The Best Weight Loss Diet EVER

An attention-grabbing headline? Absolutely. Is this likely to be true? Not on your nelly.

The unpalatable truth is there is no ‘the best weight loss diet.’ Hard to believe in these evidence-based times, but true. The Mediterranean diet, however, wins the healthiest diet stakes hands down, with a plethora of studies showing it reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes and is the best diet to help you age gracefully.  Heavy on the vegies, light on sugar and refined carbohydrates and plenty of good oils, the Mediterranean diet is yummy and healthy, yet there is no consensus on the most effective diet for losing weight. 

Years ago, when taking the Obesity unit within the Masters of Nutrition at Deakin University, I remember being struck by a throwaway comment from a somewhat cynical professor who proclaimed, “You do know, the only proven weight loss strategy is bariatric surgery.” I was dumbstruck. An invasive, often irreversible stomach surgery is a drastic step to take. More recently the diabetic drug Ozempic and its lookalikes have taken centre stage in the latest weight loss trends. 

The Tried & True Weight Loss Diet

In over 35 years of practice I have found that no one weight loss diet works for everybody. However, I have developed a weight loss strategy that works well for most patients. While admittedly not the subject of a clinical trial, this eating plan is based on science-backed diets, including the Low Glycaemic Index Diet and Intermittent Fasting and incorporates many aspects of the healthy Mediterranean diet.

Why it Works

The reason why my diet works is that it is ‘doable’, healthy and sustainable. You need only follow a few simple rules and guidelines. This diet means you can cook and eat with your family and friends.

The 4 Tried and True Rules of Weight Loss

RULE 1
Eat only between the hours of 12 noon to 8 pm.
Until midday, drink water (still or sparkling), unsweetened herbal, green or black tea, or black coffee.

Many people find eating two meals works well. ‘Brunch’ around noon, and dinner in the evening.

RULE 2
Eat a maximum of two serves of starchy carbohydrates each day.

One serve of starchy carbohydrates includes

• One piece of bread or two crackers
• One cup of cooked grain (rice, quinoa, barley, oats, corn, pasta, polenta, wild rice, buckwheat)
• One medium potato or three chat potatoes
• One cup of cooked legumes (chickpeas, lentils, baked beans, green peas)
• One medium banana

RULE 3
Eat a portion of protein with each meal.
A serve is the size of the palm of your hand and thick as a pack of cards.
E.g., chicken, beef, lamb, tofu, eggs, cheese, fish, nuts

RULE 4
Avoid processed sugar
Avoid any packaged food with more than 5g/100g sugar
Avoid dried fruit, grapes, and melons.

OTHER GUIDELINES

• Eat at least five serves (cups) of vegetables or salad each day – a ‘rainbow’ of colours, e.g., kale, sweet potato, beetroot.
• Use ‘healthy oils’, e.g., extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed walnut, coconut.
• Choose leaner cuts of meat.
• Eat fish at least twice weekly (fresh or canned).
• Drink at least 2 litres of water daily. Can include tea, coffee, and herbal tea.
• Eat two serves of fruit daily, again, a ‘rainbow’ of colours, e.g., berries, stone fruit, oranges.

P.S. It always helps to exercise 😉 especially exercise that gets you puffing, sweaty and increases your heart rate. Aim for 4-5 X week 45 – 60 minutes.