Fitness & Wellness
The Most Popular Scientifically Backed Diets
There are so many diets available today, and they all claim to be effective. However, the truth of the matter is that most of these diet plans are not backed by science and can hurt you rather than heal you.
Here are a few popular diets that are backed by science:
The Keto Diet
The Keto Diet is a high-fat, medium-protein and low-carb plan that aims at sending your body into a state of ketosis, where your body starts converting your stored fat into energy.
This plan can be successful, but it is not an easy diet to follow. You cannot have any cheat days and must follow a meal plan that focuses on the healthy fats that you can eat (you can’t just eat high-fat food, you need to understand what types of fats are good for you and which aren’t).
The Paleo Diet
The concept behind this diet is to eat only those foods that were available to our Paleolithic ancestors. This means eating fresh, non-processed foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, fruit, and vegetables. All grains, dairy, added sugars, salt, and legumes would be a no-no in this diet.
The challenge with this diet is that you could end up with some nutritional deficiencies such as not getting enough calcium or vitamin D.
The Atkins Diet
Information on the Atkins website says that this diet has to be followed in phases – a kind of a build-up, rather than plunging straight away into it.
This is a diet that has proved that it can lead to long term weight loss, however, since it is a low-carb diet, people with diabetes or with weak kidneys should avoid this diet.
The DASH Diet
This diet has been designed to help people who suffer from high blood pressure. Thus, it focuses on reducing the consumption of sodium (read: salt) and increasing the intake of vegetables and fruits.
This is a long-term diet and has been consistently ranked as one of the best diets to follow since it not only brings your blood pressure under control but also leads to healthy weight loss in manageable stages.
There are many more diets that are good, such as the MIND Diet and Weight Watchers (now called WW). But remember, you need to consult a professional and get a complete health check to know which diet will suit you best.
Fitness & Wellness
The Power Of “Yet”: How to Teach Kids To Aspire For More
Want to know more about the importance of teaching your kids to have the right mindset? Better check out this fantastic TED lecture.
Carol S. Dweck, a psychology professor from the University of Stanford, has published a study discussing how human beings are divided into two types of mindsets. These are “Fixed” and “Growth.” Dweck, who is also a leading expert in her field, found out that these mindsets are usually set at an early age. Interestingly, there is a way to change them along with the right guidance. If you want to know more about the importance of teaching your kids to have the right mindset, better check out this fantastic TED lecture (your kids will thank you in the future). And oh, you can also take our fun quiz in order to know what your mindset is.
There are so many diet plans available today that it can be a real challenge trying to figure out what works best for you. Here are some tips to help you pick the diet plan that will help you with your weight loss and health goals.
Find One That Doesn’t Stress You Out or Cause You Pain
The key to finding the right kind of diet plan is to ensure that it is something you can follow for the long term. When choosing a diet plan, ask yourself whether this is something you will be able to sustain. Some key questions you should ask are whether this plan causes you to feel stressed out or anxious.
You should look for a diet plan that you would enjoy following and one that is flexible.
Choose a Diet Plan that Ensures Good Health
Some diet plans call for cutting out entire food groups. This can create a nutritional deficiency in your body, which can lead to sickness and ill health. For example, if you have diabetes, you need carbs, so a diet that cuts out carbs or has very low carbs will do more harm than good.
Do Not Look for a Quick Fix
Diet programs that promise quick results are not a good idea. They usually require extreme changes in your habits and are not sustainable. Additionally, you may end up binge eating after starving yourself for that time. Another danger to such diets is you could end up getting seriously ill.
The diet you look for should encourage gradual changes to habits and your lifestyle so that you can sustain the changes throughout your life.
Consult a Professional Before Following a New Diet
The diet that you decide to follow should be not only enjoyable but also safe and effective. Speak to your physician or a dietician before you start a new diet. If you don’t have a dietician, you can ask around or even look at some of the websites online to direction.
Each person has a different state of health and lifestyle. Therefore, a diet that worked for one may not work for you. What you need to do is understand what you need for your body, not what is popular at the moment.
At the end of the day, your diet plan should focus on making you healthier and fitter; the weight loss will automatically follow when you find the diet that works best for your body type.
It holds true that the human body is a true wonder, and each day, humanity gets to learn more about its complexity. If you have ever wondered what it is capable of in under a minute, then you have come to the right place. This video will show you the answer!
The Power Of “Yet”: How to Teach Kids To Aspire For More
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