By Andrea Robb
Have you ever had a client say “I tried this diet but I didn’t get the results I wanted” or “what do you think of this diet?” Every year there seems to be new diet trends popping up on the market or famous celebrities who swear by a new supplement they found to lose weight.
Fun fact, over 90% of the population want to lose weight for some reason or another, yet only 50% of the population had actually tried to lose weight in the last 12 months according to the CDC.
While our business is to work with weight loss, weight gain and weight maintenance clients, I am going to give you a quick breakdown of the top fad diets catered towards weight loss clients.
Before we dive into the facts of the different fad diets or diet trends, there are a few things to consider: how we eat is just as important to breaking unwanted food habits, restrictive diets can often cause a “yo-yo” effect for a person and how full or how hungry a person can feel can also dictate how a person is progressing.
Also, keep in mind that not all diets are a 1-size-fits-all concept as all bodies are unique and how certain foods affect our internal organs and make-up can vary. This can also be said for the fact that the amount of stress a person experiences, age, sex and environment can significantly affect our weight loss.
Any diagnosed medical issues or previous medical conditions can cause a person to not progress or find the results they might be hoping. Therefore, we are always required to perform a screening questionnaire to determine if we are qualified to provide nutrition advice.
With that being said, let get into the meat and potatoes of the article!
| Name of Diet/Fad | Description of Diet | Pros | Cons |
| The Ketogenic Diet (Keto) | -With changing the entire nutrition strategy, the body enters a stage known as Ketosis, which forces the body to burn fat -High fat, low carb food concept with strict adherence | -Immediate/fast weight loss -Provides a list of foods to eat and not to eat | -Required to give up fruits and vegetables -When returning to a normal diet, a full change of diet is required or risk weight gaining all the weight back |
| Intermittent Fasting (I.F.) | -Resets the body by teaching it to prolong the burning of calories during a fasting period each day and then providing a small window in which the person can eat -During the fasting period, the body will use up the sugars stored and then turn to burning fat | -Gives you a structured time frame “when” to eat -Can have health benefits like regulating blood sugars, improve memory, decrease inflammation in the body, etc. | -I.F. is NOT a diet plan, it is only a lifestyle change and therefore would need a nutrition strategy to work in conjunction with -If using for health benefits, a doctor needs to closely monitor progress |
| Whole 30 Diet | -Eliminating major foods/groups that are known to cause inflammation and allergies -Foods to avoid: sugars, alcohol, grains, legumes and dairy | -No calorie counting -Provides a list of foods to eat and not to eat -Can help inflammation in the body/gut -Eat as much of the approved foods as wanted | -Extremely restrictive due to foods allowed -Requires a slow transition when adding foods back |
| Noom | -Online coaching to provide not only healthier food choices, but will help with behaviour change nutritionally and in all aspects of life (stress, sleep, exercise, etc) for long-term success | -Can be customized based on preferences and lifestyle -Access to tools 24/7 through app -structured food, sleep, exercise tracking | -Costs upwards of $60/USD per month -Online coaching only, no in-person or “live” coaching |
| Low Carb, High Protein Diet (Atkins, South Beach, Paleo) | -A high intake of animal or natural protein sources is to replace carbohydrates like breads, rice, pastas, grains, legumes and fruits | -Can reduce the body’s natural blood sugar and insulin levels which then lead to fat loss -Improved metabolism and regulate appetite -Provides a list of foods to eat and not to eat -Helps rebuild muscle quicker | -The body still needs to have some amounts of natural carbohydrates and healthy fats with the high protein or the body can be at risk for severe health issues |
| Diet Pills or Supplements | -Health aids that can help burn fat or reduce weight when taken on a strict schedule for a specific period of time -Are meant fill the gaps to ensure the body is getting the proper macro and micronutrients while manipulating the body into thinking it is capable of burning more effective and efficiently | -Can help reduce appetite and help you feel fuller, longer -Many different brands on the market to choose from | -With so many options, research is required to choose high quality products -Individual monitoring and coordinating with medication and other supplements to ensure the body is not being overloaded or will cause any medical risk |
At Fitness World, we want to provide our clients with World Class Customer Service and we all know that Nutrition is the #1 pillar for our business. So now that you know the quick facts of some of the diet trends, you can help answer questions for your clients.
But always remember, we are not allowed to recommend ANY of these strategies unless we have the proper education or are certified Nutritionists or Medical Professionals; however, we do have the tools from our Dotfit certification to coach our clients to eat whole foods, eat less processed or packaged foods, shop in the outside aisles of the grocery store, and avoid foods that you cannot pronounce or read.
And anytime our clients make food choices that help support their overall goals, is ALWAYS going to be a major WIN!
Contact us below to learn more about how Certified Personal Trainers can assist with nutrition coaching and reaching your fitness goals
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