Phase 3
Diet Plans of Action
“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”
There have been many fad diets throughout the years. People swearing by things as ridiculous as "eating only bananas and milk made me skinny" or the "All Liquid Diet." Every nutritionist will tell you that any sustainable, long-term oriented diet will require you to eat a balanced diet, with diverse macronutrients and rich in vitamins and minerals. To attempt weight loss without carbs, or by eating an abundance of only one type of food, in general, is diet plan fraught with weaknesses. Ultimately, the scientific rule of calories in versus calories out still reigns supreme in how we can lose weight healthily and sustainably.
It's this relationship with food that allows for an obtainable, sustainable future for dieters. Seeing food for what it really is: macronutrients compiled into tasty servings for the purpose of fueling and rebuilding our bodies.
That being said, many people have found success from focusing in on choosing one macro to fuel their body, while restricting others. Most commonly, gravitating towards fats or proteins work wonders for people who want to feel satiated for longer periods of time, while carb-heavy diets can cause peaks and troughs of energy throughout the day. To look at these macro-focused diets directly, we'll start with the high fat, low carb, adequate protein diet, aka 'Keto Diet.'
Keto Diet
The Keto Diet is founded on the idea of consuming fats for the purpose of being used as the body's primary energy source, drawing on those fats to replace carbohydrates as a means for speedy energy as well long-burning fuel. The name of the diet is derived from the state of a body being in 'ketosis', whereby fats are turned into fatty acids and ketones to be used for the body's functions versus glucose derived from simple and complex carbohydrates.
The Keto Diet still follows the same rules for calories in versus calories out, but with an emphasis on deriving the majority of daily calories from fats, while restricting the intake of carbohydrates. Lovers of meat, dairy, and fatty vegetables often find success in the Keto Diet since so many of their favorite foods can be eaten, without breaking the rules.
An additional benefit of the Keto Diet is the plethora of online databases, recipe collections, and wealth of knowledge available for following and succeeding while living in Ketosis. These links in particular can help in getting started with Keto and finding success through the diet plan:
14-Day Ketogenic Diet Plan
Complete Ketogenic Guide for Food and Supplements
On a personal note, during my personal weight loss journey, I found myself plateauing at 230 lbs, still well above a healthy weight for someone my age and height. It was through living on a Ketogenic Diet that I was able to pair my regular cardio workouts and reach my target weight of 185 lbs.
Some of the most popular favorite foods of people on Keto are:
- Salad dressings, mayonnaise
- Avocados
- Cheese, milk, yogurt, butter
- Beef, pork, poultry, fish, bacon
- Vegetables, nuts, beans
Some foods to avoid on the Keto Diet are:
- Carb-heavy fruits: bananas, oranges, cherries
- Potatoes, other high starch vegetables: carrots
- Grains, white / wheat breads
- Cereal, cakes, candies
- Jams, preserves, jellies
Paleo Diet
One of the newest diet plans around today is the Paleo Diet. Based on the concept of what our Paleolithic ancestors would have consumed in their daily diets, the Paleo Diet's cornerstone is consuming unprocessed, natural foods while avoiding processed items, especially processed fats and sugars.
The best information available for the Paleo Diet is the diet's homepage:
Some of the best foods to consume on the Paleo Diet are:
- Grass-fed meats
- Nuts, seeds
- Eggs
- Fresh fruits, vegetables
- Fist, seafood
Some foods to avoid on the Paleo Diet:
- Cereal grains
- Dairy items
- Cakes, candies, jellies, jams, preserves
- Potatoes
- Refined oils
- Refined sugars
One of the biggest draws for fans of the Paleo diet is the flexibility of the '85-15' rule. The rule states that for those hoping to reap the health benefits of the Paleo Diet, they only need to follow the food guidelines for a Paleo Diet 85% of the time, while the other 15% of the time, they are allowed to break the rules and have food that falls outside the Paleo realm. Ultimately, 15% of food consumed comes out to about 3 meals per week that can be 'cheat meals', not following the Paleo Diet's rules.
Of course for both the Keto and Paleo Diet, the same rules of calories in versus calories out still apply, and ultimately any diet can help obtain weight loss as long as the scientific, mathematical rule of calories being burned outnumber the calories being consumed. The Keto and Paleo diets are just the ones that have the some of the most easily understood rules, and have some of the best results going, with great support and sharing communities for new members.
Now that dieting has been cover, the next Phase to come in the blog will be the support and knowledge of adding in an exercise routine.