New LifeStyle over 40

life style 40

What is diet ?

Whether we do physical activity or not, we have all heard of diet. In nutrition, diet refers to the food and drink that is regularly consumed by an individual (or a group), recommended by doctors for therapeutic purposes or for weight loss.

Diet types and caloric deficit

Depending on the foods included in the caloric deficit, the diet can be of several types: Omnivorous Carnivorous Pescetarian Pollotarian Semi-vegetarian Vegetarian Vegan Fruitarian Paleo Ketogenic Jewish Islamic Hindu Jain and Mediterranean.

In the online environment, of course, we find many more diets depending on the dietitian who invented the diet such as: DASH Diet, The Flexitarian Diet, MIND Diet, Mayo Clinic Diet, TLC Diet, Volumetric Diet… etc

Regardless of the type of diet we are talking about, it all comes down to the caloric deficit of food. There is a confusion between the type of diet, the caloric deficit and the food consumed so that some people serve smoothies,  fruits and vegetables for example and do not lose weight. If there is no caloric deficit, the diet cannot work.. This is why it is advisable if you are not informed about the caloric deficit to turn to a specialized person and not to use diets on the internet that are generally created with a very high caloric deficit where any person of male or female type, regardless of age, loses weight then after a period of time to recover everything they lost due to the hunger created. This type of diet is called the Crush Diet and works in the short term or in people who are taught to be caloric deficient such as bodybuilders and vegetables and do not lose weight. If there is no caloric deficit, the diet cannot work.

You may have heard of intermittent fasting which is actually a tool to help you lose weight. The most commonly used intermittent fasting is actually a window of hours (eg 4pm to 8pm) when you can eat anything but it all comes down to the fact that in the food window you are more likely to eat far fewer calories without calculating calories.

Deficit caloric

Is dieting good or bad for you?

Benefits of dieting

  • If the diet is made especially for you and here I mean: not very high caloric deficit, which should include your favorite dish that you can not give up but in a smaller amount (even if it’s fast food) to be it’s easier to take the step to a healthy life that includes all macronutrients and all micronutrients then YES and so it should be.

Disadvantages of dieting

CONS:

  • Diets on the internet are designed to have a very high caloric deficit and are not customized for you. They are not sustainable in the long run and can cause hormonal imbalances. As individuals we are genetically different and each has other needs.
  • If your chosen diet does not suit your food preferences, most people return to their old habits after their diet is over. (ex: Diet Dukan, Vegan etc)
  • People can take the food plan and give up certain foods that do not appear in their diet.
  • Is hard to find a nutritionist who is truly dedicated to you and does not sell you a diet plan that does not suit you.
  • Diets can lead to a temporary drop in physical fitness.
  • Dieting may lead to depression.
  • May imply a feeling of hunger.
  •  

There are a lot of influencers nowadays who want to sell food plans, training programs, etc. and you don’t know who to look at and where to get information from due to the very large volume of new and tangled information that you encounter at first when you start to you document yourself. 

Top 5 best diet

  1. Mediterranean Diet: The principal aspects of this diet include proportionally high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits,[3] and vegetables, moderate to high consumption of fish, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate wine consumption, and low consumption of non-fish meat products. Olive oil has been studied as a potential health factor for reducing all-cause mortality and the risk of chronic diseases.
  2. DASH Diet: The DASH diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods. It includes meat, fish, poultry, nuts, and beans, and is limited in sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, red meat, and added fats. In addition to its effect on blood pressure, it is designed to be a well-balanced approach to eating for the general public.
  3. WW (formerly Weight Watchers):

    Weight Watchers’ primary sources of income are subscriptions to the program.[2][117]

    The company provides a weight-management program (myWW+) and a food plan (SmartPoints); customers can participate in the program via in-person group meetings and/or digitally, and are provided with individualized information, support, and coaching.[3][2]

    It also receives income from Weight Watchers–branded services and products, which include publications such as Weight Watchers magazines, Weight Watchers cookbooks, and food guides and restaurant guides with points values.[2][134] It sells its own bars and snacks, and licenses the Weight Watchers trademark to a variety of prepared foods, beverages, and other products and services.

  4. Vegan Diet: Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals.[c] An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Vegan diets are high in fiber, folic acid, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, and unsaturated fat.
  5. Flexitarian Diet: A semi-vegetarian diet (SVD), also called a flexitarian,[1] is one that is centered on plant foods with the occasional inclusion of meat.[2][3][4][5] Flexitarian is a portmanteau of the words flexible and vegetarian, signifying its followers’ less strict diet pattern when compared to (other) vegetarian pattern diets.[1] All semi-vegetarians could accurately be described as people who eat a plant-based diet, but there is no firm consensus how infrequently someone would have to eat meat and fish for their diet to be considered a semi-vegetarian diet rather than a regular plant-based diet.

My conclusion

  • There is no diet without a caloric deficit.
  • The perfect diet is the one that works for you according to your lifestyle.
  • Regardless of the diet, it is advisable to reach the minimum required daily macronutrients, except for the keto diet, carnivores, etc. where the amount of carbohydrates is lower.
  • Helped by appetite-suppressing tips (coffee, water), high-calorie, low-calorie foods (spinach)
  • Think about whether you are feeling hungry or even hungry. Use the test: Would you eat raw broccoli? if not, it means you’re not as hungry as your brain thinks 🙂