There are so many diet plans out there right now and I’m going to breakdown some of the most popular.

1: The Paleo Diet Basically, avoid dairy, grains, beans, white potatoes, refined sugar, many vegetable oils and processed foods. You can eat grass-fed meat, seafood, eggs, fruit , vegetables and nuts.

The Gist: Today’s diet is to blame for many chronic conditions, and if we eat like cave dwellers did we’ll be healthier and lose weight.

Pros: Lots of veggies ( good nutrients) while limiting sugar and processed foods!

Cons: you are cutting out foods with healthy benefits. For example, whole grains are a good source of fiber , vitamin B and help keep you satisfied. This diet also increases protein and saturated fat intake too much.

2: Intermittent fasting You basically drastically reduce your calorie intake during certain periods. There are a few approaches but a 2 popular options are: Eat normally for 5 days then eat 500 calories (600 for men) for 2 days. Or eat only during an 8 hour window ( like 10am to 6 p.m).

The Gist: The idea is to decrease calories a lot lower to burn stored fat so you lose weight.

Pros: For some it may be easier to focus on what they eat some days than every day.

Cons: You aren’t focusing on food choices so it may not lead to healthy choices. And it may be hard to go that long without eating without feeling tired or having trouble concentrating.

3: The Whole 30 For 30 days, you eat some meat, seafood, eggs, lots of veggie, fruits and fat. You skip grains, most legumes, dairy, sugar and processed foods. After 30 days, you reintroduce those foods and pat attention to how you feel.

The Gist: The theory is that your diet is causing inflammation and damage to your gut. Cleaning up your eating for a month will give you more energy and a better feeling overall.

Pros: Cut processed and packaged foods and sugar.

Cons: There is no detailed plan after 30 days. Some may revert to their old habits

4: The Blood Diet Your blood type dictates what foods to eliminate. For example if you are type B, then you avoid chicken, corn, wheat, tomatoes and lentils. People with O should cut out corn, catfish, olives and orange juice.

The Gist: The theory is that your blood type impacts how your body reacts to foods and is linked to your ancestry. So a healthy diet consists of foods found in your ancestors native land. Choose those foods to better digest what you eat, lose weight, reduce inflammation and increase your energy.

Pros: all blood types avoid processed foods

Cons: Research has not backed this diet. Some people may have sensitivities to certain foods but they shouldn’t haphazardly avoid foods unless there is a medical reason.

5: The Keto Diet This is a low carb eating in the extreme. A ketogenic diet is 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbs. You’ll load up on meat, fatty fish, eggs, nuts and high fat dairy but skip grains, sugar, legumes and many fruits and veggies.

The Gist: It is based on the concept that when you stop eating most carbs (which your body breaks down for energy) your body goes into a state of ketosis to burn fat instead.

Pros: Studies have shown that a diet like this may be better than a low fat one for weight loss and we can stand to eat more healthy fats which you get from nuts and fish.

Cons: A lot of time devoted to meal prep and cooking. Because you eliminate whole grains and most veggies, you miss out on a lot of nutrients which means you need to take a supplement. And the lack of fiber may make you constipated.

6: The Alkaline Diet There are different versions. In some you cut out meat, eggs, dairy and most grains; in others you can eat cold water seafood and eggs. You will fill up on fruits, vegetables , legumes and some nuts and seeds.

The Gist: The idea is that certain foods can cause your body to produce too much acid, which throws off your pH level and results in issues like inflammation. Avoiding these foods prevents this and promotes weight loss.

Pros: Basically a plant based diet, which means eating lots of healthy fruits and vegetables and cutting down on saturate fat.

Cons: The concept of the diet isn’t that strong. You are constantly balancing the pH of your blood. You can’t wildly change your pH through what you eat. If you eat a lot of meat, you have a lower pH but by a fraction.

Thanks so much for joining us on Health in Heels today! I hope this video was useful. For more information about the health and services we offer, go to OceanOasisDaySpa.com and until next time, this is Dr. Lisa reminding you to be well and be fabulous!