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If you search "diet" in any search engine right now, you're going to end up with millions of results. The list of diets you can pursue goes on-and-on, promising fast results for a relatively decent price. However, there's still no scientific evidence proving diets work long term, which brings us to the ultimate question: What is the best diet for weight loss? And should you even diet at all?

In order to determine the best diet for weight loss, we turned to the Best Diets Rankings through the U.S. News&World Report. Every year they release a list of the best diets for people that includes data on how successful they are. Their rankings evaluate if the diet will provide short-term and long-term weight loss, if it's easy to follow, and if it's overall a healthy diet to follow.

While there are some diets that do rank higher in terms of losing weight specifically, that doesn't mean that those diets provide successful weight loss long term. So instead, we chose the U.S. News&World Report's Best Diets Overall, and there's one diet that stood out among the rest: The Mediterranean Diet.

Speaking of eating healthy, you'll probably want to avoid these 100 Unhealthiest Foods on the Planet.

First, some historical background. The Mediterranean Diet is based on the eating habits of those who live in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Research and data actually show that those who live in these areas live a longer life compared to most, and typically suffer less from chronic or autoimmune diseases like heart disease and cancer.

If you're to evaluate the eating habits of those in the Mediterranean, their diets may actually shock you. The Mediterranean Diet is well-balanced and includes protein, fat, and yes, carbs. Lots of carbs, actually. And wine.

The U.S. News&World Report releases a new Best Diets Ranking every year, and while the Mediterranean diet continues to share the top spots with the DASH Diet (a diet that focuses on lowering blood pressure), it's constantly rated the most effective diet overall.

The Mediterranean diet isn't restrictive, which is likely why it has been successful for so many people. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid looks similar to the nutritional food pyramid we know, but with a few alterations. Alterations that, in our opinion, make perfect sense.

The bulk of the Mediterranean Diet comes from fruits, vegetables, grains, oils, nuts, legumes, beans, and seeds. Now, the grains in this diet aren't highly processed simple carbohydrates, but whole-grain and homemade carbs served in proper portion sizes. Plus, these are the foods loaded with dietary fiber, which is the thing you should eat to lose weight.

The next "food group"and the second largestis actually fish and seafood. It's recommended to eat these oftenat least two times a week, if possible.

Next, you'll find a smaller section with poultry, eggs, cheese, and yogurt. "Moderate portions" are recommended, and clearly not as important as adding seafood to your diet.

And lastly, you'll find meats and sweets in the tiny tip of the pyramid. That's rightno restriction at all in this diet. You can still enjoy meals made with your favorite meats and sweets, but less often compared to all the other goodness the Mediterranean Diet has to offer.

Lastly, it's recommended to drink water and wine. Obviously more water than wineyou should be drinking this much water every daybut wine is not off-limits. There are actually a lot of health benefits to drinking a glass of red wine, and the Mediterranean diet sure takes advantage of it.

How you eat is a huge part of the success of the Mediterranean Diet, but it's not just the diet that provides results. It's also the lifestyle of the Mediterranean people that make a huge difference in their health and longevity.

Experts of the Mediterranean Diet say that being physically active and engaging in good community result in an overall well-balanced, stress-free life. Food is a huge part of the weight loss experience, but stress can also play a huge factor in it as well. Stress will increase cortisol levels, which can sabotage any efforts you make to lose weight. So take notes from the people of the Mediterranean and stress less about your meals and your days. Go for walks. Enjoy a delicious meal with friends. Drink red wine. Didn't think that would be part of your diet, did you?

If this sounds like the kind of diet that you need in your life, it's easy to get started. Here's our guide for starting the Mediterranean diet, along with a list of all the foods you can eat and even some healthy swaps for your go-to meals.

Sure, you may not lose weight as quickly as you would on a fad-diet like keto or Whole30, but you will experience a satisfying, long-term weight loss that will leave you feeling good about the skin you're in. After all, isn't that what we all want in the end?

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Gallery: What You Should Know Before Cutting Carbs for Weight Loss (Eat This, Not That!)

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This Is the Best Diet for Weight Loss - msnNOW

My name is Shavonda Brickley (@shrinking_shavonda), and I am 35 years old. I live in Dallas, Texas, and I am a customer service representative for a pharmaceutical company. I started my weight-loss journey by doing keto with intermittent fasting and working out with a personal trainer, and I lost 143 pounds.

I tried so many different weight-loss methods and did not stick to any of them. The thing I struggled with the most was consistency. I was my heaviest at 28 years old; I weighed 347 pounds.

In December 2017, I went through a life-altering event that put me in a really dark place. I was giving so much energy to that situation. In addition, I always felt like everyone elses happiness was more important than mine. I was always placing myself on the back burner. I felt that it was time for all of that stop. If I could pour so much into others (and wanted to continue to be able to do that), I needed to first pour into me.

And thats when things clicked. Before I could be the best mom or partner to anyone, I needed to be the best me to me.

Initially, I just tried to eliminate things like soda and juice from my diet. I made small adjustments like going from white rice to brown and eating more fruits and salad.

Then I came across the ketogenic lifestyle via Instagram and slowly transitioned into it. I would order a burger and remove one bun, and sub out fries for fruit. Eventually, I did more research and learned more about the lifestyle and went full-blown keto in July 2019. I love how non-restrictive keto is. I can still eat all of the foods I love, and there are so many products that can be used as great substitutes for some of the things that are not allowed.

Shortly after that, I also started to incorporate intermittent fasting (IF) by following a 16:8 schedule (meaning I ate within an eight-hour window every day and fasted for 16 hours).

I would work out six to seven days a week and eat properly during the week, but I would overindulge on the weekends. I thought of cheat meals as a way to reward myself, not realizing initially that this mindset was stalling my progress.

Currently, I have a personal trainer that I see at least three times per week. When I am not training with him, I may walk about four miles or do my C25K running app. I absolutely love working with my trainer. Before COVID-19, I would attend my favorite cardio hip-hop class called Mixxedfit at my local gym. I miss that class so much!

These three changes have made the biggest impact on my overall weight loss.

My advice to anyone who feels stuck or unsure of how to start: It doesnt matter where you start or how much weight you have to lose, just start! Dont focus on how long it will take, just focus on the direction in which youre going. Do not compare your journey to anyone elses.

Keep your head in the game and love yourself enough to get started. Be kind to yourself during your journey. Focus on the progression and not perfection. This journey is yours. Embrace it and take it on full-speed. Dont give upyou have nothing to lose but weight.

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'I Combined Keto With 16:8 Intermittent Fasting And Cut Out Cheat Meals To Lose 143 Lbs.' - Women's Health

Pregnancy can be a life-altering journey and brings a host of changes in a woman's body. When 30-year-old Rakhi Meniya realised that she was rapidly putting on a lot of weight after giving birth to her little one, she decided to do something about it. With the support of her husband, she did the impossible and lost a whopping 14 kilos in a span of 2.5 months. Her story is an example that anything is possible if you remain committed to your goals.Name: Rakhi MeniyaAge: 30 yearsHeight: 5 feet 2 inch

Highest weight recorded: 74 kgs

Weight lost: 14 kgs

Duration it took me to lose weight: 2.5 months

The turning point: I had put on a lot of weight after my pregnancy and I wasnt able to work out or monitor my diet soon after that. Hence, within a year, my clothing size went from S to XL and I found it quite tough to digest this huge change. My confidence had also begun to waver due to all the unsolicited pieces of advice. However, my husband acted as my pillar of support and gently nudged me to start working out and take care of myself. That was the turning point in my life and I have never really looked back after that.

My breakfast: I keep my diet simple and fuss-free so that I can follow it on most days. For my breakfast, I choose anything from a bowl of oats, a portion of sprouts with strawberry or banana smoothie. I completely avoid cheat meals or cheat days.

My Lunch: 1 chapati, 1 bowl of vegetable curry or a portion of sprouts with buttermilk. Occasionally, I have a bowl of brown rice with dal.

My Dinner: I make sure to finish my dinner by 7 pm every day, without fail. I have boiled vegetables like broccoli, carrot, cucumber etc. Sometimes, I have one chapati with a bowl of dal or vegetable curry.

My Workout: My workout routine is fuss-free. I run for 3 kilometres in the morning for six days a week and do Tabata workout at home. Tabata workout is an excellent choice for working out at home, given the current circumstances where we cannot hit the gym.

Pre-workout meal: Any fruit of my choice, including apple, orange and kiwi

Post-workout meal: I have a glass of almond milk with a handful of nuts

Fitness secrets I unveiled: If you want to lose weight and get back in shape, it all boils down to consistency. It does not matter what workout routine you follow, you have to keep doing it to see results. I have realised that losing weight is not rocket science, you have to watch your diet and continue working out as per your body type.

How do I stay motivated? Undoubtedly, one of my biggest motivators has been my husband, who gave me new targets every week to ensure that I kept going. When I started seeing the results, I kept following the same schedule for my work out and dietary plan. Also, when I saw that I was able to fit into size S/M clothing again, it further motivated me to continue my journey.

How do you ensure you dont lose focus? In the beginning, it was really tough to make up your mind to follow a strict schedule and make rapid lifestyle changes. However, after I maintained my routine for the first 15 days, I slowly became focused. Whenever I felt that I was straying from goals, I would watch my old photographs to motivate myself to keep going. It wasnt easy, but it was certainly worth it.

What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I see myself as a healthy person, who loves to work out, no matter what.

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Lockdown weight loss story: I lost 14 kilos in just 2.5 months with my husbands support! - Times of India

Ive long been fascinated with the term latchkey kid, though something about it sounds offensive in an vaguely antiquated way, like describing an unmarried woman as a spinster or referring to siblings born less than a year apart as Irish twins. Perhaps thats because theres always been some shame for parents who work and leave their kids at home and unattended. Or maybe its because, as I learned while writing this, my guilty instincts were exactly right: Early in its etymology, Latchkey children appeared in a 1935 newspaper column condemning working Black mothers for leaving their children unaccompanied during the day.

The phrase, which specifically refers to a kid who wears a house key around their neck for easy entry into their homes, gained popularity in the 1940s, as many fathers were sent to fight in World War II and mothers entered the workforce to support both their families and the war effort. Unaccompanied children roaming the street were considered the cause of an uptick in petty crime and delinquency, a saddening reminder that well always find ways to blame poor mothers for the perceived crumbling of society.

But like many others, I grew up with divorced parents who both worked. I myself was a latchkey kid, which maybe explains my weird affection for such a coded phrase. There was nothing harmful or dangerous about the fact that I was home by myself, it just meant that I spent a lot of time alone and yes, I wore a key around my neck so that I wouldnt lose it while I was at school or playing outside. My parents, and most working parents, were being responsible they were working to provide for me while trusting me to fend for myself for a few hours, which I did through questionable, albeit entirely safe ways.

When you spend a lot of time alone in your house, you have endless opportunities to get creative. Alone, I would dress in costumes and act out expansive scenes in my upstairs hallway. Id walk my dog and pretend he was a horse. I also, admittedly, watched a whole lot of television. But one way that my creativity would almost always take form was through snacks, a series of inadvisable and unappetizing meals created based on what was in the refrigerator and cupboards. Ignoring a full loaf of bread, Id take slices of bologna, roll them, fill the middle with yellow mustard, then prong them with toothpicks, a fifth graders interpretation of canape. I once ate an entire bushel of parsley that I dunked in natural peanut butter, a combination I insisted was delicious and world-changing, though I would never return to it because well it was actually really gross. Makeshift crepes were created from Nutella and flour tortillas warmed in the microwave. Id eat turkey hot dogs cold and bunless in front of the open fridge. It was often lonely to eat this way, but the time was also entirely mine. It was thrilling.

This type of hodgepodge diet is a point of pride among other so-called latchkey kids. Google latchkey kid snack and youll find endless results of now-adults touting their own weird recipes born from that signature combination of boredom and lack of supervision which excites a childs brain. A friend of mine, who once had a blog devoted to the latchkey kid snack, says he loved placing store-brand saltines in a circular arrangement on a plate and placing a small cup of cold marinara in the middle... It felt like what an adult might present at a cocktail party.

In all honesty, it wasnt until my 30s that I developed a more adult way of feeding myself and even now, I occasionally find myself combing a near-empty pantry, searching for something, anything, I can force together and eat to further avoid the annoying-but-simple task of walking to the grocery store to restock. Part of me even misses that feeling of playing adult while waiting for my parents to get home.

Of course, the sense of loneliness surrounding these snacks are bound to make a parent feel guilty, much like phrase latchkey kid does already. If I didnt include the following caveat, I can almost guarantee the imminent arrival of calls and texts from home insisting that, throughout my childhood, there were stocked cupboards and prepared snacks that I could have eaten instead, so allow me to get ahead of that: There were definitely more dignified snacks at home. But all the yogurt-covered granola bars in the world cant hold a candle to the quiet thrill of discovering which salad dressing can also double as pasta sauce on cold spaghetti. The answer, by the way, was Newmans Italian.

Goldsuit is a painter and graphic designer based in Seattle.

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The Weird After-School Snack Habits of Kids With Working Parents - Eater

Orthorexia is an eating disorder that is characterized as an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.

It often involves restricting certain food groups and over emphasizes "clean eating" to a point where it interferes with quality of life.

It is difficult to estimate how many people have orthorexia as there is currently no formal diagnostic criteria.

Here is what you need to know about orthorexia from common symptoms to how it's treated.

People develop orthorexia when they obsessively fixate on "healthy eating." While deciding to pursue a healthy lifestyle isn't bad, people with orthorexia become compulsive and inflexible with their eating.

Unlike other eating disorders, orthorexia is usually not motivated by weight concerns or body image issues, says Meghan Windham, a registered dietitian at Texas A&M University.

Orthorexia often starts because a person wants to improve their overall health by taking control of the foods they eat. For many, this means turning to fad diets that restrict certain food groups or promote specific eating patterns. Windham says following these types of diets can quickly become obsessive, even if they don't start out that way.

People with orthorexia tend to be concerned about the quality of the foods they eat, rather than the amount of food that they eat. Food concerns can vary among individuals with orthorexia. For example, some may restrict major food groups such as dairy or gluten while others may be fixated with only consuming raw foods.

Orthorexia is not considered an official mental health condition by the DSM-5 the manual used to diagnose mental illnesses. One reason for this is because symptoms of orthorexia tend to overlap with other conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anorexia, and other avoidant/restrictive food intake disorders (ARFIDs).

If left untreated, orthorexia can progress and lead to lasting mental and physical health consequences and may even take the form of other eating disorders like anorexia nervosa or bulimia, says Paula Quatromoni, DSC, RD, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Health Sciences at Boston University.

Like most eating disorders, the signs and symptoms of orthorexia are mental, behavioral, and physical. Orthorexia presents differently in individuals, so symptoms may vary from person to person.

Mental, or emotional symptoms, of orthorexia tend to be similar to those of other eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). These include:

Behavioral symptoms are some of the earliest signs of an eating disorder. According to Windham, those associated with orthorexia include:

People with orthorexia are at a higher risk of developing micronutrient deficiencies because they tend to restrict certain food groups. This can lead to physical symptoms if the deficiency is left untreated.

Here are some common micronutrient deficiencies in people with orthorexia and their corresponding physical symptoms:

These obsessive and compulsive behaviors around food choices can impede on a person's social life. "Some people find it easier to compulsively stay at home, rather than socialize to have complete control over theirfood environment, which quickly becomes a really isolating way to live," says Quatromoni.

It is important to try to recognize when someone needs help with orthorexia sooner, rather than later. "The longer someone has been in the trenches with this, the greater the health risks, and the longer the road to recovery will be," says Quatromoni.

It can be tricky to tell if someone has orthorexia or if they are just a healthy-eater. Windham says healthy eating has progressed to orthorexia when, "your food intake is governed by strict rules, rather than day to day choices."

According to Quatromoni, here are some signs that may indicate a person is developing orthorexia:

Early identification and intervention can help people with this disorder have the best possible outcomes in recovery.

If you are worried that someone you know may be experiencing these symptoms, here is some advice on how to approach them about your concerns, says Lauren Smolar, the director of programs at the National Eating Disorders Association.

"Oftentimes the symptoms we see in people with orthorexia are extensions of underlying psychiatric conditions or they are triggered by psychological stressors," says Quatromoni.

There are certain factors that place some people at higher risk of developing orthorexia. These include:

Orthorexia is treated with a combination of nutrition counseling and therapy. "It's important to work with a dietician to correct nutrient deficiencies and restore physical well being, as well as a mental health professional to treat the psychological side of this disorder," says Quatromoni.

"Nutrition counseling can help people with orthorexia relearn what a healthy plate looks like," says Windham. Nutrition counseling is education-based and can help people with orthorexia re-incorporate food groups they are scared of and understand the benefits of a varied diet.

Meanwhile, therapy can help people with orthorexia understand underlying mental health issues and stressors that may be driving their rigid food behaviors. If people are also suffering from anxiety or OCD, they may be prescribed medication to treat those conditions.

Read more about finding the best treatment options for eating disorders.

If you are concerned your healthy eating habits have become disordered or started to impede on your quality of life, you should seek help from a dietician, therapist, or contact the National Eating Disorders Helpline. "Even if you don't meet any official diagnostic criteria you are still deserving of care to help you work through the concerns you have about your behaviors," says Smolar.

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How to recognize the symptoms of orthorexia and get the help you need - Insider - INSIDER

The connection between the pandemic and our dietary habits is undeniable. The stress of isolation coupled with a struggling economy has caused many of us to seek comfort with our old friends: Big Mac, Tom Collins, Ben and Jerry. But overindulging in this kind of food and drink might not just be affecting your waistline, but could potentially put you at greater risk of illness by hindering your immune system.

Hear the word nutrition, and often what comes to mind are fad diets, juice cleanses and supplements. Americans certainly seem concerned with their weight; 45 million of us spend US$33 billion annually on weight loss products. But one in five Americans consumes nearly no vegetables less than one serving per day.

When the emphasis is on weight loss products, and not healthy day-to-day eating, the essential role that nutrition plays in keeping us well never gets communicated. Among the many things I teach students in my nutritional biochemistry course is the clear relationship between a balanced diet and a strong, well-regulated immune system.

Along with social distancing measures and effective vaccines, a healthy immune system is our best defense against coronavirus infection. To keep it that way, proper nutrition is an absolute must. Although not a replacement for medicine, good nutrition can work synergistically with medicine to improve vaccine effectiveness, reduce the prevalence of chronic disease and lower the burden on the health care system.

The Impact of the Western Diet

Scientists know that people with preexisting health conditions are at greater risk for severe COVID-19 infections. That includes those with diabetes, obesity, and kidney, lung or cardiovascular disease. Many of these conditions are linked to a dysfunctional immune system.

Patients with cardiovascular or metabolic disease have a delayed immune response, giving viral invaders a head start. When that happens, the body reacts with a more intense inflammatory response, and healthy tissues are damaged along with the virus. Its not yet clear how much this damage factors into the increased mortality rate, but it is a factor.

What does this have to do with nutrition? The Western diet typically has a high proportion of red meat, saturated fat and whats known as bliss point foods rich in sugar and salt. Adequate fruit and vegetable consumption is missing. Despite the abundance of calories that often accompanies the Western diet, many Americans dont consume nearly enough of the essential nutrients our bodies need to function properly, including vitamins A, C and D, and the minerals iron and potassium. And that, at least in part, causes a dysfunctional immune system: too few vitamins and minerals, and too many empty calories.

A healthy immune system responds quickly to limit or prevent infection, but it also promptly turns down the dial to avoid damaging the cells of the body. Sugar disrupts this balance. A high proportion of refined sugar in the diet can cause chronic, low-grade inflammation in addition to diabetes and obesity. Essentially, that dial is never turned all the way off.

While inflammation is a natural part of the immune response, it can be harmful when its constantly active. Indeed, obesity is itself characterized by chronic, low-grade inflammation and a dysregulated immune response.

And research shows that vaccines may be less effective in obese people. The same applies to those who regularly drink too much alcohol.

How Nutrients Help

Nutrients, essential substances that help us grow properly and remain healthy, help maintain the immune system. In contrast to the delayed responses associated with malnutrition, vitamin A fights against multiple infectious diseases, including measles. Along with vitamin D, it regulates the immune system and helps to prevent its overactivation. Vitamin C, an antioxidant, protects us from the injury caused by free radicals.

Polyphenols, a wide-ranging group of molecules found in all plants, also have anti-inflammatory properties. Theres plenty of evidence to show a diet rich in plant polyphenols can lower the risk of chronic conditions, like hypertension, insulin insensitivity and cardiovascular disease.

Why dont we Americans eat more of these plant-based foods and fewer of the bliss-based foods? Its complicated. People are swayed by advertising and influenced by hectic schedules. One starting place would be to teach people how to eat better from an early age. Nutrition education should be emphasized, from kindergarten through high school to medical schools.

Millions of Americans live in food deserts, having limited access to healthy foods. In these circumstances, education must be paired with increased access. These long-term goals could bring profound returns with a relatively small investment.

Meantime, all of us can take small steps to incrementally improve our own dietary habits. Im not suggesting we stop eating cake, french fries and soda completely. But we as a society have yet to realize the food that actually makes us feel good and healthy is not comfort food.

The COVID-19 pandemic wont be the last we face, so its vital that we use every preventive tool we as a society have. Think of good nutrition as a seat belt for your health; it doesnt guarantee you wont get sick, but it helps to ensure the best outcomes.

Grayson Jaggers is an assistant professor at theUniversity of Southern California Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Good Nutrition Can Contribute to Keeping COVID-19 and Other Diseases Away - Nextgov