Low Carb Diet Hunger Pangs
For millions of people, it's the elusive Holy Grail: what IS the best way to shed the pounds – and, crucially, keep them off?
After all, it doesn't seem to make sense: there's really only one way to gain weight – by eating and drinking too much – yet, when it comes to losing a pound or two, the options seem endless.
New weight loss plans pop up every year, each one promising a magic bullet for our bodies and health.
Yet too many of us are familiar with the experience of initially losing weight on a diet , only to pile the pounds back on afterwards.
Now, after lockdown – when 40 per cent of the country gained at least half a stone thanks to disrupted routines and comfort eating – clear, easy-to-understand diet advice has never been more in demand.
Here registered nutritionist and personal trainer SARAH O'NEILL (sarahoneill.co.uk ) shares her no-nonsense guide to the most well-known diets around to help you decide which one is best for you.
HIGH PROTEIN/LOW CARB
Many fitness professionals advocate a high protein, low carbohydrate diet to help their clients lose weight and build muscle.
The theory is that carbs (fibre, starches and sugar) provide our quickest source of energy so reducing them forces the body to tap into stored fat for fuel instead.
The NHS Eatwell Guide recommends that we eat around 55 per cent carbohydrate, 35 per cent fat and 10 per cent protein per day. But a high protein diet is approximately 30 per cent carbohydrate, 40 per cent protein and 30 per cent fat.
'These diets typically work well for weight loss in the short term but tend to plateau after a while,' says registered associate nutritionist Rosie Long, who says the initial changes in the body can be from losing 'water weight'.
BEST FOR:A lower carb diet can help manage type 2 diabetes, and any diet that encourages the reduction in high GI (glycaemic index) carbs such as cakes, biscuits, white pasta and white bread – these can cause a sugar spike and crash – is beneficial for all.
NOT FOR YOU IF: Excess protein can put strain on the kidneys, so this should be avoided by anyone with any risk factors for kidney disease. Vegetarians and vegans may struggle as veggie sources of protein such as grains, beans and pulses contain carbs.
Miss Long says: 'Our bodies need carbohydrates to function properly. Diets that are low in carbs are typically low in fibre, have limits on fruit and vegetable consumption and can be high in saturated fat and include more red and processed meat.'
INTERMITTENT FASTING
Intermittent fasting became a buzz phrase in 2013 with Dr Michael Mosley's book, The Fast Diet, which promoted the 5:2 diet. In essence, it involves eating normally for five days of the week and 'fasting' – keeping to 800 calories – on the other two.
It remains popular and participants can expect to lose around 1lb a week. Studies also show that, as well as weight loss, it can stabilise blood sugar levels, suppress inflammation, decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improve cognitive function.
Potential side-effects include the detrimental effects of fasting including constipation, headaches and hunger pangs.
There is also a daily version, the 16:8, with calory intake confined to an eight-hour period, such as 10am to 6pm or noon to 8pm, and the 'fast' takes place over the remaining 16 hours. This can be easier to sustain long-term and can be a helpful way of eliminating bad habits such as post-dinner sofa grazing.
BEST FOR:The 5:2 offers very clear 'on' and 'off' periods. Many people find intermittent fasting easy to follow long term or to use as a 'reset' tool when positive dietary habits slip. It can also teach the body 'real hunger' rather than eating out of habit.
NOT FOR YOU IF:It helps to have a consistent routine and may be hard if you have to get up very early or work long hours or shifts because this could leave you running on empty. It's also not recommended for people with diabetes.
'The diet won't work for weight loss if there isn't a calorie deficit overall,' notes Miss Long. 'If someone makes up for the fasting day by eating double as much on the non-fasting day then there would be no effect.'
THE KETOGENIC DIET
The ketogenic diet, a controversial high fat, low carb plan, has social media to thank for its recent popularity. Posts tagged with '#keto' have been seen an unimaginable six billion times on TikTok.
The aim is to force the body into 'ketosis', when it is fuelled by fat instead of carbohydrates. Replacing carbs with fat causes molecules called ketones to build up. The body then burns them for fuel instead of glucose from carbohydrates.
Fat makes up a hefty 70 to 75 per cent of daily intake with just five to 10 per cent of carbs. Recommended foods include bacon, cheese, eggs, butter and avocado. Fruit, grains, root vegetables and legumes are off the menu, but low carb vegetables such as greens are allowed.
The side-effects can be unpleasant and include dehydration, headaches, bad breath (ketones have an almondy odour), fatigue, nausea and constipation.
BEST FOR:The ketogenic diet was originally developed as a therapeutic diet to treat severe epilepsy in children. However, studies show it can lead to weight loss, reduced blood sugar levels and insulin resistance in adults. If you enjoy fatty foods this diet will appeal and, unlike other diets, it feels 'naughty'.
NOT FOR YOU IF:Steer clear ifyou have type 1 diabetics, pancreatic disease, liver conditions, thyroid problems, eating disorders (or a history of them), gallbladder disease, or your gallbladder has been removed, or a family history of kidney issues or disease.
The high fat nature of this diet is debatable, and because it doesn't follow the fundamentals of healthy eating (consuming fruit, vegetables and wholegrains), it potentially increases the risk of heart disease and is unsustainable in the long-term.
WW
WW – formerly known as Weight Watchers – was established 57 years ago, when it pioneered group meetings to support people trying to lose weight. Today, it has moved online with a website and app offering 3,000 recipes, workouts and an online community to make you feel part of a 'movement'.
The old meetings are now called 'Express Workshops' and weigh-ins are part of individual 'Wellness Check-Ins', meanwhile the new myWW+ programme creates personalised plans for each member.
Members use SmartPoints, a daily budget tailored to their needs to spend as they choose or to be saved up for celebrations. Zero point foods can be eaten freely and include most fruit, non-starchy vegetables, eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh and non-fat plain yogurt, while High SmartPoint foods – which use up more of your daily budget – are high in saturated fat and sugar.
BEST FOR: Itteaches the most nutritionally valuable choices to fill you up, without demonising 'unhealthy' food or treats, which makes it a long-term option.
Being part of a well-established weight loss community is important for many people, and meetings – physical or online – are shown to improve success on a diet.
NOT FOR YOU IF: While many people find the group support invaluable, nutrition consultant Jenna Hope warns they have a downside. 'Weight loss is at risk of being viewed as a competition… rather than focusing on weight loss for oneself.'
SLIMMING WORLD
Slimming World is an established low fat, low sugar diet that, like WW, relies on group meetings for accountability and encourages a points-based eating system.
Participants are allowed 'free foods' including dried pasta, potatoes and lean meats, and 'speed foods' which include almost all vegetables and many fruits, making up a third of a plate at every meal.
Cooking from scratch is strongly encouraged, and dieters are encouraged to trim off visible fat, choose meat products containing no more than five per cent fat, and use Fry Light instead of cooking oil.
In addition, there's a 'syn' allowance of between 10 to 15 syns a day, which can be 'spent' on foods such as chocolate. Processed foods use up 'syns' quickly, which can be educational.
BEST FOR:Weight loss is at a gradual, sensible rate (usually up to 2lb a week) and participants have access to meetings and weigh-ins, adding face-to-face accountability and group motivation, which also suits the less tech-savvy. At £4.99 a week, the price is accessible and you can be a lifelong member for free if you remain within 3lb of your target weight.
NOT FOR YOU IF:The terminology of 'syns', with its shame-based connotations, can be unhelpful – dieters shouldn't see food as 'sinful' or otherwise. It also eliminates healthy fats in your diet by avoiding foods such as nuts, seeds, flax, avocado and olive oil. Syns don't help with this. For instance, where an avocado is classed as 14 syns but a can of Coke is seven syns it's unlikely that participants will 'waste' syns on healthier choices. This feels like rocky science.
NOOM
Noom has earned the distinction of being the 'most searched' diet on the internet thanks to its focus on behavioural science and psychology to help shift dieters' mindsets about food and self-image.
There is no diet plan to follow but users decide the time-frame to reach their weight loss goal and are given daily calorie goals. However, by my assessment these are incredibly low (for example, 1,200 calories for a 5ft 5in woman), so instead, focus on the tool that helps improve your eating with an easy-to-use colour coding system.
You're encouraged to eat plenty of green foods (fruit, vegetables, fat-free dairy, tofu and grains), a moderate amount of amber foods (lean meat, fish, beans, avocado) and a small amount of red foods (fried food, processed drinks, fast food and sugary snacks).
Support is key to its success, with groups and coaches available to keep you on track. Meanwhile, regular logging is all part of the process: everything you eat and drink each day, any exercise you've done and your daily weigh-ins all must be entered into the app. Daily lessons help educate you on food and eating, while frequent quizzes test your new knowledge.
BEST FOR:By teaching the psychology and science behind eating, Noom encourages moderation and is removing the shame around weight. 'It also appears to promote a more holistic attitude to health and wellbeing than just body weight,' adds Miss Long. 'For example, the app encourages mindfulness when eating, getting plenty of sleep and staying hydrated.'
NOT FOR YOU IF: The app can be fairly 'naggy', with daily prompts and reminders if you've failed to log a meal or not done your lessons.
The focus on daily weigh-ins could also do more harm than good. 'This is a really unhealthy behaviour as it can leave you hyper-fixated on weight and can make you feel awful if the number isn't going down,' says Miss Long.
But most crucially, is it a case of the emperor's new clothes? 'Noom is advertised everywhere and gives off the illusion that it is "not a diet" but when you really look at it, it is just that,' says Miss Long. 'Just because a diet is "tailored to you" based on an online questionnaire, that doesn't make it not a diet.
'At the end of the day, Noom is still focused on "good" and "bad" foods and limiting intake in the same way as other diet plans – but this time with an £88 price-tag for four months.'
SECOND NATURE
Set up by former NHS advisers to tackle Britain's obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic, Second Nature is a strongly science-backed plan designed by dietitians promising to help people change their bad habits into healthy ones.
It encompasses the best of many programmes, combining behavioural and nutritional science with support and encouragement to change your lifestyle longer-term.
Part of the NHS's Healthier You programme, it provides a meal planner, weight and step trackers, an exercise toolbox and hundreds of healthy recipes, as well as access to a support group and a registered nutritionist or dietitian.
Articles cover advice on choosing healthy foods, setting good habits, the power of positive thinking, exercise options and the importance of sleep.
The 'tech' package is £13.75 a week and includes a tailored 12-week plan, a digital support group, full access to the app and platform and a Second Nature recipe book. It also adds in smart weighing scales which autosync to the app. (For the less tech-minded, a £10-a-month package comes without the scales).
BEST FOR:The NHS endorsement should give those with clinical or pre-clinical conditions the confidence to give it a go. It has successfully helped those with pre-diabetes, type 1 and 2 diabetes, coeliac disease, IBS and gastrointestinal disorders, hypothyroidism, PCOS, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. And some 95 per cent of participants lose weight on the programme, so this seems to be one that 'sticks'.
NOT FOR YOU IF:The method would be less effective for those who prefer to go it alone, while the tracking and recording can put people off. The financial commitment could also be a deterrent.
MEDITERRANEAN DIET
There is no one definition of this but it generally focuses on fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses, nuts, cereals, grains, fish and unsaturated fats such as olive oil. It's lower in meat and dairy, water is the main drink but a moderate amount of wine is fine with meals.
'Unlike other complex and restrictive diets, the Mediterranean diet is packed with nutritious and delicious foods,' says Miss Long. 'It has been hailed as the gold-standard for years among health professionals and scientists and is well-known for its health-promoting properties.'
Research shows that benefits include improved heart health, circulation, brain function, reduction in inflammation and increased gut biodiversity. It encourages the consumption of 'real' foods, as opposed to processed, and is a diet that can be adopted for life.
BEST FOR:Most of us! It's a great wellness diet to follow long term: the principles are simple and you shouldn't feel hungry as it includes all food groups. There is a huge amount of choice in terms of the meals and snacks you can eat and enjoy. You don't need to pay to join a diet – in fact, it's more of a lifestyle than a weight loss plan, as many other diet brands, such as WW, incorporate the key principles of the Mediterranean diet.
NOT FOR YOU IF:Some people will find this quite 'carb-heavy'. Since there are no limits or portion sizes, it is possible to gain weight by overeating healthy fats, which are calorific.
D.A.S.H DIET (DIETARY APPROACHES TO STOP HYPERTENSION)
This diet was designed in the 1990s by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in the US as a way to reduce high blood pressure (hypertension) which is a risk factor for heart disease.
The backbone of the diet is fruit, vegetables and wholegrains, fat-free or low fat dairy plus fish, poultry, nuts, beans and vegetable oils. These are all high in nutrients including potassium, calcium, magnesium, protein and dietary fibre which have all been shown to reduce blood pressure.
Food that's high in saturated fat such as meat, full-fat dairy, coconut and palm oil and added salt and sugar are discouraged. It also urges exercise, giving up smoking and cutting back on alcohol.
'It's similar to the Mediterranean diet,' says Miss Long. 'But the DASH diet takes it one step further, giving more specific guidance on portions which can be helpful for people looking for something a little more structured.'
BEST FOR:'There is a wealth of evidence showing that this particular way of eating can not only lower blood pressure but also cholesterol and heart disease risk,' says Miss Long.
But it's not just for people with hypertension – a heart-healthy diet is appropriate for most people and represents a healthy, balanced and nutrient-rich style of eating.
NOT FOR YOU IF:Some health professionals disagree with eating only low-fat dairy, particularly in processed food. When stripping out fat, manufacturers often add sugar for flavour, so read the labels carefully, especially with yoghurt.
PALEO
The Paleo diet aims to mirror the food eaten by paleolithic man more than 10,000 years ago – a time before farming and long before the pitfalls of our modern-day diet which is rich in processed food, salt, sugar and trans fats.
There is much debate about how 'true' our modern take on the Paleo diet really is, without knowing what foods actually existed at the time or how our current produce compares to prehistoric, wild versions. However, it generally includes lean meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, seeds, nuts, vegetables, olive and coconut oils and sometimes small amounts of honey.
Root vegetables may be allowed in moderation, such as sweet potato and cassava. But dairy products, wholegrains, cereals, refined grains and sugars, white potatoes, legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts), alcohol, coffee, salt, refined vegetable oils and processed foods are all out.
BEST FOR: Meat-lovers and/or people who are dairy and gluten-free. The high protein angle also appeals to gym-goers. The regime is a way to reduce processed foods and will suit anyone who enjoys – and has the time – to prepare fresh food every day.
NOT FOR YOU IF:It's hard if you're on a budget. The sheer volume of meat can be expensive. It could affect your health too: exclusion of dairy requires caution, especially if you are at risk of osteoporosis; a Paleo diet could also contain lower levels of B vitamins, calcium and vitamin D. The exclusion of wholegrains could lead to lower fibre intake, increasing risk of constipation. This, coupled with higher meat intake (which could also increase saturated fat), could potentially increase risk factors for diabetes and heart disease.
The best of the rest...
1:1 DIET BY CAMBRIDGE WEIGHT PLAN
Created in the 1960s, the diet, previously known as the Cambridge Weight Plan, is a very low calorie diet, in which dieters can start off eating as little as 500 calories a day for a week, primarily in the form of meal replacement shakes, snack bars and packaged soups.
Meal replacement products are an unhealthy, unhelpful part of the dieting industry and are a cause of 'yo-yo dieting' as the moment 'normal' eating is resumed the weight is regained, and typically some more.
THE VOLUMETRICS DIET
Also called 'volume eating', this is a 'free foods' diet, encouraging dieters to eat their fill of vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and low fat dairy – low energy, high density foods that are packed with vitamins and minerals – to feel full and satisfied. This style of eating can be helpful for those who find restrictions unhelpful or who complain they always feel hungry on a diet.
THE MIND DIET
Combining the health benefits of both the Mediterranean and DASH diets, this plan claims to be 'brain-friendly' and even help to prevent dementia. Key foods to include are leafy greens, other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, fish, wholegrains, poultry, olive oil and wine. But red meat, butter or margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, fried or fast foods should be limited. It is fairly simple to follow, with a little time and effort needed for meal planning.
THE WINNER IS… THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET
Sarah O'Neill says: My diet is most reflective of the Mediterranean diet, with an emphasis on plant-based eating.
I believe five a day should be a baseline and we should strive to eat 10 low sugar pieces of fruit and veg a day. I aim to eat two portions of fish a week (one oily), moderate amounts of other meat (lean chicken and beef no more than once a week), and aim to ensure we have at least two meat-free dinners on the menu per week.
Eating the rainbow (making sure your fruit and vegetables are a variety of colours) is a good principle to follow to ensure you're receiving a plethora of vitamins and minerals, and diversity in eating is key, especially considering gut health.
Rosie Long agrees: 'If you are looking to improve your health and lose weight, you're better off sticking to general healthy eating principles which are found in the Mediterranean and DASH diets. They're a way of eating for overall good health and don't come with any scary (or nonsensical) rules. Plus, they are backed by a heap of good quality evidence.'
The experts share their top tips for making YOUR diet stick
Get ready:'Readiness to change is the pivotal factor,' says Sarah O'Neill. 'Have a goal or motivator beyond weight loss, for instance, to be fitter to run around with the kids or to have more energy and focus at work.'
Change your mindset: 'Shift the emphasis from "this is a punishment because I'm overweight so I have to do this" to "I really care about my body, fitness and health and I value and love myself, therefore I'm going to eat food that sustains and nurtures me as opposed to food that increases my disease risk",' says Mrs O'Neill.
Talk to experts:'Seek help from a registered professional,' advises Rosie Long. 'A registered nutritionist or dietitian will be able to guide you through a healthy weight management programme that doesn't have to result in deprivation. You'll learn more about nutrient-dense foods and how to incorporate healthy habits into your life over time.'
Use social media:'Following registered nutritionists or dietitians on social media ensures information you're getting about nutrition is evidence-based and supports a healthy relationship with food,' says Miss Long. 'It's also a good place to start for recipe ideas.'
Start meal planning: 'It's a helpful way to meet seemingly difficult goals such as eating at least 30 different plants a week, including vegetables, grains and nuts,' says Mrs O'Neill.
Source: https://www.mailplus.co.uk/edition/health/medical-matters/117822/which-diet-is-best-for-you-from-keto-to-low-carb-and-caveman
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