The Benefits and Drawbacks of 2021’s Most Popular Diets

With a new year, comes a new opportunity to start fresh and get your fitness levels back on track. Every year, the most popular resolution is, without a doubt, to lead a healthier lifestyle. Some people promise to spend more time playing sports, whilst others promise to change their eating habits for good.

Whatever challenge you have set for yourself this upcoming year.

Here are Some of the Benefits and Drawbacks of 2021’s Most Popular Diets:

Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet, also known as a keto diet, has recently gathered a lot of attention for delivering noticeable results over a relatively short amount of time. This diet involves lowering your daily carb intake to less than 50 grams a day and substantially increasing your intake of fats. The advantage of this diet is that it helps you lose lot of weight over a short period of time. It has also been proven to keep glucose levels to a low yet healthy level. 

However, many people experience adverse symptoms as their body enters a metabolic state of ketosis. These symptoms typically last up to a week or two, however, in some extreme cases they can last a month. People experience symptoms like keto rash, bad breath, and even fatigue. It takes a lot of commitment to stick to this diet and many people find it hard to sustain. This diet also involves a lot of calorie counting as you need to ensure you are below the maximum carbohydrate intake. 

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is another diet that has become wildly popular over recent years. The most common type promotes only eating during an 8-hour window and fasting for the remaining 16 hours of the day. The pros are that you will notice results, as your body begins to burn all of your stored sugars to create energy during the fast. It has also been linked to improved brain function and lower risk of diseases.

However, many people who try intermittent fasting find that it becomes very difficult to sustain in the long run. Depending on when you choose to fast, this diet could interfere with your social life or physical activities. For example, if you choose to fast during the morning but you also love a morning jog, this could become an issue because working out on an empty stomach is not recommended. Contrastingly, if you choose to fast in the evenings, you won’t be able to enjoy dinner plans with your friends or family.

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is probably one of the most widely used and traditional diets in the world. Not only is it nutritionally balanced, but this diet also provides an array of hearty ingredients. It consists of daily consumption of veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Weekly consumption of fish, eggs, and beans. As well as moderate consumption of dairy and a limited intake of red meat. You can even have a glass of red wine in moderation. This diet involves wide selection of ingredients and has very few limitations or restrictions. It has been thought to increase agility, longevity, and reduce the risk of heart disease or strokes. 

The drawback of a Mediterranean diet is that there is no set rulebook or guidance for portion control and eating style. If you are someone who needs structure and rules to adhere to a new eating plan, this may not be the diet for you. Its lack of calorie targets and meal configurations make the Mediterranean diet more of a lifestyle than a strict diet. Furthermore, most of the dishes included in this diet tend to be elaborate and homemade with fresh ingredients. Some people might find this difficult to keep up with if they are constantly on the go. 

If you are still unsure about what diet is right for you, there is no harm in trying them all. Once you find the one that you are most comfortable with, you can commit to staying fit all year round. Going on a diet isn’t about losing weight, it is also about getting all of the right nutrients and feeling energized so that you can make the most of your day. Furthermore, a healthy diet should be balanced with regular exercise in order for you to truly feel the effects. If you are planning to change up your diet and you feel like you need some more guidance about which route to take, make sure to contact your local doctor or nutritionist.