You’ve finally decided that you want to take on the challenge to eat healthier. There are plenty of diets to try in 2022. Lots of research and experimenting with all different diet strategies means lots of different possibilities that can better suit your body and your lifestyle.
Keep in mind when we talk about ‘diet’ we are not necessarily talking about a temporary fad diet. Diet strategies such as plant-based, ketogenic, and paleo can be the basis of a dieting phase, but it is recommended to take what works for you to incorporate into your overall nutritional strategy and lifestyle habits.
Here’s a great list of a handful of the best diets to try in 2022 to kickstart a healthier lifestyle.
1. Plant-Based Diet
The plant-based diet has a fairly self-explanatory name. Plants are the main focus of this diet. Meat and other animal products may be cut out entirely.
Vegetarianism is one route to go. This involves eliminating all meat, poultry, and fish. Veganism is a little more strict than vegetarianism. This means restricting animal products altogether. This includes cheese, butter, honey, and other animal byproducts.
Plant-based diets are an excellent way to lose weight. One reason could be that plants contain more fiber which can keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Keep in mind that animal proteins have important vitamins and nutrients. Some examples of this are omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and Vitamin D. It can be beneficial to think about taking vitamin supplements while on these diets.
2. Keto Diet
The ketogenic (also known as keto) diet is a popular diet that reduces carbohydrate intake. In turn, it increases the amount of protein you consume. Protein can help keep your appetite under control while conserving your muscle mass.
When you take on the keto challenge, your body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy. It can take some time to adjust. This is especially the case if you previously consumed a high carb intake. Your body is used to carbs as a source of energy.
Once your body adjusts, it converts fatty acids from protein into energy. This process is called ketosis.
There can be several benefits of this diet. With a stable supply of protein, you could be less susceptible to blood sugar crashes. If you are wanting to tone your muscles, higher protein consumption can help you gain muscle mass.
It is important to keep watch on your cholesterol. Sometimes a low-carb diet can increase bad cholesterol levels. Fortunately if you choose this as one of your diets to try in 2022 there is plenty of research and hundreds of thousands of people who can reflect on their experience with a keto diet.
3. Paleo Diet
The paleo diet imagines what your hunter-gatherer ancestors would have eaten. The idea is that humans have not yet evolved to adapt to modern Western diets. All the fast food, cereals, chips, and bread can cause more harm than good.
The paleo diet looks to go back to basics. This means eating “whole foods.” Examples of this would include meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. There are no processed foods like bread, sugars, and dairy.
You can stay full by being able to mix and match with proteins and fiber. The paleo diet can lower cholesterol and reduce high blood pressure. The downsides can include missing out on important food groups, like legumes and whole grains.
4. Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting switches between periods of eating and periods of total fasting. A common strategy is to spend an 8-hour chunk of your day eating and then a 16-hour chunk off of food. This can be a great way to make your metabolism more efficient.
You should be sure not to overcompensate when you are in your eating period. Too many calories can mean too much weight gain. Some people can experience significant blood sugar drops, which can lead to other health issues.
5. Mediterranean Diet
This diet follows what people in Greece and Italy used to eat. This means eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, seafood, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and whole grains. This diet may be a great aid in reducing inflammation as well. It is just important to observe how much you are eating. If not taken in moderation, the diet can cause weight gain in some people.
Final Thoughts
Each diet will affect each person a little differently. Be willing to modify these diets as needed. You can also enlist the help of a professional dietician as well. They may be able to talk to you about your goals and suggest a diet to try in 2022 that is a good fit for you and your lifestyle. As we mentioned prior, a diet is not necessarily something to adopt in full. The best approach to any diet is to try new and healthier methods, choosing to keep those that work best for you.
Tags: Diet, eating habits, food, lifestyle, nutrition
