To lose weight, certain practices have been proven to be effective. Here we reveal the best ways of dieting from the bad among the latest trending diets.
Diets and food modes follow each other and are not alike.
Everyone has their defenders for whom it worked (weight loss, well-being, etc. ) and their detractors for whom it didn't work (frustrations, cracks, etc. ). There is no universal model for losing weight, because we are all different, with different tastes, different metabolisms, different constraints... In short, it's not easy to give ready-made tips for getting back in shape. However, a distinction must be made between really extreme and dangerous diets (high protein, ketogenic, for example) and more balanced ones, which have slimming advantages that can be drawn on. We present eight of them to you, with their advantages, their inconveniences and the advice of dietician.
It's up to you to choose, among these, the assets that you think are the most suited to your habits and that you can easily apply. Rather than following a single model, let's pick the most interesting ideas that tempt us!
RAW VARIOUSNESS, to replenish your vitality
“Raw food” comes to us from the West Coast of the United States, where fresh fruits and vegetables are eaten with delight in the sun. Its principle: eat only raw foods (heated to a maximum of 42°C) to preserve vitamins, digestive enzymes, probiotics... and avoid the formation of toxic compounds due to high temperatures. Fans do not only eat “raw” products, they put them in a blender, ferment them, germinate them or dehydrate them at low temperatures.
Advantages: all processed foods are eliminated (biscuits, pastries, ready meals, etc.), which is a good point for the line! Fruits, vegetables and seeds are high in fiber and require chewing well, which promotes satiety.
Inconvenience: excess fiber can be irritating to the intestines, so it is important to work the food to make it more digestible, by crushing it, fermenting it, etc. There is often little or no meat and fish in this diet, hence the risk of protein deficiency. And if you eat raw meat and fish, you have to pay close attention to freshness and hygiene.
ADVICE FROM THE DIETITIAN: eating half raw and half cooked is a good compromise.
There are gentle cooking methods (steaming, stewing) which retain a good part of the nutrients and which do not cause the formation of harmful grilled compounds.
CHRONONUTRITION, to be in tune with your needs
Developed in the late 1980s by Dr Alain Delabos, chrononutrition is a way of eating that respects the biological rhythm, the variation of hormonal and enzymatic secretions. No food is forbidden, but it must be eaten at the right time: fat and protein at breakfast when lipase is at its maximum; a full lunch at noon with proteins and starches that will be well assimilated thanks to protease and amylase; a sweet snack at the end of the afternoon to counter the loss of energy; a very light dinner (lean protein and vegetables), if at all, because the digestive secretions are low.
Advantages: having a salty breakfast (cheese, egg, ham, etc.) is a good idea: it provides the proteins necessary for the formation of dopamine, the hormone of awakening and motivation, and it satiates much longer than a sweet breakfast. The snack provided in the afternoon avoids cravings in the evening.
Inconvenience: making a hearty breakfast with a large portion of cheese is not suitable for everyone. Likewise, the evening meal is often a friendly family moment that is difficult to skip. Finally, this mode of food gives pride of place to animal proteins, when we know today that for our health and the planet, we must reduce them.
ADVICE FROM THE DIETITIAN: for those who are rather salty and have an appetite in the morning, this diet can be tried to lose weight. But if it doesn't suit you, you shouldn't force yourself to follow it, so as not to lead to harmful frustrations.
THE GLUTEN-FREE DIET, for easy digestion
There are people who suffer from gluten intolerance (or celiac disease) for whom a strict gluten-free diet is mandatory: gluten causes an immune reaction that destroys the intestinal wall, leading to malabsorption of nutrients, digestive disorders and deficiencies.
And there are those who are sensitive to gluten: although the tests do not show intolerance, they feel better and have less digestive problems when they stop consuming gluten.
Advantages: wheat is very present in our diet. If you remove everything that contains it (bread, pasta, cakes, cookies, pizza, quiche, etc.), it's good for the line. We also eliminate a large number of industrial products that contain it (sauces, soups, sausages, breaded fish, surimi, etc.). In other words, we cook more at home, which is ideal for controlling the amounts of fat and added sugar.
Inconvenience: be careful not to be tempted by “gluten-free” industrial products. They are useful for troubleshooting, but can be bad for the line if you consume too much of them.
They often contain white rice and corn flour with a high glycemic index (the sugar passes quickly into the blood and does not satiate for long). Additives and/or fat are often added to improve the texture.
it's always interesting to vary your diet and try other gluten-free cereals such as quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, oats, millet ... provided you cook House !
THE LOW FODMAPS DIET, for a flat stomach
Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, or Fodmaps, are small fermentable sugars. Sometimes poorly digested in the small intestine, they arrive in the colon where the intestinal bacteria will degrade them, causing a call for water and gas. Australian researchers discovered, in the early 2000s, the benefit of a diet low in Fodmaps in people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (abdominal pain associated with transit disorders). This involves, for a month or two, excluding all foods containing Fodmaps (certain fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes, low-fat products, etc.), then gradually reintroducing them, noting those that cause problems and , for those, the dose not to be exceeded.
Advantages: for people who are intolerant to Fodmaps (stomachache, bloating, flatulence), this diet allows you to find a flatter stomach and a certain well-being. But for others, it does nothing.
Inconvenience: Fodmaps are present in a large number of foods, so it is a fairly restrictive diet. It is better to be accompanied by a nutritionist doctor or a dietician specialized in this type of diet to do well.
ADVICE FROM THE DIETETICIAN: do not exclude all foods containing Fodmaps, otherwise there is a risk of imbalance and deficiencies. We must reintroduce all well-tolerated foods and, for the others, see if small doses pass or if it is better to replace them.
INTERMITTENT FASTING, to feel lighter
Intermittent fasting consists of not eating for 16 hours and concentrating your food intake over 8 hours. In summary, it consists of skipping one of the three meals of the day. For example, we finish our dinner at 8:30 p.m., we do not have breakfast and we wait until 12:30 p.m. for lunch. It is important, however, to hydrate regularly (water, infusion without sugar) and of course not to snack during the 8 hours of food intake, even if a snack is possible. Doctors are starting to take an interest in it, because scientific studies show that this practice has advantages.
However, it is not recommended for children, pregnant women and fragile people.
Advantages: not eating for 16 hours allows your intestines and liver to rest. These organs can better detoxify. And who says no digestion says more energy, because digestion consumes a lot of energy. Concentrating meals on 8 hours can also reduce energy intake a little. Finally, while waiting for 4 p.m. to eat, this practice helps to regain feelings of hunger and satiety.
Inconvenience: it is not always easy to skip a meal (breakfast with the children, lunch with colleagues, dinner with the family). And some people can't go long without eating (loss of energy, cravings).
ADVICE FROM THE DIETITIAN: Intermittent fasting is gentler than long fasting. It is well suited for people who are not hungry in the morning. You have to be careful to balance the two meals well, eating more at lunchtime than in the evening so as not to disturb sleep.
THE LOW GI DIET, for long-lasting satiety
Before, we distinguished simple carbohydrates (sweet products) and complex (starchy foods) and then we realized that some simple carbohydrates (for example those of fruits) were absorbed more slowly than certain other complex carbohydrates (for example those of bread White). In the 1980s, researchers at the University of Toronto, Canada, then devised a tool to classify carbohydrate foods according to their impact on blood sugar: the glycemic index (GI). The higher it is, the faster the carbohydrates are absorbed, thus increasing insulin secretion. This promotes storage and reactive hypoglycemia (burst and cravings). Conversely, the lower the GI, the slower the carbohydrates are absorbed, allowing a steady supply of energy.
Advantages: low GI foods keep you full for a long time, which prevents cravings and snacking between meals. No food is forbidden, it's just a matter of choosing the right ones in each category. For example, you can eat a little low GI sugar (acacia honey, coconut or birch sugar, etc.).
Inconvenience: if you are not used to eating fiber, it is best to go gradually. You have to be interested in low GI foods (oatmeal, buckwheat, chickpea flour, brown rice, etc.) and cook them.
ADVICE FROM THE DIETITIAN: it is better to start by changing common foods (cereal flakes instead of processed cereals, sourdough bread instead of white baguette, sweet potato to replace the potato) before testing GI recipes low.
VEGETARISM, for a healthy diet
If vegetarianism has always existed, especially in India where 40% of the population is vegetarian, in France, the country of good food, it has long remained marginal. But things have changed a lot in recent years. Concerns around health (cholesterol, saturated fats), animal welfare (factory farming, abuse) and now the environment (pollution, deforestation, greenhouse gases) have changed mentalities. More and more young people are adopting a vegetarian diet. Adults looking for healthier food are also getting into it.
Advantages: eliminating meat and cold meats makes it possible to avoid saturated fats which are easily stored, but also omega 6 and excess iron which are pro-inflammatory and can unbalance the microbiota, which we now know that it is involved in weight management. Eating more fruits, vegetables and cereals means eating more fiber, which is satiating and good for the microbiota.
Inconvenience: it is not a question of replacing its usual share of meat with an industrial vegetable steak. Too fat, too salty and not enough protein, processed products must remain occasional. It is important to be well informed to maintain a varied and balanced diet and to avoid deficiencies.
ADVICE FROM THE DIETITIAN: structure your plate with one third of protein (egg, tofu, lentils, split peas, etc.), one third of cereals (pasta, rice, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.) and one third of vegetables. I recommend saving eggs and dairy products to prevent any deficiencies.
THE PALEO DIET, for a return to nature
The idea of eating like prehistoric men in order to be healthy did not come to us from hippies living in the wilderness, but from American scientists who, in the 1980s, hypothesized that the most suitable diet for our genes would be that of the Paleolithic hunter-gatherers. Many cookbooks on the subject followed.
It is a question of withdrawing all the products which did not exist before agriculture, and of course industry (cereals, pulses, dairy products, refined sugar, processed foods), and composing your plate with fruits and vegetables, quality animal proteins (pastured meat, wild fish, organic eggs) and good fats (olive or walnut oil, coconut milk, etc.).
Advantages: : the paleo plate is rich in fibers and proteins which promote satiety.
Processed foods, which often contain too much fat, sugar, salt and additives, are banned.
Inconvenience: it is a fairly restrictive diet, but we know that prohibitions create frustrations that lead to disturbances in eating behavior. The portion of animal protein is high, which is not recommended for health.
THE LOW GI DIET, for long-lasting satiety
Before, we distinguished simple carbohydrates (sweet products) and complex (starchy foods) and then we realized that some simple carbohydrates (for example those of fruits) were absorbed more slowly than certain other complex carbohydrates (for example those of bread White). In the 1980s, researchers at the University of Toronto, Canada, then devised a tool to classify carbohydrate foods according to their impact on blood sugar: the glycemic index (GI). The higher it is, the faster the carbohydrates are absorbed, thus increasing insulin secretion. This promotes storage and reactive hypoglycemia (burst and cravings). Conversely, the lower the GI, the slower the carbohydrates are absorbed, allowing a steady supply of energy.
Advantages: low GI foods keep you full for a long time, which prevents cravings and snacking between meals. No food is forbidden, it's just a matter of choosing the right ones in each category. For example, you can eat a little low GI sugar (acacia honey, coconut or birch sugar, etc.).
Inconvenience: if you are not used to eating fiber, it is best to go gradually. You have to be interested in low GI foods (oatmeal, buckwheat, chickpea flour, brown rice, etc.) and cook them.
ADVICE FROM THE DIETITIAN: it is better to start by changing common foods (cereal flakes instead of processed cereals, sourdough bread instead of white baguette, sweet potato to replace the potato) before testing GI recipes low.
VEGETARISM, for a healthy diet
If vegetarianism has always existed, especially in India where 40% of the population is vegetarian, in France, the country of good food, it has long remained marginal. But things have changed a lot in recent years. Concerns around health (cholesterol, saturated fats), animal welfare (factory farming, abuse) and now the environment (pollution, deforestation, greenhouse gases) have changed mentalities. More and more young people are adopting a vegetarian diet. Adults looking for healthier food are also getting into it.
Advantages: eliminating meat and cold meats makes it possible to avoid saturated fats which are easily stored, but also omega 6 and excess iron which are pro-inflammatory and can unbalance the microbiota, which we now know that it is involved in weight management. Eating more fruits, vegetables and cereals means eating more fiber, which is satiating and good for the microbiota.
Inconvenience: it is not a question of replacing its usual share of meat with an industrial vegetable steak. Too fat, too salty and not enough protein, processed products must remain occasional. It is important to be well informed to maintain a varied and balanced diet and to avoid deficiencies.
ADVICE FROM THE DIETITIAN: structure your plate with one third of protein (egg, tofu, lentils, split peas, etc.), one third of cereals (pasta, rice, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.) and one third of vegetables. I recommend saving eggs and dairy products to prevent any deficiencies.
THE PALEO DIET, for a return to nature
The idea of eating like prehistoric men in order to be healthy did not come to us from hippies living in the wilderness, but from American scientists who, in the 1980s, hypothesized that the most suitable diet for our genes would be that of the Paleolithic hunter-gatherers. Many cookbooks on the subject followed.
It is a question of withdrawing all the products which did not exist before agriculture, and of course industry (cereals, pulses, dairy products, refined sugar, processed foods), and composing your plate with fruits and vegetables, quality animal proteins (pastured meat, wild fish, organic eggs) and good fats (olive or walnut oil, coconut milk, etc.).
Advantages: : the paleo plate is rich in fibers and proteins which promote satiety.
Processed foods, which often contain too much fat, sugar, salt and additives, are banned.
Inconvenience: it is a fairly restrictive diet, but we know that prohibitions create frustrations that lead to disturbances in eating behavior. The portion of animal protein is high, which is not recommended for health.
ADVICE FROM THE DIETETICIAN: before embarking on this type of diet, I advise you to be well informed and if possible to be accompanied by a dietician to avoid deficiencies.
We are also inspired by habits from elsewhere
– The salty breakfast of the English: white beans, fried eggs and bacon provide protein and low GI carbohydrates, for a morning without a crash or cravings. Of course, we adapt the quantities to our needs (small if we work in an office).
– The plate made up of the Thais: a base of rice or noodles, several sautéed vegetables, a little meat or shrimp, seeds, herbs and spices, here is a complete and perfectly balanced plate.
– Japanese moderation: the “hara hachi bun me” diet consists of eating 80% of your hunger, so leaving the table before being satisfied, to ensure digestive comfort and better health. It is one of the pillars of the diet of Okinawa, the island of centenarians.
AT THE TABLE:
It's not just what's on the plate that counts, the way we eat is also important to avoid excess.
– Eat three meals a day at a regular time.
– Eat seated at a table (not on the sofa or standing).
– Eating in peace (without television or tablet).
– Take your time and chew each bite well.
– Do not discuss angry subjects at the table.
– Drink small amounts of water.
– Do a digestive walk if possible.