Many tried and tested diet regimens have withstood the test of time.
These slimming regimens include the Mediterranean Diet, Low Carb Low-Carb Meals, Paleo Diet, Whole Foods, and Vegetarian Meals.
These diets – and other healthy, long-term diets – share some important similarities.
Here are 6 things all successful slimming regimens have in common.
1- Reducing the consumption of added sugar
Added sugar is an unhealthy aspect of the modern diet.
Although some people can tolerate moderate amounts of sugar without problems, most people consume sugar more than necessary.
When you eat a lot of fructose – one of the main forms of sugar – it acts as a burden on your liver, forcing it to convert it into fat.
Part of the fat is removed from the liver as low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol – which increases triglycerides in the blood – but some remains in the liver.
In fact, excessive fructose intake is thought to be the main driver of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
It is also linked to many other conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Moreover, sugar contains empty calories, as it contains a lot of calories but does not contain essential nutrients.
Most experts agree that excessive intake of added sugar is harmful. Therefore, most successful slimming regimens make it a priority to cut down on added sugar.
Summary
There is global agreement that eating large amounts of added sugar is unhealthy, and more successful slimming regimens recommend limiting it.
2- Avoid refined carbohydrates
Refined carbohydrates – which are sugar and processed starchy foods, including grains, from which most of the fiber has been removed – is another ingredient that nutritionists agree is unhealthy.
The most common refined carbohydrate is wheat flour, which is consumed in large quantities in Western countries.
Because refined grains are made by grinding whole grains and removing the bran and endosperm – the fibrous and nutritious parts – refined starch provides many calories but contains virtually no essential nutrients.
Without wholegrain fiber, starch can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, leading to cravings and overeating after a few hours when the blood sugar level drops.
Studies link refined carbohydrates to various metabolic states, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Although some diet regimens – such as Paleo and the Low-Carb Low-Carb Diet – eliminate pimples completely, all successful slimming regimens emphasize at least limiting refined grains and replacing them with their healthy, whole-grain counterparts.
Summary
All successful slimming regimens ban refined grains such as wheat flour, while some diet regimens like paleo and the low-carb low-carb diet ban grains altogether.