If you’re wanting to get rock hard, jacked, and shredded, you need the right diet. Avoid junk food and processed meals, stick to natural foods and you’ll be on your way to great shape in no time. Let’s have a look at the different kinds of diets available, their advantages, and then which one you should go for.
Traditional Lifestyle Diets
The traditional lifestyle diets are the kind you’ve probably heard of – the grapefruit diet, the Atkins diet, the South Beach Diet, and more. These diets work well because they don’t let you eat what you want, when you want it. Instead, you consume specific foods that are allowed on specific days of the week. For instance, the Atkins diet allows you to eat meat, eggs, and cheese, but restricts you from eating potato and pasta. The result of following a traditional lifestyle diet is usually seen within the first month, with some people seeing visible differences after just a few days. One of the major benefits of these diets is that you’ll soon find yourself looking for ways to make healthy food choices even when you’re not feeling particularly restrictive.
Paleo Diet
The paleo diet takes its cues from the eating habits of our ancestors. Essentially, you eat what was available to them – lean protein, vegetables, and some fruit. You avoid eating foods with a high glycemic index (these are the quick energy foods like potato, pasta, and processed snacks). The goal of the paleo diet is to get your body back to its default setting, which is highly efficient in converting food to energy. The result? Your clothes will be getting tight, and you’ll have a nice layer of fat on your belly.
You should note that the paleo diet does include some carbs, it just depends on what kind of training your doing. If you’re an endurance athlete, you’ll need more carbs than a bodybuilder, for instance. The general recommendation for those on the paleo diet is to eat enough carbs to give you a boost during your workout, but not so much that you gain weight. This way, you’ll stay lean, even when your eating bread, pasta, or rice. Another good thing about the paleo diet is that it doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you do, whether it’s walking, lifting weights, or running – all your body needs is energy to be most effective. With more people getting into shape, the demand for better meal plans has increased, and the paleo diet is one of the popular choices among those who want to lose weight.
Vegan Diet
The vegan diet is all about making healthier food choices – you plant-based meals come in all shapes and sizes, and you don’t have to limit yourself to just fruits and vegetables. You can incorporate more carbs by including whole grains, beans, and lentils, along with some vegetables. The health benefits of the vegan diet come from all the right foods, rather than from a particular one. You won’t get sick like you would with the typical diet, you’ll have more energy, and your skin will look better. If you want to get jacked, you need the vegan diet. It allows you to eat what you want, when you want it, which is essential if you’re looking for that muscle building effect. It’s high time you started seeing vegetables as the valuable allies they are, and not the enemies you’ve been taught to fear.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet focuses on foods that come from the Mediterranean region, like olive oil, dark chocolate, and almonds. These are foods that are high in fiber and contain a lot of antioxidants – nutrients that boost your body’s natural defense mechanisms. You’ll be doing your body a favor by eating these foods, as they’re known to help prevent cancer, heart disease, and other serious illnesses. While this diet is known for being good for your heart and cholesterol, it doesn’t mean you have to be limited to eating healthy food.
You should note that the Mediterranean diet has a greater emphasis on fruits and vegetables than the typical American diet. This is because the people who follow this way of eating aren’t as used to consuming sweets and processed foods as much as most Americans are. What’s important is that you find what works best for you, and your body will thank you for it. The basic guideline is to eat as much of what is native to the area as possible – Greek yogurt, for example, is great stuff. Just make sure you don’t overdo it and eat too much of it, you’ll end up storing fat instead of losing it!
With all these different diets to choose from, it’s no wonder that people are confused about which one they should follow. The truth is that it depends on what you’re looking for. If you want to lose weight, you should opt for the paleo diet, as it allows you to eat what you want, when you want it. If you’re looking to gain muscle, you should go for the vegan diet, as it encourages you to eat foods that will help you get larger and stronger. When it comes to the Mediterranean diet, everyone’s body is different, so you might not get the results you want, but it’s still a good choice for those who want to avoid certain illnesses.