Finding The Best Diet: Discover One That Suits You

Key Takeaways:

• The effectiveness of a diet depends largely on an individual’s commitment to consistently follow the plan, rather than the specifics of the diet itself.
• The best diet is one that is not only effective for weight loss, but also compatible with an individual’s lifestyle and contributes to their overall health. This includes ensuring sufficient nutrient intake for vegetarians.
• Portion control and integrating physical activity into one’s daily routine are crucial factors for losing weight.
• Successful weight loss strategies often include creating “behavioral barriers” or minor changes to eating habits, such as slowing down meal times or setting boundaries around late-night snacking.

It’s a well-known fact that the majority of American adults struggle with extra weight, and most would love to shed some. This draws us to the essential question: What is the best diet?

Top ratings were given to the Weight Watchers and Slim-Fast programs by a reputable organization for their ability to facilitate long-term weight loss.

However, in another study featured earlier in the Journal of the American Medical Association, scientists tested the effectiveness of four popular diets — Weight Watchers, Atkins, Zone, and Ornish. They failed to find any significant difference in weight loss after a year, with weight reduction ranging from 4.6 to 7.3 pounds.

The researchers inferred that commitment to the selected diet was more crucial than the diet plan in and of itself.

“The more consistently you follow the diet, the more weight you’ll lose,” suggested Dr. Michael L. Dansinger, a prominent figure at Tuft-New England Medical Center and the primary author of the study.

The Suitable Diet

Other weight-loss authorities concur. The most effective diet is the one you can maintain; a diet that’s compatible with your lifestyle, noted Cathy Nonas, an American Dietetic Association representative and registered dietitian who oversees the obesity and diabetes program at a hospital in New York City.

Apart from that, the diet’s health-promoting qualities should not be ignored. “The diet should enhance your health,” Nonas added, who also authored a book on overcoming weight issues. If a specific plan increases your cholesterol levels to worrying heights, for instance, you should contemplate changing diets, she advised.

Vegetarians need to ensure that their eating plan provides ample nutrients. Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of Clinical Nutrition at a Medical Center in Dallas, emphasized that vegetarians aiming to drop weight should embrace their veggies.

Her advice may seem cheeky, but she has encountered several self-identified vegetarians whose diet largely consists of grains, pastas, nuts, seeds, fruit, meal replacements or energy bars, and alcohol, but shockingly low vegetable intake.

Minding Portions and Emphasizing Exercise

One essential for anyone looking to lose weight, Sandon added, is to mind the portion sizes.

Physical activity is equally crucial. Consult your doctor about a sound workout regimen — even a brisk daily walk to start if you’re currently inactive. “Exercise is important for everyone,” echoed Nonas.

Once you have identified a healthy diet that meshes well with your lifestyle, you require “success strategies” to keep you motivated. Nonas has come up with some unconventional yet effective ideas.

Success Strategies

To decipher if an eating plan suits their lifestyle, Nonas discusses with her clients about their favorite and disliked foods. “I assist individuals in making changes without overturning their lives,” she stated.

For instance, a client who enjoys bagel and cream cheese plus a Danish on Friday mornings, is advised by Nonas to keep one treat and substitute the other with a piece of fruit.

One of her clients who felt she was eating too swiftly, started using chopsticks for a week, believing her lack of skill will force her to slow down. Only a few days later, the woman confirmed that she was learning to eat more gradually — and consequently, was eating less.

Another client, known for overeating at night, placed masking tape across his kitchen door post-dinner. Such strategies, Nonas reveals, which she terms as “behavioral barriers” have been successful in aiding weight loss.

In her own words, “Without behavioral barriers to defend against the environment, it doesn’t matter what diet you are on.”

Further Details

For more knowledge on nutrition, visit the American Dietetic Association.