The Best (And Worst!) Diets Of 2019
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Dash, Mediterranean, or Carnivore? Those aren’t random words, they’re actually the latest diets on the block. If you’re thinking that Keto is the latest diet you should swear by, Keto is SO last year! Make way for new diets, fitness freaks. Every year, with changing calendars and new seasons come new trends. These trends are not just limited to fashion, but they extend to the realm of health and fitness too.
The health and fitness industry in India has evolved from a messy, unstructured, and uneven sector to a network of fitness trends that has found its inspiration in global fads like Zumba, Pilates, functional training, Aikido, aerobics, MMA, kickboxing, etc. According to a recent report, the fitness industry is estimated to be growing at a whopping $30 billion worldwide (1). In addition to the traditional gym setting and unconventional methods of losing weight, intermittent fasting, wearable technology, and group training have become the next big thing in fitness. But, amidst all the brouhaha, there’s the deafening noise of the oldest form of losing weight— diets. As the fitness needs and trends evolve so do the diets. We’re aware of the kind of confused chaos that sets in as soon as you type the words Best diet to lose weight in 30 days in your Internet browser. So we decided to do you a solid and give you an easy lowdown on the best and the worst diets of the year, 2019. Take a look-
Best Diets
1.Mediterranean Diet
The one thing that makes this “diet” a hit is that it’s not actually a diet, but a lifestyle that involves eating tons of veggies, 100 percent whole grains, fruits, pulses (chickpeas, lentils, peas, etc), eggs, and meat. It’s not a diet that makes you count calories, rather it makes you savor some flavourful lean protein, seafood, and cheeses. This diet has no restriction, but it encourages the indulgence of predominantly healthy foods consciously. The diet however naturally limits the usage of sodium, saturated fat, spices, and added sugar. It keeps your heart healthy and prevents chronic diseases (2). Wallah, Habibi, this is the best diet ever, no?
2. DASH Diet
Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension emphasizes on all types of naturally available produce — seafood, nuts, seeds, low-fat dairy, 100 percent whole grains, etc. The diet recommends you to eat foods rich in omega 3, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, which neutralize the negative effects of sodium and reduce the risk of hypertension (3). DASH restricts foods that are high in added sugars, saturated fats, and processed food sources like jams, syrups, condiments, sauces, fast food, junk food, sodas, etc.
3.Volumetrics Diet
What if we could eat a lot and still lose weight? Sounds like a dream, right? Well, this diet created by Barbara Rolls is the most O.G way of eating more fruits, more veggies, and more calories from plant-based foods and fibers (4). It focuses on eating more produce and drinking lots of water. The volume-based approach intends to make you feel full and yet helps you lose weight in the long-term. The best part? This weight loss is quite permanent, it doesn’t come back the moment you go on a vacation
Worst Diets
1.Keto
If you’re currently on a Keto diet and absolutely loving it, then feel free to go ahead with it. But, be mindful that this diet is not suitable for the long haul. This diet essentially functions on the consumption of 70-90 percent of calories from dietary fat, every day. This also means that you have to bid farewell to the good old foods rich in dietary fiber like fruits and legumes.
As the numero uno rule of the diet goes, carbs are strictly prohibited. As the body is deprived of carbs, it automatically draws energy from glycogen for energy, thus resulting in a quick drop in the water weight of the person. While this may keep one hooked on to the diet to see positive results, it may well be out of one’s comfort zone to keep carbs at a distance for a long time. Additionally, the long-term effects on health are still not determined (5). The fear of sticking to the plan creates more stress than ease in losing weight and thus making it easy to pile back the kilos that are lost initially.
2. Carnivore Diet
For those who aren’t aware, carnivore diet is an extreme diet that requires one to strictly consume only meat, water, and salt. This diet that excludes veggies, legumes, nuts, fruits, dairy, etc is hailed as an auto-immune disease cure and a proponent of weight loss.
But, this diet has no scientific backing and puts a cap on the planet’s nutrient-dense foods (6)!
There’s no way one can successfully complete this diet without inviting vitamin and mineral deficiencies that can eventually lead to organ failure and bone damage.
3.Anything To Do With “Cleanse Or “Detox”
The Instagram generation jumps with jubilance at the utterance of the words, “detox” and “body cleanse”. But, the truth remains that these techniques of cleansing one’s body encourage the problematic culture of mindless dieting. Simply put, these diets are nothing but paying to sit on a pot all day. Moreover, this is not FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulated and can lead to depression and anxiety if practiced regularly (7).
Ultimately, you are what you eat and it’s important to nourish your body with the right kinds of food. Often, we ignore the side-effects of these diet fads and just jump onto the bandwagon of crash diets and the latest diets in town. We should aim to do thorough research on the pros and cons of the diet we intend to follow to ensure an overall positive result that’s long-lasting as well.
So, what’s your diet of the season? Let us know in the comments below.
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