, however, they do not surpass other diets over time. However, some studies have shown that keto dieters lose more weight in the short term. One must eat and exercise according to their body specifications and avoid following fad diets, rather take it slow and steadily if they want to lose weight.

 

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