With so many diets on the market, it’s hard to know what is trending and what we should be listening to. Let’s look at some common diets and the pros and cons of each.
1. Atkins (high fat and protein, low carb)
This diet approach promises that you can lose weight while you eat a diet rich in protein and fat, and very low in carbs, and you shouldn’t feel hungry or deprived. The initial phases of this diet is very restrictive and strict, cutting out almost all carbohydrates from your diet. There are a lot of side effects associated with drastically cutting carbs including headaches, dizziness, weakness, fatigue, constipation and irritability, as well as the potential to result in nutritional deficiencies.
Some health professionals see this diet aspotentially hazardous, as low carbohydrate, high-fat diets may increase cholesterol levels in the blood if the dietary fat is saturated or if dietary cholesterol is high. As a result, you may be at increased risk of heart disease.
Low-carbohydrate diets may also increase blood uric acid concentration (hyperuricemia), which can exacerbate the symptoms of gout. Increased metabolism of fats and proteins during carbohydrate restriction may be hazardous for persons with risk of, or existing kidney or liver disease.
Finally, while weight loss does occur on this diet, there is no evidence for greater loss than on a well-balanced diet, provided total calories are the same. Longitudinal studies have also shown that the weight lost on this diet is often regained due to the difficulty of sustainability associated with this diet and that original dietary habits of subjects did not change.
PROS – people can lose considerable amounts of weight, quite quickly and early on in the diet, which can be very motivating. The diet also encourages people to cut out most processed carbs and alcohol.
2. Dukan (high protein, low carb)
This diet is even more strict than the Atkins diet. However, unlike Atkins, it seriously restricts fat and replaces them with lean protein-rich foods.
PROS – weight loss can be expected and can help jump-start a sluggish metabolism.
CONS – Similar to the Atkins diet, this diet is extremely restrictive and there is absolutely no room for flexibility in which participants need to follow a prescribed set of rules. The dieting phases in this diet are very limited so there is a high chance, participants will become bored very quickly and discontinue. It’s virtually impossible for a vegan or vegetarian to follow this diet and there is a high chance you will experience nutrient deficiencies if you do not take a multivitamin supplement. Sustainability of this diet is almost impossible and as a result, weight regain is a high possibility.
3. 5:2
PROS – Intermittent fasting certainly has its benefits to certain population groups. It has shown to reduce blood glucose, triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels, which are all associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It may also reduce the risk of developing age-related conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
CONS – The diet does not teach healthy eating habits or behaviours as it allows you to eat whatever you want for five days of the week. The diet principles also place consumers at risk of malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies (especially on fasting days). Although the diet states you can eat whatever you like on five days of the week, it doesn’t provide participants a guide towards the variety of foods required for optimal nutrition i.e. vegetables, fruit, grains, dairy or dairy alternatives and protein sources such as lean meats, eggs and nuts. Finally, this diet can be potentially dangerous and should not be recommended for people who are pregnant or those taking certain medications
4. Paleo
Paleo’s premise is that Paleolithic Era’s hunter-gatherer eating habits are superior to those of the typical modern Western man. This, in part is true. Large amounts of vegetables, seeds, and fruit along with avoidance of refined carbs, added salt and sugars is definitely considered to be healthy.
PROS – removes processed foods from the diet and focuses on fresh, wholefoods while avoiding additives and preservatives. Teaches you appreciation of food produce and what is in the food that we eat. It may reduce your risk of, or improve symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases.
CONS – The Paleo way of eating is a lifestyle and not a diet that is usually followed for a couple of weeks. It requires a lot of commitment and it comes at a cost as most food choices in the diet are expensive. The diet has an emphasis on meat intake, which some health experts say that large amounts of red meat should not be encouraged, given associated increased heart-disease risks. The diet also avoids two major food groups – dairy and grains. Elimination of food groups may place you at risk of malnutrition and/or nutrient deficiencies if you do not balance your diet correctly. It may also be hard to maintain long-term.
5. Alkaline diet
The theory of this diet is that you need an optimal pH balance in your body to assist with weight loss, reduce inflammation in the body and avoid certain diseases such as cancer. Although the positives of this diet is that it encourages a high consumption of fruit and vegetables and is based on real and unprocessed foods, there is no scientific evidence to show that this diet is useful. Our organs such as our kidney’s and liver help to create our acid-base balance naturally, so our body does a good job or maintaining that balance without the need or assistance from a diet. Finally, we need an acidic environment in our gut to aid digestion and a disruption to this environment may contribute to gastrointestinal issues such as bloating, gas, diarrhoea and/or constipation.
6. 1200 calorie diets
The principle behind weight loss is simple: you either have to burn more or eat fewer calories. To lose weight, you need to create an energy (calorie) deficit by eating less calories through food and beverages, increasing the number of calories you burn through physical activity, or both.
By consuming 1,200 calories per day is an easy way of ensuring a significant calorie deficit, however, determining a safe daily calorie deficit can be difficult because every person is different when it comes to baseline metabolism, body size and composition, sex, age, and level of physical activity.
PROS – an effective way to monitor your energy intake and ensure a calorie deficit. May be effective for fast weight loss.
CONS – requires strict monitoring and recording of food intake, which may lead to an obsession of calorie counting and a lack of focus on nutrient intake. Depending on the aforementioned components, which determine your individual calorie requirements, 1200 calories may be too low for you, which can lead to physiological damage and nutrient deficiencies. Other challenges include hunger, dizziness, irritability and headaches due to a lack of nutrition. Risk of losing muscle mass is a large possibility if strength training and protein intake is inadequate.
7. Blood type diet
Proponents of this diet suggests that your blood type determines which foods are best for your health. However, a major review study in 2013 which examined data from over a thousand studies looking at the blood type diet, concluded that there have not been any well-designed studies that looks at the health effects of the blood type diet and there is currently “no evidence to validate the purported health benefits of blood type diets.”
PROS – The diet recommends eating fresh, natural and unprocessed foods and not allowing takeaways, alcohol, chocolate or a high volume of coffee, which all will improve your health regardless.
CONS – If you don’t know your blood group, you will have to undergo a blood test. Requires individual meal planning, which may be socially awkward if you have a partner or live with family or friends. Most importantly, there is no sound scientific evidence to support the principles of this diet.
8. No carbs after 5pm
There is no solid scientific evidence to support the notion of avoiding carbs after 5pm for faster weight loss. It’s important to note that if you eliminate starchy carbs such as pasta, rice, potato or bread at dinner, all you’re eliminating, is calories. There is nothing ‘fat-burning’ about the timing and you won’t lose weight any faster by doing so.
Bottom Line:
There is no magic to weight loss, nor a quick fix. Changing eating habits should occur gradually, especially if you have existing poor eating behaviours. A successful weight-loss program looks at many aspects including nutrition, exercise, hormone balance, stress management and proper sleep hygiene. It also requires support and a complete lifestyle change and the sad truth is that fad diets will not change the relationship people have with food.
If you are someone who is struggling with their weight and have tried many different approaches with little success, you will benefit from the advice of your GP, Dietitian or Nutritionist, who can investigate the reasons for your challenges you are facing and put together an individually tailored program that is suited to your lifestyle so you can achieve long-term weight loss success.