There are so many “diets” out there that it’s hard to keep up.
When starting on the road to weight loss, you may already be confused about which diet to follow. One friend may tell you one thing, and another may tell you the complete opposite.
“Go low fat,” says one friend. “No, you should try the cabbage diet”, says the other.
The same goes for the weight loss industry. Don’t worry—it’s not just your friends preaching a specific way—it’s the “Experts,” too.
“Go on a juice cleanse”, says a herbal nutritionist. “It’s all about the protein; it keeps you fuller for longer,”, says the personal trainer who can’t even fit through the doorway.
Forget about them. And don’t worry, I won’t be “preaching” a particular way of “dieting”. I’m just going to explain diets to you in a way that you understand.
Because life’s too short to be talking waffle about ketones or cavemen. I’d rather provide you with key information so you can get cracking with your weight loss.
Diets are like vehicles
Before you start with the “Hey, you said no waffle”, I will use a little analogy to help you understand “diets.”
Let’s talk about what car you drive. Do you drive a Ford Fiesta, an Audi A4, or a Porsche 911?
Who cares? They all work the same way. You turn the engine on, put your foot down on the accelerator, the wheels get moving, and you hit the brakes so you don’t crash into another car (I hope).
They have different features, but the concept and purpose of driving are exactly the same—to get you from where you are to where you want to be.
Diets work exactly the same way.
They may have different badges, types of people driving them, and features. However, they are still just cars, vehicles to get you from one place to another.
We get so caught up in status that we forget this. They all work the same. Now, I’d say that this status or sense of belonging to a specific group is everywhere, from the clothes you wear to the TV shows you watch, and yes, you guessed it, to the diet you choose.
We all like to sound up-to-date when discussing the latest things, which is why everybody jumps from one diet to another. The old ones just aren’t that exciting anymore.
Well, I don’t know about you, but I’d rather get to my destination and do what I want to do than talk about horsepower and sat nav in the car park.
Let me briefly explain common diets to you
Low Carb – You eat fewer carbohydrates and more foods rich in protein and fats.
Ketogenic – You eat almost no carbs, some protein, and primarily fats.
Low Fat – Avoid foods high in fats and eat mostly protein and carbs.
Intermittent Fasting – Restrict your eating period to only a few hours daily.
Weight Watchers – Points-based system to help with portion control.
Paleo – Eat minimally processed foods like our ancestors used to eat back in the day.
How do all these diets work?
If you ignore the different dieting styles, they all work exactly the same, just like the car analogy I used earlier.
These diets are basically ‘vehicles’ that take you to your ‘destination’. It doesn’t matter which one you jump in, as long as it has been for an MOT to ensure it’s safe to use.
All of these diets work by putting you in a calorie deficit.
Ignore the names, features, and differences of each diet. Instead, focus on how they all work exactly the same way: a calorie deficit.
Although I don’t use any of these diets with my clients, I ensure each person understands that a calorie deficit is needed to lose weight.
One more thing...
Just like vehicles having to obey the speed limit, your diet must abide by the speed limit for fat loss.
The speed limit of fat loss is 1-2 pounds per week.
Yes, we are all guilty of speeding occasionally, but you must ensure you stick to it most of the time.
Otherwise, you get stung, and your vehicle is taken off you, meaning that the vehicle to weight loss stops moving.
Don’t allow the wheels to stop moving. There’s nothing more annoying than being stuck by the side of the road, watching everyone else drive by.
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