Name: The 3 Best Diets for Weight Loss and Overall Health, According to Experts - FeastGood.com
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The 3 Best Diets for Weight Loss and Overall Health, According to Experts - FeastGood.com

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Skip to contentIf you’ve decided that now is the time to lose weight and/or eat better to improve your health, then you’re not going to want to waste your time trying diets that don’t work or aren’t even good for you.So, what are the 3 best diets for both weight loss AND overall health?&nbsp;The three best diets for weight loss and overall health are:None of these diets require specialty branded foods or supplements, and each of them encourages a balance of foods and nutrients rather than strictly focusing on calorie counting.To help you find the best diet to suit your needs, consider the following factors:You’re going to want to take into consideration what foods you already like and don’t like, as well as any allergies, as this will help determine which diet will be the easiest to stick to.You’re not going to want to choose a diet plan that excludes all of the foods that you like, or one that requires you to eat things that you have allergies or intolerances to because that would be setting yourself up for failure.For example, if you hate seafood, it doesn’t make much sense to follow a diet that requires you to eat fish several times per week (pescetarianism). And, if you love cookies, it doesn’t make sense to follow a diet that requires you to cut them out entirely (keto).Next, you’ll have to consider whether there is a cost associated with the diet and whether that fits into your budget.&nbsp;&nbsp;Once you’ve figured out the total cost of the diet, you can decide if it is a worthwhile investment that fits your budget.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, some of these costs (like branded foods or supplements) can be red flags that the diet doesn’t really have your best interests in mind (see my comments about red flags, next).Finally, consider any red flags about the diet that suggest it is not sustainable and/or healthy.&nbsp;If the answer to one or more of these questions is yes, then you should be very skeptical about the diet’s effectiveness and motives. I recommend you look for other options with more green flags.Some “green flags” (aka the opposite of red flags: signs a diet IS a good idea to proceed with) include:Sustainable diets are not starvation diets and should create only a modest calorie deficit (no more than 10-20% below your maintenance intake).Whether counting calories is an explicit part of the diet or not (behind the scenes, all diets “work” for weight loss by reducing the number of calories you eat relative to the number of calories you burn).The best diets don’t ask you to cut out certain foods or types of foods, unless medically necessary (like avoiding peanuts if you have an allergy, or gluten if you have Celiac disease).If a certain food is a staple part of the cuisine that represents your cultural and/or ethnic heritage, a good diet for you won’t ask you to give that up.For example, if rice or corn is an important part of your food culture, the Paleo diet is not a good choice because it does not allow rice or corn.If these factors are in place, consider your green light to get going with the diet.Noom isn’t exactly a diet per se, but rather a psychology-based nutrition coaching program that educates users about their habits and food choices.The program encourages users to make more food choices that are good for their health (“green” foods) and to limit food choices that make it harder to reach their goals (“red” or “orange” foods).Our team of Registered Dieticians and nutrition coaches have looked at dozens of weight loss-based nutrition and fitness tracking apps, and we consider Noom to be the best nutrition app on the market for weight loss (click to read our review).Noom encourages users to log the foods they’re eating in their daily food log and uses this information to help keep them on track with their suggested calorie range.&nbsp;&nbsp;It calculates this calorie range based on the information you provide during the sign-up process, such as your age, weight, height, sex, activity level, and goals.Noom also places a ton of emphasis on education, so that users feel more confident in their knowledge of nutrition and behavior change.&nbsp;Noom provides two main forms of education:Noom’s color coding system categorizes foods that have the lowest calorie density as “green foods”, encouraging you to eat lots of them (fresh vegetables and fruits make up most of this category).Moderate calorie density foods are “yellow foods” (such as lean protein and whole grains), and finally “orange/red foods” have the highest calorie density and/or contain few nutrients, such as highly processed foods that should be eaten sparingly.This “traffic light” system helps people to learn what foods they should eat more often, and what foods they should eat less often.&nbsp;By prioritizing foods with low-calorie density, and limiting foods with high-calorie density, Noom naturally encourages users to achieve a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than it takes to maintain weight) for weight loss.Noom also provides optional daily lessons in nutrition and behavioral psychology, to help users learn about why they may have adopted certain unhealthy behaviors in the past, or gravitate to less healthy food choices, and how to make better choices in the future.These lessons make it more likely that people will identify the behavior patterns that are no longer serving them, and change the behaviors and thought processes that led to them being overweight in the first place.This at least prevents dangerous crash diets (but may still be too low for sustainable weight loss for many people).Adding steps increases the calorie target, so it encourages users to move more to eat more.Noom doesn’t have a free version, so to get going, you can try a 2-week trial for $1.&nbsp;&nbsp;To get the most out of the experience, it’s important to complete the daily lessons and answer any coaching questions seriously, after putting some thought into it.Then, log all of your food and beverage choices daily to see which choices are “green” and which choices are “orange/red.” This will give you a sense of what foods to prioritize to help with weight loss, and which foods to eat less often.Noom is a great choice for individuals who want to learn more about the psychology behind their food choices, how different types of food can make it harder or easier to achieve goals, how to establish healthy habits, and how to improve their relationship with food.Noom makes it hard to see the actual macronutrient breakdown of foods, so it’s not a good choice for people who have specific macronutrient goals and ratios, such as athletes or competitive bodybuilders.Finally, Noom is fairly pricey, so it’s not the right choice for users with a tight budget.As I mentioned, Noom has daily lessons about nutrition and behavioral psychology to help users better understand their food choices, and to increase awareness and take more control of their choices so that they can meet their goals.By getting users to eat more foods that have low-calorie density, and to limit foods that have high-calorie density, Noom will result in a lower calorie intake, creating a calorie deficit necessary for weight loss.Macro tracking isn’t exactly a diet, but rather an approach to nutrition that focuses on the three main macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), that can be tailored accordingly based on your goal (i.e. weight loss).I recommend starting with the following guide that we’ve put together if you’re new to macro tracking:When it comes to weight loss and overall health, tracking macros is superior to counting calories because it encourages a balanced intake that supports the preservation of lean muscle mass and ensures a good range of micronutrients to promote overall health.To start tracking your macros, you’ll need to log your food in a macro-tracking app. &nbsp;&nbsp;There are several macro-tracking apps on the market right now, but after testing 18 different ones, our team considers MacroFactor to be the best (click to read our review).Since macronutrients provide calories, tracking macronutrients indirectly tracks calories, too.&nbsp;Users still need to determine a calorie intake for weight loss, but then they go a step further by determining how many of those calories will come from protein, how many from fat, and how many from carbohydrates.&nbsp;&nbsp;Users can either calculate these percentages themselves or rely on suggested targets from a macro-tracking app.Then, they log all of their food and beverages each day and try to get as close as they can to the target number of grams of protein, carbs, and fat.&nbsp;This helps to reduce the risk of “orthorexia” (an obsession with eating only “good” or “clean” foods).&nbsp;With macro tracking, it’s just as important to avoid under-shooting your targets as it is to avoid over-shooting your targets.Getting all macros from highly processed foods can lead to micronutrient deficiencies.The best way to get going with tracking macros is to pick a macro-counting app like MacroFactor, which you can try for 2 weeks free when you enter the code FEASTGOOD when signing up.Use our calorie calculator for your starting calories, and then follow our general guidelines to determine the macronutrient split: 30% of calories from protein, 40% from carbs, and 30% from fat.For example, if your suggested intake for weight loss is 1,800 calories, this is 135 grams of protein (135 grams x 4 calories per gram = 540 calories), 180 grams of carbs (180 grams x 4 calories per gram = 720 calories) and 60 grams of fat (60 grams x 9 calories per gram = 540 calories).Input the requested information at sign-up, but then override the suggested calories and macronutrient targets that the app recommends (which typically are not as accurate) and set your own targets based on your calculations.&nbsp;With your targets set, log all of your food and beverages for at least a week, and compare your results to your expectations.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then you can adjust your targets up or down as needed if you are losing weight too quickly, or not fast enough. Keep in mind that a healthy, sustainable rate of weight loss is no more than 0.5-1% of starting weight per week.Macro tracking is a great choice for people who love data and want to get more analytical with their nutrition intake.It can be a great way to learn about what foods provide what nutrients, in what amounts, and what portion sizes and combinations of foods are appropriate for different goals.I think macro tracking also goes a long way in showing people how to create a balanced meal, and how to incorporate moderate portions of highly processed foods into their diets while still achieving their goals.For these reasons, macro tracking is great for those who want to learn more about nutrition and for intermediate/advanced athletes and bodybuilders.However, I wouldn’t recommend macro tracking to people with a history of disordered eating or compulsive behaviors around food because tracking macros can be triggering for these individuals and lead to even more anxiety and obsession with food.Macronutrients are the source of dietary calories, so tracking macronutrients indirectly track calories, as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;Assuming the macronutrient targets are based on a calorie intake that is less than the total number of calories a person burns each day (called Total Daily Energy Expenditure, or TDEE), then hitting those macronutrient targets will result in a calorie deficit that allows for weight loss.The DASH diet (“Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”) is “a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life”.Based on this description, I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a “diet,” but rather an “eating plan”; however, it was voted the #2 Best Diet Overall in 2023 by U.S. News.The DASH eating plan is also clearly defined to be used long term, since it says “for life”, which means that the plan is intended to be sustainable.The plan was developed by researchers to promote heart health by reducing blood pressure and lowering LDL cholesterol.The DASH Eating Plan includes the following recommendations:As you can see, the foods it recommends you consume are consistent with the foods that Noom has in its green category, and the foods it suggests you limit are consistent with the foods that Noom has in its orange/red category.&nbsp;&nbsp;These two elements make these foods more satisfying, which can naturally reduce overeating and help with achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.Healthy eating doesn’t automatically lead to weight loss because weight loss is achieved through a calorie deficit.Unlike Noom and macro tracking, the DASH plan doesn’t encourage you to find a balance between nutrient-dense and non-nutrient-dense foods.The best way to get started with the DASH Eating Plan is to begin by stocking your kitchen with the recommended foods and clearing out the foods in the “limit” categories.&nbsp;Plan a grocery trip to buy lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean sources of meat. Start by incorporating these foods into one or more of your daily meals.Give away, donate, or trash sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets to reduce the likelihood that you’ll eat them.The DASH Eating Plan is a great choice for people with health concerns such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.&nbsp;However, I always recommend discussing any dietary changes with your doctor or other primary health care provider first.The foods in the DASH Eating Plan can also be incorporated into Noom or macro tracking.Noom will allow you to explore why you may or may not have gravitated to these types of foods in the past, and why you might feel resistance to giving up foods in the “limit” category, or have a hard time embracing the foods in the recommended category.Macro tracking can show you how the various foods in the DASH Eating Plan contribute to various macronutrient targets, and teach you how you can include foods in the “limit” category in moderation while achieving your overall goals.Some of the recommended foods in the DASH Eating Plan are not appropriate for people who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or people who have been advised to follow a low FODMAP diet.Each of the DASH recommendations lines up with research on foods to include and foods to limit/exclude to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.“Functional foods” with a cardioprotective effect include vegetables and fruit, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.The foods to limit match guidelines from the American Heart Association about reducing intake of saturated fat: animal fat, sugar, and alcohol top this list.Without explicitly focusing on weight loss, a dietary pattern that gets most (&gt;80%) of its calories from minimally processed whole foods can naturally lead to achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight.However, the DASH eating plan won’t necessarily lead to weight loss if you’re eating more calories than you need to lose weight.Once a diet or eating plan has passed these three tests, try it out for at least 4-6 weeks and see what you like and don’t like about it. Then you can fine-tune your approach to come up with a uniquely tailored solution just for you.Our team of Registered Dieticians &amp; Nutrition Coaches is also available to lend a helping hand – feel free to book a complimentary consultation with us to discuss your goals.Lauren GrahamLauren Graham is a Precision Nutrition Level 1 certified nutrition coach. She focuses on helping busy professionals balance healthy eating and purposeful movement.&nbsp; Lauren has a background in competitive swimming and is currently competing as a CrossFit athlete.&nbsp; She has a passion for training, teaching, and writing.&nbsp;Who Are WeWe’re a team of athletes, nutrition coaches, and registered dieticians who love to share our passion for working out and eating healthy.More About UsWe provide resources on workout nutrition, including bulking/cutting tips, meal prep, diet reviews, supplements, recipes, and more. We do not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.Quick LinksCATEGORIESWe’re a team of athletes, nutrition coaches, and registered dieticians who love to share our passion for working out and eating healthy.ABOUT USCONTACTAddress: 911 Washington Ave Ste 500, St. Louis, MO 63101Phone: +1 (888)-401-115

Skip to contentIf you’ve decided that now is the time to lose weight and/or eat better to improve your health, then you’re not going to want to waste your time trying diets that don’t work or aren’t even good for you.So, what are the 3 best diets for both weight loss AND overall health?&nbsp;The three best diets for weight loss and overall health are:None of these diets require specialty branded foods or supplements, and each of them encourages a balance of foods and nutrients rather than strictly focusing on calorie counting.To help you find the best diet to suit your needs, consider the...

The 3 Best Diets for Weight Loss and Overall Health, According to Experts - FeastGood.com

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