Choosing a diet that is effective and sustaining is the key to a successful weight loss program. Unfortunately many of the diets that are advertised promise a lot, but often deliver very little in terms of nutrition and outcome. Some of the diets may even have an opposite effect and cause you to gain weight, or will be effective at first but lead to long-term health issues down the line.
It is time to put the record straight on the ‘6’ trendy diets that are at the forefront of many fitness and glamor magazines; low-calorie diet, VLCD, low carb diet, gluten-free diet, paleo and reverse dieting. We will focus on the key benefits and some downsides (if any) of each diet:

1) Low-calorie Diet

A low-calorie diet is often referred to as a ‘calorie restricted diet’ and it is a favorite of slimming celebs all over the globe. It is a very basic approach to weight loss and works on the principle that if you reduce your calorie intake, then you will lose weight.

• Around 1200 calories for a woman
• Around 1400 calories for a man

It is estimated that someone on a low calories diet will lose 2-3 pounds per week. While this may work short term or as a stimulus to get you going on your weight loss journey, in the long term can lead bingeing and weight gain. Binges and yo-yo dieting are commonly associated with low-calorie diets because after depriving your body of a normal calorie intake for a period of time your food cravings often increase. Low calories diets are hard to stick to for a period of time. Calorie deprivation and weight loss and often followed by binges and regaining those lost pounds.
Many will claim that low-calorie diets won’t work because the body enters starvation mode, now that is not exactly true. The body can live on a low-calorie diet and will not enter starvation mode until you are very undernourished. What does happen is your metabolism slows down which increases your chances of weight gain when you go off the diet. It is import to note that studies have shown low-calorie diets can actually be more effective than the slow and steady diets in terms of reaching weight loss goals. The key is to wean off the low-calorie diet and keep making healthy food choices.

Long Term Impact:

Low-calorie diets over time slow metabolism, disrupt hormone balance and increase the risk for yo-yo dieting. It is the opinion of many providers that low-calorie diets put dieters at the largest risk for rebound weight gain and slowed metabolism if done for extended periods of time. Low calorie diets lower metabolism because the body learns to adapt to lower calorie intake to survive. The thyroid gland, which is responsible for the body’s metabolism will signal to the body to converse energy. Therefore you are fully utilizing every single calorie that you eat.
Over time the body learns how to optimize a number of calories that are consumed and when returning back to a more normal calorie intake weight gain can occur. It should be noted that if you start off at 200lbs eating 2900 calories per day, then drop down to 160lbs on 1200 calorie diet, your calorie requirements have changed. You need fewer calories maintain 160lbs then you need to maintain 200lbs. Therefore you do not need as many calories as you needed before the diet. So if you return to 2900 calorie eating you will gain weight, however, if you can wean off the low-calorie diet to a calorie diet to a caloric intake needed to maintain 160lbs you may need more like 1800-2000 calories per day. When you weigh less you need fewer calories to survive.

2) Very Low-calorie Diet (VLCD)

A very low-calorie diet is when you consume less than 1200 calories for women and 1400 calories for a man. Granted this does help in the short term for severely overweight or obese individuals. However, this diet should only be followed under strict medical supervision. Likely to lose 3-4lbs per week on these plans.

Long Term Impact:

VLCD can slow your metabolism, stress the body, and cause electrolyte imbalances. With long term use very low-calorie diets the body will start to eat its own lean muscle tissue to provide you some of the additional calories that it needs to function properly. This leads directly to an overall muscle tissue loss, which in turn reduces your metabolic rate and your body needs fewer calories to function properly. Ultimately your weight loss will slow down because muscle tissue is far more metabolically active than fat and it needs energy (calories) to survive. In addition on VLCD you are not consuming the nutrients you need for the body to function properly, which can result in headaches, constipation, weakness, muscle cramps, lower T3, heart palpitations, and many other effects.

Conclusion:

If you really need to lose weight quickly and want to take the low calories option, make sure to wean off the diet properly. Also consider calorie cycling (mix of low calorie and normal calorie days), which is the is gentler on the body. Low calories diets are also okay to jumpstart a weight loss plan; so if the first week of a weight loss plan you want to stay low to get a jump start.

3) Low-carb Diet

With a low carb diet, you typically consume less than 20% of your calories from carbs. What low carb means really depends on the diet and how it is followed. There is an abundance of low carb diets on the market and the most popular are:

a) The Atkin’s Diet

The main aim of Atkin’s diet is to remove all carb cravings whilst resetting the body’s metabolism. In theory, this is supposed to induce fat loss by cutting out all of the foods that contain carbs.

The diet is based on the premise that all foods that contain carbs regardless of whether they are high in fiber, contain whole grains, or are high in micronutrients- are all responsible for weight gain. This has been attributed to the impact that these food groups have on rising blood sugars and ultimately insulin.
Atkins speculates that insulin, not the types or quality of foods can lead to a reduction in metabolism and weight gain. The diet replaces all carbs with high protein e.g. meats, dairy etc. and high fats e.g. heavy creams. oils etc. As these food types don’t induce the release of the hormone insulin and you will lose weight.

b) The South Beach Diet

The South Beach diet is similar to Atkin’s diet but does not restrict the number of carbs as much. It also does not permit the unlimited consumption of high protein and fats after the initial two weeks. Instead, carbs are reintroduced after the initial two weeks with a modified intake of food that contains: smaller portions of whole grain foods and high fiber foods that stabilize blood sugar.

Short-Term Benefits of Low-carb Diets:

1) Increases Fat Burning
When you switch to a low-carb diet, the supply of glucose in your bloodstream is reduced. The body can no longer get its supply of energy from blood glucose easily. This results in the body breaking down the stored fats within the body as an energy source. This results in weight loss.

2) Reduces appetite
Low carb diets can lead to appetite loss, which helps you to reduce a number of calories that you eat without you having to count them. Since carbs are reduced dieters will increase lean protein and healthy fats, which are more calorie dense and help to starve off hunger.

3) Increases the Thermic Effect
A low carb diet is a catalyst for an increase in the thermic effect of food. Instead of counting calories , replace most of your carb intake with protein as this strategy will increase your calorie expenditure. In simple terms- the body uses more calories as heat to break down protein and this leads to an increase in overall weight loss.

4) Improves Many Metabolic Variables
It is well established that a low carb diet is effective at controlling blood sugars and this helps people who are pre-type 2 diabetic.
It helps with controlling and reducing blood pressure. Blood pressure is leading marker of cardiovascular disease.
It can reduce blood triglyceride levels and these are a precursor to heart disease, obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
It reduces inflammation that is associated with cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

Risks of Low-carb Diets

There are two sides to every story and the low carb diet is no exception. Here are some of the negatives associated with low carb diets:

Drawbacks of Restricting Carbs

Low carb diets by themselves are not sufficient to lose weight. You will add extra calories by consuming extra proteins and fats. Therefore it is not true that you can eat what you like if you restrict your carbs.
A good strategy is to eat the right carbs such as wholegrain bread and pasta in the right portions, and to bin off your refined carbs such as sweets, cakes, pastries and replace them with healthy fats e.g. avocados and lean protein e.g. fish and/or chicken.

1) The Issues of Ketosis
In addition, when you decrease your carb intake, your body breaks down fats so that it can get sufficient energy. The incomplete metabolism of fats can create high levels of ketones within the body, this state is called ketosis. Although many nutritionists advocate ketosis, it does come with some negatives such gout, nausea, bad breath, sleep disturbance, headache, and more.

2) Lowers Thyroid Hormones
Low carbohydrate diets are associated with lower amounts of T3 and thus a slowed metabolism. For those with underactive thyroids following a diet that reduces T3 would be very harmful. even for those who have normal thyroid function, a low card diet can put them in a state of subclinical hypothyroid, which will reduce their metabolism. This effect is more common in women in men.

3) Default High Protein Diet
Generally, low carb diets are associated with high protein diets. Consuming too much protein can lead to the following side effects:

• It places additional pressure on your kidneys- this can lead to kidney stones and high blood pressure
• It increases the risk of osteoporosis due to the increase in calcium that leaves the body via urine
• Stresses the liver and kidneys

4) Gluten-free Diet

It is not often that a serious medical condition ignites a diet fad, but such is the case with the gluten-free diet. Suffers of celiac disease (an autoimmune disease) must remove foods that contain gluten from their diets.
The gluten free diet has caught on with non-sufferers of celiac diet as they think they are going to lose weight. Therefore, lots of companies are now producing gluten-free foods, but before you consider going gluten free.

What is Gluten-free?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat that helps the dough to rise and take shape. It is a mixture of gliadin and glutenin, which is linked to starch in numerous grains. If people with Celiac disease consume gluten the lining of their small intestine inflames, and this prevents nutrients from foods being absorbed.
The main issue with celiac disease is the sufferer becomes malnourished and the body can’t absorb all of the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals to thrive. This can lead to the following ailments:

• Stomach pain
• Bloating and gas
• Reduction in Appetite
• Weight loss
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Hair loss
• Fatigue
• Itchy Skin

Other Issues with Gluten

Many people suffer from gluten intolerance, which is different to Celiac Disease. The symptoms appear straight after you finish consuming your foods and these include: bloating, stomach cramping and flatulence. Gluten sensitivity is less severe than gluten tolerance. This can cause the same ailments as Celiac disease; however, the foods consumed don’t damage the lining of the intestine.
Restrictions: the celiac suffer must always read the labels on foods and avoid any of the following foods:

• Bleached flour
• Wheat Starch
• Bran
• Wheat bran
• Rye
• Barley
• Couscous
• Oats

Gluten-free or Not?

Well, if you suffer from celiac disease , gluten intolerance, and sensitivity – then yes of course. However, if you are jumping on the bandwagon for weight loss, then many of the gluten-free foods are high in calories, unhealthy fats, and carbs. Some people actually gain weight. A top tip is to cut all processed junk out of your diet and then substitute this fad diet with a healthy balanced approach!

5) Paleo Diet

The Paleo or caveman diet is based on what our ancestors ate 2.5 million years ago. We were hunter gathers and after we stopped performing this ritual, the human race began to get fatter.
In parallel with this trend, society was vastly growing in the industrial and technological routes, in which we live today. Sadly, we have strayed from the pathway that nature and our genetic blueprint were designed for us. For instance

• Cavemen ate no dairy food
• They never ate grains and this type of food was used during Baron times
• They never added salt to their foods
• The only refined sugars that cavemen ate was honey and that was dependent on whether they were lucky enough to locate any beehives
• Wild lean meats were the staple platform of their diet, so the protein intake was high and their carbs consumption was much lower
• All of their non-starchy carbs were derived from wild vegetables and fruits; therefore their fiber intake was higher and carbs intake was much lower
• The main fats in the diet were omega 3s, mono, and polyunsaturated fats. Not the bad fats that we consume today such as trans-fats!

The hunter-gatherers had a staple diet of lean meats, fruits, and vegetables, and our genetic makes up best suits eating these types of foods. Many of the foods that we eat today are at odds with our genetic make-up and our DNA has changed very little in relation to cavemen days.
These factors may be the cause of many diseases and unfortunately, many people are unaware of the impact of a poor diet on their general health. Here are the simple guidelines to follow for the Paleo diet:

• All the lean meats, fish, and seafood that you can consume
• All of the fruits and non-starchy vegetables that you can consume
• No cereal grains
• No legumes
• No diary or diary produce
• No process foods of any type

Benefits of the Paleo Diet:

1) Healthy Cells
The Paleo diet provides the body with the perfect balance of fats, whilst most diets limit these healthy fats. Omega 3 fatty acids play a vital role in brain function, growth, and development.These polyunsaturated fatty acids are high in wild caught salmon and not farmed salmon- which is high in chemicals such as mercury.

2) Increases Lean Muscle Mass and Reduces Fat
The Paleo diet is heavily reliant on meat, which is high in protein. Protein is highly anabolic! Therefore it boosts testosterone levels and helps with the creation of lean muscle tissue. Muscle tissue is more metabolically active and needs calories to survive. This increases your metabolism and helps to torch stubborn body fat! In addition, paleo is classed as a low carb diet! Please read the low carb diet for the additional benefits of Paleo.

3) Improved Gut Health
By removing all of the processed foods, grains and refined sugars you lessen your risk of leaky gut syndrome. Please read the section on the leaky gut to determine its symptoms.

4) Colors of the rainbow
By eating the rainbow colored vegetables- you will be getting all of the essential vitamins and minerals required to sustain a healthy body. By the way, these veggies are a vital part of the Paleo diet.

5) Limits Fructose
The body can’t break down fructose and this sugar is essentially stored as fat. Paleo limits the intake of this type of sugar.

6) Reduces Inflammation
Studies have linked inflammation as a marker for cardiovascular disease. Many of the foods are anti-inflammatory such as wild caught fish- which are high in omega 3 fatty acids. By removing all of the bad foods, you stand a better chance of reducing your risk of many lifestyle diseases e.g. type 2 diabetes.

7) Increases Insulin Sensitivity
Again by taking out all of the refined sugars and processed junk, you will improve your insulin sensitivity. Therefore by better insulin control should be top of your agenda in terms of preventing type 2 diabetes .

6) Reverse Dieting

Reverse dieting is for those who are at goal weight and are ready to wean off their strict diet to a more normal diet. It is just as the name suggests- dieting but in reverse. When you start dieting you slowly decrease your calorie intake to help you to achieve your weight loss goals. Perhaps you started with 3000 calories per day and were on a 1400 calorie diet for 1 month. Now you have reached your weight loss goals and want to increase your intake back to a more normal number of 1800 calories. This needs to be a gradual increase so that you don’t bombard your body with higher calories when it has gotten used to lower calories and inadvertently begin to gain weight.

How reverse diet works?

You need to do this part slowly, on weekly basis start with a steady increase of 100 calories per day and 5% of this increase should purely come from carbs. Carbs will increase your leptin levels more than fats and proteins, and a suppressed metabolism could be related to lowered leptin levels. Then monitor your body weight or body fat composition after the first week. Look at the results, you probably haven’t gained any body fat but you may have gained water instead.

During the second week, increase your calorie intake by 5% but this time add in some healthy fats and proteins. If your body fat remains the same further increase the calories the following week by 5% and so on.
However, if you are gaining fat, hold your calories intake and keep it constant for one week. Then monitor, if good then adds a 5% increase in your calories. These should be a mixture of healthy fats, proteins, and carbs.
If you do this part slowly- in terms of increasing the amount of fuel in the body, you should reset your metabolism and not gain weight!

Benefits of reverse diet

• It will prevent you from gaining any unwanted weight after dieting
• It will help with the proper digestion and absorption of foods, without overburdening these body systems. Thus preventing bloating, stomach aches and gas
• It will steadily increase the enzymes needed to breakdown carbs effectively