How to choose a diet that will help you lose weight

BLOG

Today, events dedicated to the problems of overweight are held all over the world. Medical science is moving forward and providing more and more data to understand the nature of this problem, and new opportunities are being created to solve it.

In recent years, new medicines have been developed that help to get rid of extra pounds with much better efficacy and safety than their predecessors. At the same time, doctors warn that the effect of the drugs is unstable and may disappear after they are discontinued if the patient does not follow the recommendations on nutrition and lifestyle.

Most overweight people can achieve the desired results through changes in diet, eating behavior, and physical activity without the use of pharmacological, let alone surgical, treatments. Being overweight is a special problem for each person, and it is caused by an individual combination of causes and factors. Therefore, there is no universal diet that would be effective and achieve the same weight loss results.

The modern, colorful information space offers many options for losing weight, from free to often paid. Marathons, diet plans, group and individual classes promise amazing results.

They can have several problems in common. The main one is that a large number of "nutritionists/nutritionists", "mentors", "coaches" and other "gurus" simply do not have the proper qualifications and, accordingly, the right to provide such services and recommendations. To begin with, you need to make sure that you get advice from a specialist with a medical degree. No one else has the proper education and the right to recommend a diet or any other weight loss intervention.

START WITH A CONSULTATION WITH YOUR DOCTOR

Taking into account your medical problems, health conditions, diseases, and medications you are taking that may affect your weight, your doctor can guide you to a weight loss plan that is right for you. As well as safe exercises, especially if you have physical or medical problems or pain with your daily activities.

CONSIDER YOUR PERSONAL NEEDS

No one diet or weight loss plan works for everyone. Think about your preferences, motivation, lifestyle, and goals. Choose a realistic plan to achieve your goals.

When choosing, consider:

Diets you have already tried to follow. What did you like or dislike about them? Did you manage to stick to them for a long time? What worked or didn't work? How did you feel physically and emotionally during the diet?

Social preferences. Have you had any experience with group exercise in a weight loss program? Did you experience the benefits of group support?

Budget. Some weight loss programs require you to buy expensive medications, dietary supplements, or even prepared meals, and attend support meetings. Does their cost fit your budget?

Other factors. Do you have diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney or joint disease? Do you have cultural, religious, or ethnic food requirements or preferences?

LOOK FOR A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM

It's tempting to fall for promises of quick weight loss. But a slow and steady approach is much more effective in the long run. For weight loss, the norm is to lose 400-600 grams per week. Faster weight loss can be safe if done correctly. For example, by following a very low-calorie diet under medical supervision.

Successful weight loss requires long-term lifestyle changes in diet, exercise, and behavior. When choosing a diet plan, consider the following features:

Flexibility. It involves consuming a variety of foods from all major food groups: vegetables and fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, and nuts and seeds. The flexible plan allows you to eat what you want from time to time. However, it provides for a fairly strict limitation of alcohol, sugary drinks, and sweets with a high content of added or free sugar. The calories in these drinks and foods do not provide enough nutrients, so they should be consumed as little as possible.

Balance. Provides an adequate amount of nutrients and calories to meet individual needs. Eating too much of certain foods, drastically reducing calories, or eliminating entire food groups can cause nutritional problems and deficiencies. A safe and healthy diet does not require large amounts of vitamins or supplements.

Appeal. It should include foods that you like and would enjoy eating for the rest of your life. If you don't like the food on the plan, if the plan is too restrictive or monotonous, you probably won't stick to it. Then long-term and sustainable weight loss is unlikely.

Physical activity. It is advisable to include exercise in your weight loss plan, which, together with fewer calories, can accelerate weight loss. Physical activity has many health benefits, including counteracting the loss of muscle mass that occurs with weight loss. It also helps maintain weight after weight loss.

MAIN DIET OPTIONS OF POPULAR DIETS

Studies comparing different weight loss programs have shown that following most of them leads to weight loss in a short time compared to not following such programs. The difference in the number of pounds lost between different diets is usually small.

A balanced type of diet (DASH, Mediterranean, Portfolio diet) is flexible, has a balanced nutritional value, and an optimal ratio of all healthy foods and drinks. It does not involve a complete ban on foods, drinks, or dishes; the main emphasis is on changing dietary choices, eating behavior, and lifestyle improvements.

High-protein diets (Dukan, Paleo) are not flexible and not sufficiently balanced, and are based on the consumption of lean meat and dairy products. Low-carbohydrate diets (Atkins, South Beach) are not flexible, restrict carbohydrates, emphasize fats or proteins, or both. Both types of restrictive diets are not balanced. Low-fat diets (Ornish) limit the total amount of fat, All restrictive diets are very difficult to follow for a long time.

In very low-calorie diets (Optifast), calories are strictly limited, often to 800 calories or less per day. They are intended for short-term use only under medical supervision. There are also weight loss programs based on meal replacements (Jenny Craig, HMR, Medifast, Nutrisystem, SlimFast). They offer special ready-made meals instead of one or two meals. The cost of such programs varies, and some can be quite expensive.

HOW TO EVALUATE A DIET?

Take the time to learn as much as you can about the diet. Just because it's popular or your friends are following it doesn't mean it's right for you. Talk to your doctor. After receiving the specialist's summary, try to answer the following questions:

What does the diet/nutrition plan include? Does it contain recommendations that can be adapted to your routine, preferences, and eating habits? Do you need to buy special meals or dietary supplements? Is in-person or online support offered? Does it involve ongoing healthy lifestyle changes to maintain the weight once the desired weight loss result is achieved?

What are the arguments in favor of choosing this diet? Are there any scientific studies that support the effectiveness of this weight loss approach?

What are the risks? Can a weight loss program harm your health? Are the recommendations safe for you, especially if you have health problems or are taking medication?

What results should I expect? How many kilograms can you lose and in what time frame? How long or can I follow the dietary recommendations permanently? Are there any recommendations on how to prevent the lost weight from returning over time?

KEYS TO SUCCESS

Successful weight loss requires constant changes in food choices, eating habits, and physical activity. You need to find an approach to losing weight that you can use for the rest of your life. It's unlikely that you'll be able to keep the weight off if you quit your diet and go back to your old habits.

Diets that make you feel restricted or hungry are likely to be abandoned quickly. Many weight loss diets are not conducive to permanent lifestyle changes. So even if you do lose weight, the pounds can come back quickly when you stop following the diet or meal plan.

Combining a healthy, balanced diet/eating pattern with regular physical activity is the best way to lose weight, maintain the results for a long time, and improve your health.