Diets may work as quick-fix methods when you want to lose weight in a hurry. However, unless you approach the diet as a lifestyle change, the results may only be temporary. Avoiding excess pounds over a long period of time involves practicing a regular diet that helps you maintain a healthy weight. Certain programs offer diets at a cost, and often have a strict plan. You can also try popular diets on your own that aim to decrease weight by regulating fat intake.
TLC
The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes, or TLC, diet aims at lowering cholesterol, but is also used to achieve successful weight loss. The diet emphasizes eating lean meats, poultry without skin and fish -- which contain fewer saturated fats than fatty meats. The diet also recommends meatless meals on occasion that include high-fiber dry peas and beans instead of meat. Consuming low-fat or fat-free dairy products, egg whites and egg substitutes also lowers your fat intake. Your daily intake includes three to five servings of fruit and vegetables and six to 11 servings of grains, such as bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Choose vegetable oil high in unsaturated fats, such as olive, canola, peanut and sunflower oils, instead of butter or additives high in saturated fat for cooking.
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean diet has become popular because it may reduce the risk of heart disease, MayoClinic.com notes. Practiced by people living along the Mediterranean Sea, the diet has a foundation of low-fat foods to encourage healthy weight loss. Dieters focus on fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices during each meal. Olive oil often replaces other oils or butter in preparing foods. The diet includes eating fish at least twice a week, poultry in moderate portions and meats or sweets less often.
Low-Carb, High Protein
A diet high in protein fats and low in carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta and potatoes, may bring significant weight loss. The diet includes lots of meats and dairy products for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Popularized by the Atkins diet, the idea is to rob the body of calories from carbohydrates so it stores more fat from protein for energy, resulting in weight loss. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania compared the Atkins diet with a traditional high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. The Atkins dieters lost more weight within six months, but weight loss was the same between both groups after a year. The low-carb diet also brought improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Another study at the University of Colorado at Denver showed equal weight loss among low-carb and high-carb dieters, but the low-carb, high-fat diet increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, which raise total cholesterol.
Vegetarian
Vegetarian diets help lower body weight because they include rich amounts of low-fat fruit, vegetables and grains and avoid meat and poultry, which contain saturated fat. Some people on a vegetarian diet eat fish, which often has lower amounts of saturated fat than meat and poultry. Those on a strict vegan diet avoid all animal foods, including dairy products. Vegetarian diets may work for weight loss as a part of a lifestyle or to lose excess pounds on low-fat meals for a period of time.
References
- National Cholesterol Education Program: TLC Diet -- Daily Food Guide Food Groups
- MayoClinic.com: Mediterranean Diet -- Choose This Heart-Healthy Diet Option
- Medical News Today: What Are the Eight Most Popular Diets Today?
- University of Pennsylvania Health System: One-Year Study of Atkins Diet Shows Surprising Results
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Lack of Suppression of Circulating Free Fatty Acids
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