Types of diets
When comparing diets in studies, an inconvenient result emerges: the difference between them is smaller than the difference between the people who follow them and those who do not.
The main takeaway
When diets are compared directly and caloric intake is equalized, the differences in weight loss turn out to be small. Time and again, the deciding factor proves to be adherence — how long a person can stick with it. Therefore, the question "which diet is best" should be rephrased: which one can you follow without counting the days until it ends?
Low-carb and keto
How it works. Carbohydrates are strictly limited, while the proportion of fats and protein increases. In keto, carbohydrates are cut so drastically that the body switches to ketones as an energy source.
What is known. The first few days result in noticeable weight loss due to water: glycogen retains water, and as it is depleted, several kilograms are lost that have nothing to do with fat. Beyond that, the results are comparable to other approaches with the same caloric intake. Many find it suitable due to the satiety provided by protein and fat.
Who finds it difficult. Those whose diet and social life are built around bread, grains, and fruit. The restrictions are strict, and lapses are more noticeable.
Mediterranean diet
How it works. Vegetables, legumes, grains, fish, olive oil, and moderate amounts of dairy and meat. Formally, this is not a weight-loss diet, but a dietary pattern.
What is known. This approach has the most robust evidence base regarding its impact on heart and vascular health. For weight loss, it works the same way as others — through caloric intake — but it is easy to maintain because it prohibits almost nothing.
Intermittent fasting
How it works. It is not the composition that is restricted, but the time: for example, meals are consumed within an eight-hour window (the 16:8 method).
What is known. It works for those who find it easier to skip breakfast than to count calories. In comparisons with standard diets of the same caloric intake, no additional effect beyond the created deficit is usually found. It is inconvenient for those who train in the morning or do not tolerate long gaps between meals well.
Calorie and macronutrient tracking
How it works. There are no restrictions on specific foods; there is a target for calories and macronutrients.
What is known. The most flexible option: it preserves your usual cuisine and the ability to eat out. It requires consistency in tracking — and that is usually where it ends if the tracking process is inconvenient.
Detox, juices, and "cleansing"
How it works. Several days on juices, smoothies, or herbal infusions.
What is known. The body does not need external "cleansing": the liver and kidneys are responsible for this, and you cannot speed them up with juice. Weight loss is explained by a sharp deficit and the loss of water, and it returns within a matter of days. The only lasting effect of such courses is financial, and not in your favor.
Mono-diets and "lose 10 kg in a week"
Buckwheat, kefir, or "apple" diets — they all work the same way: a sharp restriction of calories through monotony. Rapid weight loss consists of water, glycogen, and some muscle mass; a deficiency of micronutrients accumulates, and after returning to normal eating, the weight is regained with interest. None of these are designed for long-term maintenance — and that is their main problem.
How to choose
Three questions that eliminate most options:
- Will you be able to eat this way in six months? If not, the weight will return; it is only a matter of when.
- Is there enough protein in this diet? Without it, weight loss will come from muscle mass.
- Will you have to give up eating with family and outside the home? This is what most often ruins plans.
The easiest way to test any approach is through observation: a couple of weeks of tracking reveals the caloric intake, the composition, and how tolerable the chosen regimen is.
Frequently asked questions
- Which diet is the most effective?
- At equal caloric intake, the difference between popular diets is minimal. Adherence is what matters—the one you can stick to for months will prove more effective than a theoretically superior but unbearable one.
- Is it true that you lose weight faster on keto?
- The first few kilograms come off faster, but this is primarily water: glycogen retains it, and when carbohydrates are sharply reduced, it is lost along with them. Beyond that, the pace is comparable to other approaches with the same caloric intake.
- Does a detox help cleanse the body?
- The liver and kidneys are responsible for detoxification, and juices do not affect their function. Weight loss during detox programs is explained by a sharp calorie deficit and water loss, and it returns within a few days.
- Does intermittent fasting work?
- It works as a way to create a calorie deficit: a shorter eating window usually means less food consumed. No additional effect beyond this deficit is generally found in comparisons with a standard diet of the same caloric value.
Read next
- How to lose weight correctly — Weight loss is boring: a slight energy deficit, enough protein, strength training, and time.
- Hypnosis for weight loss — Reviews for this method are more polarized than for any other: some say their life has changed, while others say they wasted their money.
- Eating habits: what works and what doesn't — Almost all nutrition plans fail not because of a lack of knowledge, but because of execution.
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prescription for treatment or a diet, and it does not replace a consultation with your doctor. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, take medication, or follow a diet prescribed to you, decisions about food belong with your doctor.
Figures from regulations, guidelines and studies are given as they stood when this article was prepared and may since have changed; check them against the primary sources. This article is not advertising, an offer, or individual advice, and neither the author nor the site owner is responsible for decisions taken on the basis of it.