Low-Cal? Low-Fat? Low-Carb? Which Diet Will Work Best for You?

Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows that there are thousands of diets, diet plans, diet system or diet kits available, but how do you know which one will actually work for you? Honestly, if followed correctly, almost all diets will result in weight-loss.

The secret to a truly successful weight-loss regimen is finding the diet plan that provides adequate nutrition and that fits into your lifestyle so you can continue to follow the plan even after you have reached your goal weight. A two month fad-diet can easily result in about ten, fifteen, even twenty pounds of weight lost. However, if you return to your old eating habits as soon as the diet is complete, you can expect that the weight will quickly return.

So which diet is best for you? Well, that depends on you and what your diet goals are. Currently, there are three major diet types: low calorie, low fat, and low carb.

Low calorie diets have been in existence forever and can be quite successful when done in moderation. After all, isn't the secret to weight-loss to burn more calories than you consume? Unfortunately, most popular low calorie diets go to extreme levels and recommend so few calories that your body actually shuts down and stops metabolizing food. This is why low calorie diets typically result in early weight-loss and then a plateau. The plateau is your body's way of trying to protect you from starving to death.

Similarly, low-fat diets can be successful when smart choices are made. Many low-fat foods such as fruits and vegetables are a great addition to a healthy diet. However, not all low-fat foods are created equal. There are many foods that have little or no fat, but are full of calories and sugars. These foods will cause limited weight-loss or possibly even weight-gain.

Recently, low-carb diets have become very popular. This diet trend may be the hardest to follow though. A carb-free diet can result in quick weight-loss, but there very few kinds of foods that have really low carbs (meats, eggs, cheeses). Due to the limited choices, not very many people are able to follow the low-carb diet for long periods of time.

Essentially, there is no secret diet that works for everyone. All diets must be followed in moderation and smart food choices must be made. However, the most important thing is to pick a plan that you can follow even you are done dieting. After all, successful weight loss is about long-term changes not extreme fad diets.

Sources:

*Low-Carbohydrate Diet, Wikipedia

*Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, USDA

*Denise Grady, "Low-Calorie Diet May Lead to Longer Life", NY Times