How to choose the best slimming diet (and more)? |

In theory, shedding extra pounds is simple: you lose them when your body burns more calories than you put in with your food. We are then talking about negative energy balance and it is absolute basis all methods of losing weight.

In order to lose weight, you must therefore reduce the number of calories in food or increase the consumption of calories. The former you will achieve by eating less or eating less caloric meals, the latter – by increasing your physical activity.

In the article you will find a lot of useful information and tips on healthy eating. If you want to learn more about a specific diet and its effects, use the table of contents below (just click on the topic you are interested in).

How do diets work?

Of course, you have certainly come across diets, dishes or products that are supposed to “accelerate metabolism” or “support fat burning”. In fact, there are a number of substances that do this, but don’t expect miracles. Their function can be complementary at best: the basis is to reduce the caloric content of meals and / or increase physical exertion.

If your energy balance will not be negative without “boosters”, then even the most intricately selected dishes will not cause the scale pointer to lean more clearly in the expected direction.

So the theory is simple: it is enough to achieve a negative energy balance. However, the practice is a bit more difficult, because… hunger stands in our way… No wonder. Your body is programmed by evolution to demand the provision of current needs, i.e. to equalize the energy balance. However, while in the case of metabolism the influence of diet is small, we can already influence the feeling of hunger quite clearly.

Well-chosen meals will make your task easier, and wrong ones – even make it more difficult.

The fiber content and the glycemic index are of key importance here.

A good weight loss diet is more than the number of calories

Fiber is an indigestible, non-absorbable fiber that occurs naturally only in plant foods. From the point of view of weight loss, it has two important functions:

• fills the stomach, which is one of the body’s signals of satiety
• water-soluble fiber slows down the absorption of carbohydrates from the digestive system, and thus lowers the glycemic index (GI) of products

Water-insoluble fiber fractions fulfill the latter function to a lesser extent, therefore the mere presence of fiber does not necessarily mean a significantly lower GI of a given meal.

The glycemic index is an indicator that tells us how quickly the sugars contained in individual products are absorbed from the digestive system. This is also important because – incl. through the relationship between the secretion of insulin and ghrelin – after meals containing large amounts of easily absorbable sugars, we become hungry again faster.

And then it is difficult for us to maintain discipline and … negative energy balance.

It is similar with substances such as fats and fructose. Despite their high calorific value, they do not have a strong influence on the secretion of leptin – the satiety hormone.

The meals proposed by nutritionists take into account the described effects. Thanks to this, slimming is effective and it is easier to maintain the diet regimen.

Types of diets

The multitude of slimming diets can make you dizzy. Fortunately, this chaos can be put in order. Thanks to this, without going into the details of individual diets, we can eliminate those that will not suit us in advance and focus only on those that have the best chance of being a bull’s eye.

The first division is into balanced and unbalanced diets.

Balanced (wholesome) and unbalanced diets

Balanced (wholesome) diets are diets that provide the body with all the necessary nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. And not only all of them, but also in the right amounts and proportions.

Unbalanced diets, on the other hand, are diets that lack some (sometimes many!) Nutrients or distort their proportions. Usually it is the result of focusing on a selected group of foods or eliminating certain categories of them.

The elimination of certain food groups does not always exclude the possibility of a balanced diet. A vegetarian diet is an example of a diet that rejects an entire group of foods (meat) and is quite easily balanced at the same time. So it can provide a complete set of nutrients, in the right proportions and amounts.

However, it is true that the less varied the diet, the more difficult it is to balance it. Again, an example can be vegetarian diets. Vegetarians who forgo only meat face a fairly easy task. However, balancing a vegan diet (rejecting such valuable sources as dairy products and eggs) should be entrusted, at least initially, to a dietitian.

Slimming diets and everyday diets

It is true that when we say “diet” or “I’m on a diet”, we almost always think about a slimming diet, but for the sake of it it is worth mentioning that the world of diets does not end with them 🙂 Well, in an ideal world, we would only use slimming diets occasionally – or at all.

Slimming diets are those diets whose task is to violate the energy balance. They are the real battlefield of nutritionists and companies that offer weight loss programs.

With weight loss diets, you will be consuming fewer calories than your body needs. This is to force the body to reach for energy reserves: adipose tissue.

Reduction diets pursue their goal in various ways. Some simply “force” you to count calories by setting limits for daily and individual meals. Others do not require a calculator, but place restrictions (for example, on meal times, weight, and / or acceptable products) that you inevitably reduce your calories as well.

As you’ll see in our dietary overview (below), these types of restrictions can go a long way. As a result, slimming diets can do a lot deviate from balanced (full-value). The proportions and amounts of the individual ingredients may vary greatly from optimal. This entails the risk of deficiencies or a burden on the entire organism or its individual organs (e.g. kidneys or liver).

Diets with different meat content

It is the concerns about shortages of selected substances that are one of the reasons why meatless diets have not gained popularity in Poland. Every XNUMXth-every XNUMXth Pole is currently a vegetarian or vegan.

However, the popularity of the flexitarian diet is growing, although perhaps “diet” is a slightly exaggerated word. Flexitarianism is nothing more than “flexible vegetarianism.” Example? Flexitarians try not to eat meat. They do not refuse it when they are offered it at a social gathering or a family event.

The use of meatless diets is often based on ethical reasons (reluctance to kill animals) or ecological reasons (meat production is more burdensome for the natural environment). The issue of health is also important.

Limiting meat as such is sometimes recommended for medical reasons. In addition, there are concerns about its quality and… care for the wallet. Those who restrict meat in their diets often point to the ubiquitous presence of antibiotics in commercial farming. High-quality meat, free from this problem, is simply expensive. (Unfortunately, also plant-based diets are not ideal in this respect. Crops use pesticides, and also – much less often than in the case of meat – antibiotics.)

Finally, the reason for switching to a meatless diet is to take care of the figure. Plant-based diets have high nutritional density and low energy density. Behind these expert terms are a high amount of nutrients per 100 g (nutrient density) and a low caloric content (energy density).

How to choose the perfect diet for yourself?

If you want to lose weight, you really have a choice between one of the many “ready-to-eat” diets and a balanced, reduced-calorie diet. When making your choice, you should remember a few basic rules:

• Many weight loss diets are inherently unbalanced. If a given diet involves the exclusion or radical limitation of entire groups of food products, or relying solely on one or two groups (e.g. only vegetables and fruit), then it is almost certainly an unbalanced diet. This means that it does not provide the body with all the necessary nutrients. 
• The greater the energy deficit you assume – that is, the faster you want to lose weight – the greater the risk of deficiencies of individual nutrients. This rule also applies to diets based on balanced diets. A high reduction in calories cannot be achieved without food restriction. This necessarily also means less nutrients. The help of a dietitian can be extremely valuable here: he will indicate a method of reducing calories that will have the smallest impact on other nutritional values.
• The more radical your diet is, the faster it affects your health. The more radical and / or unbalanced a given diet is, the shorter the period of its application – most often -. No wonder: long-term imbalance of the supplied nutrients often ends with visits to the doctor
• Balanced diets allow you to lose weight in a harmonious way. The pace may not be dizzying, but in fact it is their… advantage. Thanks to this, you can be sure that the diet will not have negative effects on the body. In addition, developing proper eating habits – and this is facilitated by the use of balanced diets – reduces the risk of the yo-yo effect. In this way, balanced diets help maintain a healthy body weight for many years.
• Balanced diets are convenient if you have a family. Using them, it is enough to properly adjust the size of the portion to be sure that the children (or your partner ;-)) receive a complete set of ingredients necessary for proper physical and intellectual development.

Overview of the most popular diets

Balanced diets

Although the diets are balanced by definition “everyday” diets, each of them can serve as the basis of a slimming diet. The rate of weight loss then corresponds to the assumed reduction in calories.

Balanced Standard Diet

Briefly about the diet: The healthy eating pyramid identifies vegetables and fruit as the main source of energy and nutrients. The next floors are bread and cereal products (preferably: whole grain), dairy products, meat (preferably lean) and fats (preferably: vegetable).

Current guidelines assume that the optimal number of meals is 4 to 5 a day.

For whom: A diet consistent with the principles of healthy eating is a universal diet.

Who is not for: Not applicable.

Expected effects: A diet consistent with the principles of healthy eating is a support in the prevention of overweight and obesity.

Advantages: Maintaining the right proportions between individual food categories (vegetables, fruit, bread, meat, fish, etc.) with a relatively large variety of meals is basically a guarantee that the diet will be properly balanced – so it will provide the necessary nutrients and will not increase the risk civilization diseases.

threats: Not applicable.

Easily digestible diet

Briefly about the diet: A variant of a balanced diet, in which the fiber, more difficult to digest parts of food (peels, seeds) and fatty foods, in particular fatty meat and animal fats, acidic dishes, spicy spices, coffee, cocoa, chocolate are appropriately reduced or eliminated. The methods of preparing meals are of key importance: cooking, steaming, baking in the sleeve instead of frying, traditional baking or grilling; rubbing and grinding instead of taking the products whole, etc. 

Meals should be smaller than in the standard diet, and their number – in order to maintain the unchanged energy and nutritional value – increased up to 7 a day.

For whom: Easily digestible diets are recommended especially in the case of diseases of the digestive system (e.g. inflammation of the gastric and intestinal mucosa, reflux) and general weakness of the organism caused e.g. by disease. An easily digestible diet is also recommended for the elderly.

Who is not for: Not applicable.

Expected effects: A diet consistent with the principles of healthy eating is a support in the treatment of digestive system ailments.

Advantages: Maintaining the appropriate proportions between the various categories of food with a relatively large variety of meals is basically a guarantee that the diet will be properly balanced – so it will provide the necessary nutrients and will not increase the risk of civilization diseases.

threats: Not applicable.

A diet low in gluten

Briefly about the diet: Variant of a gluten-reducing diet – one of the proteins present in rye, wheat and barley (and oats, but in this case as an impurity).

For whom: People with gluten sensitivity. However, it should be remembered that the reduction of gluten is insufficient in the case of people suffering from celiac disease or suffering from a strong gluten allergy – here the solution is to eliminate gluten completely (gluten-free diet).

Who is not for: Not applicable.

Expected effects: A diet with a reduced gluten content (also: gluten-free) is also mentioned in the context of weight loss, but so far there are no convincing results of research indicating the positive role of such a diet in weight loss. There are even suggestions that in some cases such a diet may promote excess weight.

Advantages: For people with gluten sensitivity: elimination of a component harmful to health.

threats: Diet increases the risk of deficiencies, incl. vitamin B and iron. Due to the prevalence of gluten also as a food additive, a diet with a reduced content is one of those that require a lot of attention in the selection of foods.

Mediterranean diet

Briefly about the diet: The Mediterranean diet is considered to be the healthiest model of nutrition. The Mediterranean diet consists mainly of large amounts of vegetables, fruits, pulses as the basis of nutrition and olive oil as the main source of fat. Next steps in the food pyramid in this diet are whole grain breads and other products (e.g. pasta), dairy products, an abundance of fish, and relatively small amounts of red meat.

For whom: The Mediterranean diet is a universal diet.

Who is not for: Not applicable.

Expected effects: The Mediterranean diet is one of the most effective diets in the prevention of overweight and obesity.

Advantages: A balanced diet, the use of which is attributed to the reduced risk of a number of civilization diseases, in particular – cardiovascular diseases.

threats: Not applicable.

Vegetarian, vegan and flexitarian diets

Briefly about the diet: There are many varieties of vegetarian diets. Their common feature is the elimination of meat, although some vegetarians allow eating fish and seafood. The differences between the various types of vegetarian diets, however, concern mainly other animal foods: eggs and milk and its products. The flexitarian diet allows for the occasional eating of meat, but the amount is usually so small that it is of no practical importance from a dietary point of view. A vegan diet excludes all animal products.

For whom: These types of diets can be diets for everyone, including the whole family. However, they require some knowledge and diligence, especially in the case of more restrictive diets. The help of a dietitian may be valuable here, especially in the case of meals for children (but a vegan diet is not recommended for children).

Who is not for: Troublesome diet for people with certain diseases of the digestive system due to the large amount of fiber. It is also advisable to be cautious in the case of people with iron, calcium or zinc deficiencies. Allergy sufferers can have problems: soy is an ingredient of many vegetarian dishes, and nuts also play an important role.

Expected effects: Research shows that people who restrict or eliminate meat have a slightly lower average BMI. However, this does not mean that vegetarians are not overweight or obese.

Advantages: It reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and some cancers of the digestive system. Beneficial to health are the abundance of vitamins, antioxidants, a large amount of fiber and essential fatty acids, and a small amount of saturated fatty acids.

Threats and Disadvantages: The most common problem is vitamin B12 deficiency, found only in animal products (potentially requiring supplementation). Vegetarianism is also an increased risk of iron deficiency (mainly due to reduced bioavailability), calcium, zinc and iodine.

A balanced diet with reduced calories

Briefly about the diet: Based on balanced diets (e.g. standard, vegetarian or Mediterranean), a diet reduced by approx. 300-600 kcal of daily energy supply. The reduction is achieved by selecting foods with lower calories or limiting the portion size.

For whom / for whom not: Healthy eating diets are appropriate for all people who do not have special – medically dictated – dietary requirements. Due to the “healthy” nature, the only people who should not use this type of slimming diet are people who do not have to lose weight 🙂

Expected effects: Weight loss over the long term.

Advantages: Slow but consistent weight reduction, with a small risk of the yo-yo effect and maintaining the wholesome nature of the meals.

threats: The greater the reduction in the number of calories supplied, the greater the risk that the diet will lose its balanced, wholesome character. As these types of diets can be used over a long period of time, deficiency symptoms may appear late or be slow enough to be ignored.

Unbalanced diets

1000 calories (or less) diet

Briefly about the diet: Calorie-reduced diets to the order of 1000 kcal are formally based on balanced diets. In fact, however, such a strong reduction means deficiencies in nutrients, because not only the calorific value of meals is significantly reduced, but also their quantity or size.

For whom / for whom not: Nutritionists and doctors use such radical reduction of energy supply only in the case of severe obesity, when it is dictated by medical reasons – for example, the need to reduce body fat before surgery.

Expected effects: Rapid weight reduction. The rate of tissue loss is higher than the maximum recommended under normal circumstances.

Advantages: Rapid weight loss at the expense of nutrient deficiencies.

threats: Progressive deficiencies of many nutrients; for this reason, these types of diets should only be used on an ad hoc and short-term basis.

Norwegian diet

Briefly about the diet: The basic ingredients of the Norwegian diet are eggs and grapefruits, which are hardly associated with Scandinavia, supplemented with e.g. meat, fruit and salads. The Norwegian diet involves 3 meals a day: breakfast, lunch and lunch. The Norwegian diet is a ready-made menu for the following days (usually 14, maximum 21 days).

For whom / for whom not: Despite the fact that the diet was developed by doctors, it is difficult to recommend the Norwegian diet to anyone. It should not be used by people suffering from cardiovascular, kidney and gastrointestinal diseases. Of course, it is also excluded in the case of pregnancy, lactation, children and the elderly.

Expected effects: Rapid weight reduction.

Advantages: Rapid weight reduction, unfortunately – largely “thanks to” the loss of water and muscle mass.

threats: Due to the poor composition of nutrients, the Norwegian diet is very burdensome for the body. Low caloric content is also a risk of insufficient supply of glucose to the brain – hence it is possible to become irritable, dizzy and even faint.

Ketogenic diet

Briefly about the diet: A ketogenic diet is a diet in which fats are the basic source of energy, replacing almost all carbohydrates (LCHF – low carb high fat). The ketogenic diet is based on meat, fish, seafood, oils, olive oil, butter, etc. The source of carbohydrates is low-calorie vegetables in small amounts.

For whom / for whom not: The ketogenic diet is used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy in children, but it is used by people who practice sports intensively, in particular bodybuilding (bodybuilding, fitness). Due to the strong deviation from the recommended nutrient structure and concerns about the impact on health (including its potential role in the development of diabetes), the ketogenic diet should only be used under medical supervision.

Expected effects: Fat loss with high energy supply at the same time.

Advantages: Supports weight loss.

threats: Due to the minimal presence of fruits and vegetables in the diet, a ketogenic diet may lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies or problems with the digestive system (e.g. due to the lack of fiber), as well as disorders of insulin secretion.

Juice diets

Briefly about the diet: Juice diets are cleansing and slimming diets. The main source of energy and nutrients are juices drunk several times a day, supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetables.

For whom / for whom not: Due to the radical reduction – and even elimination – of some basic nutrients, it is difficult to identify a group of people for whom a juice diet would be appropriate. People with carbohydrate problems (insulin resistance, diabetes) should definitely avoid it.

Expected effects: Relatively low caloric content (up to 1000 kcal a day) also leads to weight loss.

Advantages: Easy to plan: no calorie counting required.

threats: The diet not only deprives the body of a number of essential ingredients (fats, proteins, some vitamins and minerals), but also provides the body with easily digestible (high glycemic index of juices) sugars.

Dr. Dąbrowska’s diet

Briefly about the diet: Dr. Ewa Dąbrowska’s diet is a two-stage diet. The first stage lasts up to several weeks and involves eating only selected fruits and vegetables. The key here is the low sugar and starch content. The second stage is a balanced diet, avoiding highly processed products.

For whom: Due to the radical reduction / elimination of some basic nutrients, it is difficult to identify a group of people for whom Dr. Dąbrowska’s diet would be appropriate. The author herself classifies it as healing fasting and does not recommend using it without medical supervision.

Who is not for: The author lists a number of medical contraindications to diet. It should definitely be avoided by pregnant and nursing women, children and the elderly, as well as by people who are weakened in some way.

Expected effects: The diet is supposed to be a “detox” of the body, but its very low calorific value (about 600-800 kcal per day) also leads to a very rapid weight loss.

Advantages: Easy from a planning point of view: it does not require counting calories, and the catalog of available products is quite wide, so that the diet does not get boring.

threats: Diet not only deprives the body of a number of essential ingredients (fats, proteins, some vitamins and minerals), but also, through a very low energy supply, can affect the work of the brain, leading to problems with concentration, drowsiness, fatigue and fainting.

Dukan’s diet

Briefly about the diet: The Dukan diet is a high-protein diet, divided into 4 stages; the first is to eat only lean meat and low-fat dairy products. Vegetables, fruits and grain products are forbidden. In the second stage, vegetables return to a limited extent; this stage may take several months. To a greater extent (but still incomplete), the missing products do not come back until the next stages.

For whom: Due to the radical limitation – and even elimination – of some basic nutrients, it is difficult to identify a group of people for whom the Dukan diet would be appropriate.

Who is not for: Definitely not recommended for people with health problems, in particular kidney disease or liver ailments.

Expected effects: The first phase brings about a rapid (albeit small) weight loss. This is to provide you with the motivation for stage two, which takes you to reach your target weight. However, there is no evidence that the diet has better long-term results than less radical, healthier alternatives.

Advantages: Easy to plan: no calorie counting required. The only “tool” is the calendar. 

threats: Dukan’s diet is extremely burdensome for the body. The kidneys and liver are particularly vulnerable, and nutritionists also indicate an increased risk of osteoporosis. In addition, the first two phases are the elimination or radical reduction of the vitamins and minerals that the body needs.

Which diet should I choose?

What diet is best for you? As you probably guessed, we strongly encourage you to choose one of the balanced diets. Every now and then we learn about new miracle diets, promising quick and lasting effects, but the mere fact that new ones keep appearing is proof that they just… don’t work. After all, if one of them really turned out to be so great, the next ones would be unnecessary 🙂

Yes, unbalanced diets can bring very quick results. However, this often comes at the expense of healthand in the long run, not at all favor avoidance effect yo-yo. Whether or not you manage to maintain your target weight depends not on your diet, but on your consistency and developing proper eating habits. The latter is favored by balanced diets.

Balanced diets will not bring you as quick results as the more radical “miracle diets”, but you can also squeeze a lot out of them – especially if you resort to the help of a dietitian. A dietitian can compose a menu that guarantees a rapid pace of weight loss, while not depriving your meals of the necessary nutrients.

If you choose, you can be sure that your diet will not only be healthy and effective, but also comfortable.

You will get a complete menu from us, based on healthy, inexpensive, quick and easy to prepare meals. You will also not have to count calories. We will do it for you, properly planning the portion size. We will also make sure that our meals give you a feeling of fullness. This way, despite the calorie restriction, you won’t have to contend with hunger.

And if that wasn’t enough, our recipes are really delicious! 😉

Check out the diet