Nutrition Experts Review 5 Popular Weight Loss Diets
See if any of these are right for you
What does the word “diet” really mean?
How do diet plans work and what’s the difference between a diet and a lifestyle change?
What is the best diet for weight loss for me?
If you’ve been asking these same questions in your quest to find the perfect diet plan for you…well, you’ve come to the right place!
Our friends at Women’s Health called in the health & nutrition experts to review a variety of popular diet plans. Here are 5 to look into today:
1. The Mediterranean Diet
Pasta, fish, olive oil. Mamma mia! The Mediterranean Diet is so-called because it incorporates healthy living habits from Med-bordering countries like Italy, Spain and Greece. It consistently tops the list when it comes to diets recommended by Western medicine and is similar to Public Health England’s Eatwell Guide.
What the diet advocate says: ‘The key components of a Mediterranean diet are lots of vegetables, olive oil, oily fish and nuts, with no calorie restrictions. Combine that with cutting down on sugar, which was traditionally a rarity in the region, and you’ve got the base of the Mediterranean diet right. And if you get the base right you can eat a little of whatever else you like,’ says Consultant Cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra.
What the expert says: ‘There is a large amount of evidence to suggest that following the MD reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease,’ says registered Dietitian and British Dietetic Association spokesperson Kirsty Barrett. ‘Significantly, a meta-analysis of randomised-control trials in 2011 found that the MD was effective for weight loss, though results were better when the diet was combined with energy restriction and physical activity. It has also been found to reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) more than low fat and low carb diets.’
WH verdict: A foodie diet that delivers long-term term health goals gets our vote. Eating the rainbow means it’s easier to hit your nutritional micros (the vitamins and minerals that your body needs) too. Win win.
2. The Pegan Diet
What do you get if you cross a caveman with a vegan? Not a bad joke, but The Pegan Diet. An amalgamation of a vegan (plant-based) and paleo (if a caveman didn’t eat it, then neither can you) diet, it delivers all the antioxidants, fibre and healthy fats you expect from a plant-based plan, with all the protein of a carnivorous one.
Typical meal: Grilled chicken with five-coloured salad.
What the diet advocate says: The brainchild of Dr Mark Hyman, he came up with the concept after finding himself sandwiched between a vegan and a paleo advocate while doing a panel talk. ‘The best versions of both diets are built into the foundation: eat real, whole food,’ he says.
What the expert says: ‘This diet has lots of positives – we know whole grains are heart-healthy and an important source of fibre,’ says dietician Priya Tew. ‘But it also cuts out gluten and restricts all grains, making it unsustainable in the long term.’
WH Verdict: While it’s unlikely to be popular with those who’ve chosen a plant-based lifestyle for ethical reasons, the principle of eating real, whole food is sound. And combining two ways of eating certainly makes it easier to get enough protein and vital nutrients. But it’s still pretty restrictive, so consult a nutrition professional to make sure you aren’t at risk of nutritional deficiencies.
3. FODMAP
While it might have been brought to your attention by your mate with the ‘Kale 4 lyf’ tee, know that FODMAP isn’t a diet for weight loss. The acronym describes a group of short-chain carbohydrates (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) which, when eliminated, improve the symptoms of IBS-sufferers, and it should only be followed under the supervision of a dietitian.
Typical meal: Sea bass with vegetables
What the diet advocate says: ‘FODMAPS are either absorbed slowly from the small intestine or not absorbed at all,’ says Dr Gibson, a professor of gastroenterology at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and the brains behind the low-FODMAP diet. ‘When the FODMAPs move into the bowel, where they are fermented by bacteria, this produces gas and can also cause water to move into the bowel. This stretches the bowel wall, which stimulates the gut.’
What the expert says: ‘There have been a number of cases where GPs have said, ‘You’ve got IBS, go on the low-FODMAP diet’,’ says Dr Megan Rossi (@theguthealthdoctor). ‘The only support they give you is a printout with a limited explanation of the diet from the internet. I’ve had clients come into my practice who’ve been given a list of 10 ‘friendly’ foods to survive on, which is nutritionally dangerous.’
WH Verdict: While studies suggest the low-FODMAP diet is effective in the management of IBS symptoms, it has also been linked with disordered eating, and should only be followed under the care of a professional.
4. The Dubrow Diet
Think of it as intermittent fasting 2.0 (e.g. fasting for weight loss) – only a bit more complicated. Ready? Here goes. There are three windows: one to get you started, one to help you reach your goal weight and a maintenance plan. You eat within a 12-hour, 14-hour or 16-hour window depending on which phase you’re in. But what you eat counts, too. The ‘green light’ lists of foods changes with every phase. Still there?
Typical meal: Depends on what phase you’re in. And what time it is. But high-fibre carbs, lean protein, fruit and vegetables are your friends.
What the diet advocate says: ‘As opposed to the keto diet that aims to get you to a ketogenic state of using fat as fuel, which isn’t healthy or sustainable in my opinion, interval eating helps you go into a fat-burning state that leads to increased energy and cell renewal – a process called autophagy, the toxin-eating phase,’ says Terry Dubrow, the brain behind this food movement.
What the expert says: ‘Based on intermittent fasting, this style of diet has some evidence to suggest it can work for some people. But it certainly isn’t going to suit all personalities and the initial stage is intense.’
WH Verdict: Alert – the Dubrow Diet is the food baby of the US reality couple Heather and Terry (she stars in the ‘Real Housewives of Orange County’ and he’s a plastic surgeon starring in a show called ‘Botched’). It has not been designed by nutrition experts and is framed as ‘a diet’ as opposed to a sustainable eating plan for life. Avoid.
5. WW
Weight Watchers – the diet your mum used to follow – is no more. In 2018, the company underwent a re-brand, with the newer WW branding signalling a move away from diet culture and into the wellness-sphere. WW now stands for ‘Wellness that Works’. ‘We are not classed as a diet,’ a member of the press office team tells WH. ‘It is a lifestyle change – a healthy living programme that encompasses food, activity and mindset.’
As for the substance, it’s been getting results for a long time but the re-brand includes Wellness Wins – rewards for small, positive behaviours which are proven to lead to healthier habits – as well as FitPoints – a system designed to encourage activity choices based on what will have the healthiest impact on you.
Typical meal: If you’ve got the points for it, you can eat it.
What the diet advocate says: ‘We are committed to always being the best weight management program on the planet, but now we’re putting our decades of knowledge and expertise in behavioural science to work for an even greater mission,’ says Mindy Grossman, President and Chief Executive Officer, WW. ‘We are becoming the world’s partner in wellness. No matter what your goal is – to lose weight, eat healthier, move more, develop a positive mindset, or all of the above – we will deliver science-based solutions that fit into people’s lives.’
What the expert says: ‘While it’s great that WW is looking at a holistic approach, I would prefer to see a lot more emphasis on nutritional education and teaching cooking skills and portions sizes,’ says Tew. ‘We need to be encouraging people to tune into their internal cues of hunger, thirst and fullness as well as focusing on all over health.’
WH verdict: It’s still a diet by any other name, but props to Weight Watchers for acknowledging that there’s more to being healthy than ‘weight’. The new platform really does consider all aspects of wellness. And with plans to partner with Alexa and Google Assistant to help track your progress, WW could be to 2020 what Weight Watchers was to the early noughties.”
