Fad Diet vs. Healthy Diet

In this ever-changing world that relies on quick fixes and google search for all the big and small problems, finding a healthy diet for long-lasting and sustainable weight reduction is challenging.

We daily come across some words like belly fat loss, magical ways to lose weight, wonder weight loss diet, and other terms that catch the reader's attention into the world of fad diets. These fad diets promise easy weight loss without any research or data to back its so-called benefits.

FAD DIETS - TEMPORARY WEIGHT LOSS AND PERMANENT MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS

Fad diets are new and trendy diets that focus only on one or two aspects of our daily diet or food items and encourages restrictive eating; moreover, these diets are designed to offer instant and short-term weight loss.

Fad diets ignore the need for wholesomeness in the diet and insist on increasing one aspect of food like high protein or eliminating carbohydrates from the daily meals, leading to nutritional imbalances and hence, negatively impact our physical and mental health. In addition to this, whatever weight we lose is majorly due to muscle mass loss, not fat.

It has been seen that fad diets work for a small percentage of people and that too for a very short period of time.

HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS DIET – SUSTAINABLE WEIGHT LOSS AND PREVENTS MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS

Let us help you understand what a healthy diet actually means. A healthy diet provides all the required nutrients in the right quantities and includes various foods from all food groups daily.

ICMR, NIN has simplified healthy eating by specifying quantities in which food items should be consumed from various food groups to achieve optimum nutritional status and avoid obesity or weight gain.

Let’s break down and classify our daily diet into easily understandable food groups LIKE GRAINS, DALS, MILK AND CURD, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ETC……. 

To maintain good health and lose weight in a healthy way, we should know how much to take from each food group.

*Cereals and grains group includes wheat, rice, ragi, suji, jowar, bajra, maize, corn, barley, bread, pasta, biscuits, and all breakfast cereals poha, daliya, cornflakes, wheat flakes etc. 

This food group is the primary source of energy/ calories and fibre and provides you with some protein, a few vitamins and minerals. All our 3 main meals should include food sources from this group. A healthy person generally takes 4 to 6 chapatis in a day with two Katori rice and some breakfast cereals in the whole day.

When somebody aims for weight loss, to create a negative energy balance, one should reduce some calories from this group by reducing the number of chapatis or rice from the main meals.

*Pulses, dals, beans, peas, or tofu is a food group that majorly gives you protein with some energy/ calories. 

We should try to consume around 2 Katori daily of any item from this group for good health and weight loss.

* Milk and curd- provides you with protein, some vitamins and minerals like calcium. 

Take 250 to 300 ml from this food group daily for muscle build-up during weight loss. Try to use fat-free milk only.

* Egg, chicken, fish, paneer: These foods also provide you with proteins, fats and few vitamins. 

Daily intake from this category can be one egg or 1 Katori of other meat product. Those aiming for weight loss should avoid egg yolk and opt for the roasted form of others.

* Vegetables (all colours, including green leafy vegetables) are an essential food group and the primary source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber in your day's diet. 

Healthy individuals or weight loss seekers can eat freely from this group without any worries. Hence add 2,3 bowls of vegetables, salads, and soups to your day's diet for health and taste.  

* Fruits - provides you with a lot of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. 

You should eat 2 or 3 fruits daily. While on weight loss, avoid high sugar fruits like mango, cheeku, banana, leechi and grapes.

 Fruits and vegetables are the primary sources of fiber in your day's diet.

* Nuts and seeds -should also be an essential part of your day's diet as they not only provide you with energy and fat but, most importantly, gives you essential fatty acids. 

30 gms is the recommended intake, but weight watchers should limit 3 spoons of seeds or 8 almonds/cashews/ walnuts.

*Oil - You should limit your oil used for cooking to 3 spoons only, and try avoiding fried foods, butter, cheese or mayonnaise if weight loss is your goal.

For cooking, a mixture of oil is preferred rather than the use of single oil. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids containing vegetable oils are preferred (sunflower oil, olive oil, safflower oil, corn oil, groundnut oil etc) instead of animal fat and saturated fatty acids (butter, ghee, coconut oil or palm oil).

 The food groups mentioned above and portions specified will provide you with all the essential nutrients in recommended doses. 

You can healthily achieve weight loss if you follow the above-explained diet regime.  Moreover, this diet can work wonders for weight losers if we add the goodness of fiber in it by consuming unrefined or whole grains, leafy vegetables, or fiber supplements like ActiFiber Natural Weight Control. It is a 100% Plant Origin Fiber Nutrition with Prebiotic Advantage that controls your hunger pangs, reduces your extra calorie intake, and helps you achieve Healthy Weight Loss That Lasts. Its prebiotic advantage regulates your appetite and improves your digestive health.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and when it comes to your health, we must rely only upon well researched and time tested methods and techniques. Hence don’t fall prey to the latest and trendy fad diets and diet plans and risk your health to achieve quick and temporary weight loss. Be an intelligent weight loser, follow a healthy diet, eat fresh, homemade foods only for long-lasting weight loss, and stay away from fad diets and their ill effects.

Also including ActiFiber as a part of your healthy diet may help you achieve your weight loss goals. Prebiotic enhances the diversity of gut microbiome and improves gut health. It is recommended by Nutritionists because it is 100% Natural, is proven to be Effective by scientific Research & Clinical studies and backed by Safety approvals worldwide.

Unlike most weight loss plans which involve following trendy, fad diets or not having healthy normal meals, ActiFiber delivers best results when combined with normal, healthy meals. It dissolves easily with no taste, odour, or colour.

ActiFiber Natural Weight Control helps control your hunger pangs, reduces your extra calorie intake, and thus helps you achieve ‘Healthy Weight Reduction that Lasts’. Over the long term, its Prebiotic advantage regulates your appetite and helps you maintain a healthy weight.

Losing excess fat deposits is one of the big challenges in our journey to being fit. ActiFiber Natural Lean & Fit is the ‘Inch Loss Expert’ that delivers both Weight loss & Fat loss to help you become Leaner & Fitter. It achieves this by Regulating Appetite Better, Supporting Weight Management, and Reducing Body Fat. Over the long term, it also helps you stay healthy and reduces risk of lifestyle health challenges.