There's a lot of controversy over what is the best diet__.__ Low-carb diets claim they're the best. Others swear by the low-fat diet. Today, I'd like to discuss both of these diets and give you my thoughts.
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A low-fat diet allows you to eat larger quantities of food. You can fill up on veggies and fruit; just cut back on fats. A low-carb diet means you cut out pasta, bread and sweets and eat mostly protein and fat. You'll have to watch your portions since these are high calorie foods. If you follow a low carb diet strictly, you will often see weight loss rather quickly. But it's not the best diet for your health. It is not a "high fat" diet, though, as some people think. It simply allows fats as opposed to eliminating them.
The most popular of the low-carb diets are the Atkins diet and the South Beach Diet. You'll notice that both of these are huge money machines for their creators. Sadly, most people gain back weight quickly after stopping these diets.Though you may lose weight on either diet, neither one is a balanced diet containing all the nutrients your body needs. You need good carbs for energy. Without them you'll start to feel sluggish and have a low energy level.
Your body needs good fats such as salmon and avocados. Your skin and hair will start to suffer if you're eating no fats at all. Omega fatty acids are essential for good health. At one time people thought the more fat you ate, the fatter you would be, but this is simply not true. You do have to watch the types of fats you eat, but eating fat does not make you fat. Studies have shown that over a period of years, people who ate low fat diets actually gained weight.
Eliminating whole food groups from your diet is never a good idea–whether it's fat or carbs.
So which is better for you? The truth is, neither. They are not long term solutions. You can't–and should not–continue either one of them for life. Neither of them is recommend by doctors as long term diets. They are both lacking in basic nutrition in certain areas.
A much better option is simply eating a healthy dieting that contains whole grain, lots of fresh produce including fruits and vegetables, and lean protein. Also, don't forget to drink your eight glasses of water every day. Add some consistent exercise and you have a healthy lifestyle. Don't try to make it harder than it really is by trying fad diets that come and go.
This post was originally published on January 9, 2014.
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