Fun Fact: most people don't know the cons of a diet before starting one. We're 4 days into the New Year and statistically speaking, about 70% of people have already cheated on their New Years diets. We've compiled a short and sweet way to determine the type of diet that is best for you so you can KEEP THAT NEW YEARS RESOLUTION!
The infographic at the bottom of this article will give you the rundown of the most popular and effective diets of the year. (Shout out to our people over at Lifehack for making the infographic for us!) Be sure to at least skim the info below so you can be prepared for what these diets will throw at you...
Things to Know Before Starting a Diet:
1. Being on the wrong diet can be counterproductive. Depending on your body type, metabolism levels, and lifestyle, some diets can actually make you gain weight rather than losing it, so choose wisely.
2. There is no such thing as a universal diet. There is not a diet that works for everyone. Trying the diet that your friend told you was "like magic" for her will not necessarily give you any results, which leads us to our next point...
3. There's no magic diet. There is not a healthy diet in existence (despite what you hear on commercials) that will make you lose weight and feel better without really feeling like you're on a diet. All diets take dedication, conscious effort, and most of all: patience.
4. Some foods are avoided in ALL DIETS. Any diet that's worth anything will have you cutting out preserved food (e.g. canned products and McDonalds). Also, most will have you cut out sugary drinks (e.g. soda, sweet tea, and juices from concentrate) because these products have no real health value whatsoever.
The Cons of Each Fad Diet
Paleo
- It can get expensive.
- You aren't allowed to eat grain or dairy which is a main source of energy.
- Not ideal for people working out regularly, as you will need 3 to 6 grams of carbs per pound of your body weight, per day.
Ketogenic
- The 1-2 week adaptation period can be brutal.
- The amounts of vegetables and proteins are very low, leaving micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals missing from your body.
- This diet is very strict and it makes dining out difficult, so you must have time and motivation to meal prep.
Vegan
- Going vegan is an entire lifestyle change.
- If you have a condition such as osteoporosis or diabetes a vegan diet may interfere with your condition.
- There are no data proving that simply being vegan as an isolated behavior improves health. Veganism requires a balance of diet, exercise and a proper fitness regime.
Vegetarian
- Recent studies reveal that vegetarians follow medical treatment more frequently and have a lower quality of life.
- They also discovered “significantly higher" incidences of cancer in vegetarians, due to the vitamins in meat that help boost immunity.
- Vegetarians have an increased risk of mental disorders such as anxiety disorder and depression.
Anti-Inflammatory
- Can be contradictory. For example, it encourages you to avoid processed and modified foods, but...
- ...it encourages soy consumption which is one of the most genetically modified foods and can have a major impact on hormone levels, especially in women.
- It also encourages a lot of fruit which can cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly.
