Weight Loss Diets: The most common types of weight loss diets

Often we hear about new diets, with success assured, that promise to be effective and rapid in loosing weight. The list is so long that a life would not be enough to try them all.

So, how to choose the diet that's right for you? Forget the advice of your friend who says she "lost 7 kg in 7 days" or the many diets that you can find on the internet, but ask for help from an expert dietician who can give you all the best advice based on your real needs. Obviously there are some well-known weight loss diets.

The Mediterranean diet

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet, considered worldwide as the most complete and proper diet, is one of the most important assets in Italy.

Always present in the Italian culture, the Mediterranean diet was gradually known throughout the world and, thanks to the American nutritionist Ancel Keysd, has received its proclamation in the United States, a country where the habit of eating is a cause of serious disorders. From the USA he returned to Italy, where, due to the well-being, had been virtually abandoned.

The Hypocaloric diet

What is hypocaloric diet?

The hypocaloric diet is the diet normally used in clinics to treat weight loss, and consists in the reduction of calories introduced, from 500 to 1000 kcal per day less than the demand, leaving unchanged the amount of the essential elements necessary for the body. This weight loss diet, allows you to lose about a pound a week. In the case of very obese people it may be associated with vigorous physical activity that allows you to lose weight without affecting the muscles.

The Scarsdale diet

What is the scarsdale diet?

The Scarsdale diet is a diet developed in the '70s by American cardiologist Herman Tarnower for their cardiac patients. Being a highly unbalanced diet, like many other diets developed in the U.S., even the Scarsdale diet has always been wary reception from the experts. Nevertheless, the popularity of the Scarsdale diet is still very high due to its simplicity and the good results that promises to get in the short term.

The Scarsdale diet promises to lose 10 kg in two weeks, which should say a lot about its dangers. It is a low-calorie diet and high protein diet, which provides a strong reduction in intake of carbohydrate (the amount of protein even exceeds 40% of total nutrient intake), and almost total elimination of added fat.

The first phase lasts two weeks, and it could not last longer without seriously jeopardizing the health of the individual. During this period one assume only 1,000 kcal distributed among proteins (43%), fat (22.5%) and carbohydrates (34 , 5%). Also assume large amounts of tea, coffee (no sugar) and water during the day.

The second phase called maintenance, can have variable duration according to our needs and provides a choice of food according to various criteria. However, this is a phase characterized by low intake of sugars: sweets, starches, vegetables (except soybeans), dairy products, meat and fat condiments are in fact prohibited.

After the maintenance phase, if it is found a weight gain of 2 kg, we must return to the first phase of two weeks.This should make it clear that a unbalanced diet, never leads to stable and lasting results.