I believe that there is no one size fits all approach to a healthy lifestyle. Successful nutrition needs to take the individual person and their lifestyle into consideration. At the end of the day the best “diet” is the one that is backed by research, and one that you can commit to long term. With that being said here’s my deep dive into the hottest fad diets.
Disclaimer: I am NOT a dietician. I am a certified Nutrition Coach specializing in Plant Based Nutrition. I decided to do a deep dive into the hottest fad diets to share my knowledge, research and experience I’ve gained while working in the industry with clients. Before starting a new diet plan- consult with your healthcare provider or registered dietitian, especially when you have preexisting health conditions.
Ketogenic Diet
What it requires: LOW carb intake, moderate protein intake, HIGH fat intake
What it claims: That your body will go into ketosis which means, burning fat for fuel. When the body burns fat for fuel it produces ketones (substance your body produces when your cells don’t get enough glucose).
Pros: Some people do lose weight in the beginning. However, in most people this is due to cutting calories and sugar, rather than the actual process of ketosis. Most people will regain the weight after they stop following the keto diet, to a T.
Cons: This diet is not recommended for the average person. Research only recommends keto for those who have epilepsy and those who are being monitored by a ketogenic registered dietician. This is because of the rigidity of the diet. Most people who are doing keto are not actually in ketosis. The diet is also severely lacking in fruits, vegetables and fibre which isn’t great for gut health. As a personal trainer I always advise against working out while on the keto diet because the body needs carbohydrates as fuel. Fat is not as efficient of a fuel source and therefore your endurance and power will be affected and you can be left feeling nauseous, tired, headachy and weak during your workout.
Detox/Cleanse
What it requires: Consuming a “special” ingredient like activated charcoal or buying a special tea or juice (i.e celery juice or detox teas).
What it claims: That it will rid your body of toxins.
Pros: HONESTLY- there are no pros to detoxes and cleanses. The job of your liver and kidneys is to detox the body. They do a great job and do not need help.
Cons: These cleanses can be expensive. They can be unpleasant and unnecessary. They can also prevent your body from absorbing needed nutrients.
Flexitarian
What it requires: To mainly live a vegetarian lifestyle, but allows you to enjoy some meat when the craving strikes.
What it claims: To be sustainable, nutritious and flexible for all.
Pros: The flexitarian diet is nutritious as it embraces all food groups so you can meet all your nutrient needs. As the name states- it is also flexible. You focus on consuming plant based foods while reducing your consumption of animal based products. This makes it easier to create a sustainable lifestyle for you.
Cons: This can be a difficult diet for those that grew up in a “meat and potatoes” household. Also, the flexitarian diet can potentially lead to low iron levels because of the lack of red meat intake. Always make sure to take in plant based iron sources like leafy greens, lentils and soy.
Alkaline Diet
What it requires: Replace acid forming foods such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs and alcohol with alkaline forming foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes.
What it claims: That disease (like cancer) thrive in an acidic environment. So if you replace acid forming foods with alkaline forming foods you can alter the PH values in your body.
Pros: Increased intake of fruits and vegetables and a decreased intake in red meat and sugar.
Cons: There is no evidence to support this diet. While the alkaline diet has no negative effects on the body- you cannot alter the pH levels of your body! Also, someone doing the alkaline diet is often spending money on unnecessary products like alkaline water.
Intermittent Fasting
What it requires: Cycling between periods of eating and fasting. The most common ratio is a 16 hour fast and 8 hour eating window. Intermittent fasting does not specify what foods you should or should not eat.
What is claims: This diet can help to burn body fat and stabilize blood sugar levels. During our fasting period our insulin levels will go down, and out fat cells can release their stored sugar, to be used as energy! By fasting for a long enough period we allow the insulin levels to go far enough and long enough to burn off body fat.
Pros: You are not completely cutting out any food groups making it a sustainable long term option. Research also shows that intermittent fasting stabilizes blood sugar levels and decreases blood pressure and cholesterol.
Cons: Fasting is not restrictive and therefore individuals can still eat whatever they want. This can cause overeating and/or binge eating during the eating window.
In Conclusion…
I hope that my deep dive into the hottest fad diets has opened your eyes to the pros and cons of all these different patterns of eating. At the end of the day- you need to find something that is sustainable for your lifestyle. It’s about rejecting diet culture and avoiding the diet cycle seen below.
The desire to be thin → Dieting/Restriction → Deprivation → Loss of Control → Guilt and Shame → Regaining of lost weight → Back to step 1
It’s all about building healthy habits- that you can implement for the long haul! Some of these “fads” are more sustainable than others. And just remember- food should bring you joy, your mental and emotional health is important too! Always make sure your food makes YOU HAPPY! If not- it will not be sustainable. If you’re just starting your health and fitness journey and are looking to add in some exercise but are not sure where to start- check out my Spring into fitness post here.
Happy Spring everyone!
