Are you shaping up for summer?
There are a huge number of healthy eating plans you could try to help you lose weight this summer, but which one will you choose?
If you are thinking about losing weight for the warmer weather, then the best way is with a healthy balanced diet combined with exercise. If you do decide to go on a diet to get in shape for the summer months, you may be interested to find out which of the many different options are the healthiest and why is it so important to focus on getting the right nutrition levels.
Recent research by Centrum revealed that the majority of UK adults struggle to really understand what the right nutrition choices are for ourselves and our partners, with more than 80% unable to identify when they might need to think differently about what they eat.
If you are thinking about getting in shape for the summer months and embarking upon a diet or new eating regime you may find it useful to include a multivitamin within your daily routine, which can help ensure you get the vitamins and minerals you need. Centrum Men and Centrum Women are tailored multivitamins that have been scientifically adjusted to help fulfil the specific nutritional needs of both men and women.
Expert nutritionist Fiona Hunter has picked out some of the most popular and talked about diets of the moment and taken a look at their nutritional value in order to be able to offer insight into which one might be the best option for you. Before embarking on any new diet, it is always wise to speak with your GP first to make sure it is safe for you to do so:-
Alkaline diet
What the diet involves: This diet means choosing alkaline foods to keep your body’s pH between 7.35-7.45. Acid forming foods include meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, white sugar, white flour, and caffeine as well as fruit and vegetables.
Fiona’s verdict - 3/10 – “This diet is restrictive, unproven and potentially low in calcium and iron. A diet rich in iron is important for women during their monthly cycle. “
The 5:2 diet
What the diet involves: The much talked about 5:2 diet means intermittent fasting; two days of eating just 600 calories then eating normally for the remaining five days of the week.
Fiona’s verdict - 5/10 – “Providing you eat a healthy diet on the five days you are not on your 600 calorie fast you should get all the vitamins and minerals you need, however little research has been done to date on the long term effects of fasting on a diet such as this. Including a tailored multivitamin within your daily intake may also help to ensure you aren’t missing out on anything vital.”
Paleo diet
What the diet involves: Eating like a ‘caveman’, this diet means consuming a lot of plant based foods – such as fruit and vegetables, lean meat, nuts and seeds.
Fiona’s verdict: 7/10 – “This diet is healthy but quite restrictive. Eliminating dairy products means it could be low in calcium. It can also be low in fat so absorption of fat soluble vitamins could be compromised.”
Dukan diet
What the diet involves: The Dukan is based on four phases, the first being the ‘attack’ phase which allows you to only eat lean protein and oat bran. Following the first phase, other foods such as fruit and vegetables are then gradually added back into the diet.
Fiona’s verdict: 3/10 - “In the first phase it is extremely restrictive and deficient in several key vitamins and minerals. If you were going to follow the Dukan diet then I would definitely recommend taking a multivitamin supplement to ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need, particularly during the first ‘attack’ phase.”
Very low fat diets
What the diet involves: Gram for gram fat provides twice as many calories as protein or carbohydrate so cutting out fat is a very effective way of cutting out calories.
Fiona’s verdict: 5/10 - “Despite some men maybe wanting to cut out fat to keep their hearts healthy, some fat is actually essential in the diet. It provides essential fatty acids and is needed for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Without enough fat your body may be unable to absorb these vitamins.”
Low carbohydrate diets
What the diet involves: Omitting carbohydrates from your diet (even healthy carbs like fruit and starchy vegetables) and choosing lean protein.
Fiona’s verdict: 3/10 – “Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy balanced diet and provide a number of key nutrients including Vitamins C and B, which support a healthy immune system in men. Diets that are low in carbohydrates can be short of fibre which will increase the risk of digestive problems like constipation.”
Raw food diet
What the diet involves: Eating uncooked, unprocessed plant foods – this diet is 75% raw fruit and vegetables, other foods that are allowed include dried fruit, nuts and spouted seeds.
Fiona’s verdict: 4/10 - “A diet such as this is unlikely to provide enough Vitamin B12 and may also be short on calcium, iron and omega-3 fatty acids.”
Meal replacement plans
What the diet involves: Substituting some or all food in your diet with meal replacement bars or drinks.
Fiona’s verdict: 8/10 – “Most of these meal replacement products are fortified with vitamins and minerals so are nutritionally quite well balanced but check the label before you buy.”
Weight Watchers
What the diet involves: A calorie controlled, flexible plan which uses a points system based on the protein, calories and fibre in food.
Fiona’s verdict: 9/10 – “This is a balanced and flexible plan so if you choose healthy foods you should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need but a multivitamin and mineral supplement might be a good insurance on top.”
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