#163 - EXPLORE THE TOP 4 DIET STRATEGIES: Health Tips for Weight Loss
Weight loss tip number 68 is for dieters who are just getting started. Coach Tadris Parker has personally tested this recommendation and a hundred other health tips commonly shared in the running and fitness world. Listen to the audio clip below to hear his take on the four most popular diets for weight loss…Learn all about this at Keep Calm and Run To The Best You!
There are lots of diet/weight loss programs out there, including a long list of fad diets. There are four main diet strategies for long term health and weight loss: The Whole-30, Paleo, Keto, and the Mediterranean diet.
Tip 68. Explore the top 4 diet strategies (weight loss)
The most frustrating part of the health and fitness world is the inconsistency. If you’re new to dieting, it won’t be long before you hear conflicting information on the best way to lose weight. There are so many exercise programs, magic potions, diet rules and strategies with contradicting guidance. Trends change every year and there’s always a new superfood, an upgraded protein drink, a better form of exercise, etc.
Of the hundreds of diets our members have tried, here are the top four diet strategies that we promote at Keep Calm and Run To The Best You: Whole-30, Paleo, Keto, and the Mediterranean diet. These diets are very different from each other but each one is an effective and healthy approach to weight loss. If you want to lose weight naturally and keep the weight off, consider these four diets and choose the best one for you!
Whole 30
Probably the most difficult to tackle is Whole 30, but it’s extremely effective and recommended to beginners as a starting point. Whole 30 is an elimination diet and while very restrictive, it gives you an opportunity to see how foods affect you by phasing them back in one by one. This diet eliminates all forms of dairy, soy, sugar, grains, alcohol, and legumes for a full thirty days then slowly reintroduces foods back in. If your body responds with bloating, lethargy, skin irritations, or other symptoms, you can easily identify which food groups or ingredients should be cut out indefinitely. Even if Whole 30 isn’t the lifestyle choice you’d want to commit to, it’s a perfect launch for revamping your eating habits and adopting a healthier diet. Though, we have to tell you, some people keep the Whole 30 diet as a way of life and are literally feeling decades younger!
2. Paleo
This diet is easier to adopt in the long term but it still avoids grains and dairy. Paleo excludes sugar and also sugar-free sweeteners. The good news is that if you have a sweet tooth, fruits are your friend on this diet. You can indulge in fresh produce so get ready to load up on the fruit smoothies and garden salads. Paleo puritans will tell you that coffee is not an option but you can choose to drink it black, or dress it up with a non-dairy creamer and cinnamon or natural vanilla bean.
3. Keto
If you’re more of a meat eater than a fruit and veggie person, consider going with Keto. It’s similar to the Paleo diet but Keto is more limiting since you’ll be avoiding those fruits and vegetables. The Keto diet (short for ketogenic) is a low carb, high fat diet that works very well for weight loss. This is the root of the Atkins Diet and involves consuming 20 to 50 grams per day. The menu includes meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils.
4. The Mediterranean Diet
One year after the Covid-19 pandemic, we published an article called Best Diet To Lose Weight This Summer where the Mediterranean Diet took the cake. Speaking of cake, the best part of this European-style diet is that dessert is still on the table as well as bread, but the Mediterranean approach looks very different from American dining. It’s all about well-prepared whole foods and portion control. While in America we have supersized portions of mediocre fast food, the opposite is true in places like Spain where we find “tapas” - small, savory dishes of snacks or appetizers which combine to make delicious, nicely balanced meals. You can recreate the assortment at home with grilled seafood and meats, fresh fruits and veggies, and pair these with a touch of hearty breads and good cheeses. The mindset around mealtime is another big part of the Mediterranean diet. Meals are considered an enjoyable time to share with friends and family and slowly enjoy the foods you’re eating.
For most people, a healthy lifestyle involves exercise and a mindful approach to eating. The key to losing weight is to find a solution to adopt long term - a lifestyle you’ll value and appreciate, not one that feels like a dreaded obligation. It’s actually as simple as that.
At Keep Calm and Run To The Best You, we are actively helping people from all walks of life to get healthier and happier in the body they’ve got! We’ve collected advice from professionals, combed through archives, and gathered insights from our group members. Click here to see the rest of our 101 health tips about running, intermittent fasting, and weight loss.
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Coach Tadris Parker trains people for weight loss, whether it’s a short term goal or a healthy lifestyle change.
Email coachtadris@gmail.com with questions about our Run/Walk Club, running events, or health programs.
If you’re serious about losing weight and keeping it off, contact Coach Tadris for a 1-2-1 Coaching Call!
Photo of The Week
Joann Rivera is all smiles as she completes her first 5k in Ocean City, NJ. Congratulations