Each year, millions of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, with weight loss almost always tagged as one of top goals for the year. So here we are, well into the first month into the New Year, and the word “diet” is flooding our feeds. With so many diets circling the internet, the options are endless. Which diet will help me achieve my weight loss goals? Which is the easiest to follow?
In early January 2019, it was announced by US News and World Report that the Mediterranean diet won the gold as 2019’s best overall diet in rankings.
But is the Mediterranean diet the way to go?
According to Wellstone’s Registered & Licensed Dietitian Carey Stites, consistency is the key to weight loss, not necessarily dieting.
“I don’t recommend any diets, to be honest. I believe the best ‘diet’ is a meal plan that a person can stay true to for a lifetime,” Carey Stites shared. “I prefer to use the word ‘meal plan.’ Whether that be the Mediterranean or any other commercial diet, if a person can be consistent, healthy and avoid the yo-yo pattern, then that particular meal plan is a good fit.”
If you are leaning towards the Mediterranean diet, be sure to loop in your health care provider.
“The Mediterranean diet recommends foods high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and lean protein-all which can contribute heavily to a healthy lifestyle, which I support,” Carey explained. “Individuals living with cardiovascular disease who need to limit their intake of fat and cholesterol can benefit from including plant-based foods into their meal plan.”
So what about the diets that promise to help you drop weight quickly? Count those out. “Any diet which advises a very low caloric intake can also be detrimental to long term weight loss goals,” Carey explained.
“I would advise people to stay clear of diets which completely cut out a group of foods or encourage only consuming shakes and bars. That type of diet, for most, cannot be sustained and does not teach people concepts of healthy eating such as serving sizes, eating a variety of foods, reading nutrition labels-all of which are crucial elements to long term health and weight loss.”
Commit to a healthy lifestyle, not a diet. Focus on consistently eating foods that fuel your body and exercising regularly. “Everyone has different needs and requirements. Not everyone can follow the same diet and achieve the same goals,” Carey added.