Searching for an effective, healthy weight loss plan nowadays is no easy task. With so many diet programs to choose from, the best way to weed out potentially unhealthy fad diets from your list is to only focus on diet plans that feature well-balanced and nutritionally-dense foods rich in vitamins and nutrients and low in sugars, salt and saturated fats.
Vegetarian Diet
While there are several types of vegetarian lifestyles--vegan, lacto-vegetarian, ovo-lacto-vegetarian and semi-vegetarians--they are all similar in that they do not include meat, especially red meat. The American Heart Association and MayoClinic.com both support the fact that vegetarian diets can be both healthy and promote weight loss when done correctly. This means that vegetarians should pay special attention to consuming enough protein, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium and zinc. Foods that can help vegetarians achieve a nutritious diet rich in these types of nutrients include whole grains, fortified soy products, vitamin-enriched cereals, leafy green vegetables, nuts, legumes, dried fruit, broccoli and wheat germ. Vegetarian diets are typically lower in calories than other diets because much of the food, such as fruit and vegetables, tend to be low in calories. This will help support people who want to lose weight while, at the same time, providing them with nutritionally dense food for overall good health.
MyPyramid Plan
Eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet is the concept on which the MyPyramid plan is based. This healthy diet and weight loss program is designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and it follows the nutritional rules spelled out in "The Dietary Guidelines for Americans" report published by the USDA every five years. The MyPyramid online tool was created by the USDA, and it helps Americans to quickly and easily obtain personalized diet plans, based upon the USDA's dietary recommendations. Simply by entering your age, gender, height, weight and physical activity level, you can see how many calories you need to target each day to lose weight. Additionally, MyPyramid lets you know which foods you need to consume each day, as well as quantities, to reach your weight loss goals. MyPyramid also suggest an exercise program based upon the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's physical activity recommendations.
DASH Diet
Endorsed by multiple health and wellness organizations, including the USDA and AHA, the DASH diet was originally designed for people with hypertension--high blood pressure--but has been found to help people lose weight as well. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, is a diet plan that is low in salt and high in vegetables, fruit and low-fat/non-fat dairy products. According to DashDiet.org, many DASH diet users have experienced 10 to 35 lbs. in weight loss within just a few months of starting the diet. The key weight loss aspect of the DASH diet is the low-calorie, high-fiber meals that help to curb hunger throughout the day, making it easier to halt binge eating and junk food cravings. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, the basic daily meal plan includes seven to eight grains, four to five fruits, four to five vegetables, two to three servings of dairy, two or fewer lean meats/fish, nuts/seeds/legumes four to five times per week and very limited fats and sugary sweets.
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