5 diets to lose that quarantine weight fast

IT’S no joke that many of us weren’t able to fit into our work clothes when we were preparing to show up for work this morning, as the quarantine and work-from-home orders had us doing more than just sitting around our computers — we were enjoying the niceties from the fridge as well.

It’s very tempting when you’re at home for a long time to take up new hobbies, and especially for those with children, that would have included baking, cooking from new recipes, and indulging in all those sweet package deals from our favourite food companies. What that has meant is that the pounds have piled on, and with little desire to exercise, they’ve stayed on.

How do you now go from slightly plump to once again fitting in your clothes, so you don’t have to shop for new clothes? Check out these tried and true diet plans that will have you losing weight in no time.

The Intermittent diet

Intermittent fasting or dieting is an eating pattern which entails 16 or 24-hour periods of fasting each day. There are no restrictions on the types of food eaten, just the timed periods of eating. With this particular diet, which many preliminary studies suggest might significantly improve or reduce the risk of diabetes as well as heart disease and cancer, stored fat is used as the alternative energy source during fasting and as such weight loss is achieved.

The Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is rich in most of the foods that are generally recommended for people to eat because of the varying benefits — including that it has predominantly plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts, as well as fish and poultry, and very little red meat, salts, and butter, which are replaced by herbs and healthy fats such as olive oil.

While this diet does not have many restrictions, research has shown that it is linked to increased weight loss, decreased inflammation, and a lower risk of chronic disease. One of the main reasons for this is because it limits processed foods and added sugars, which are often high in calories.

Keto diet

The Ketogenic diet, more popularly called the Keto diet, is a very low-carb diet that is high in fat. This combination puts the body into ketosis — a process where fat is burned instead of glucose for fuel. When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain. Essentially, what happens is that you reduce carbs low enough so that your body has no choice but to burn fat for fuel.

The vegan diet

A vegan is a type of vegetarian who is very strict — not consuming dairy products, eggs, or any other food from animals. Research has shown that a vegan diet can result in significant weight loss.

With this diet, it’s important to regulate meal time. Eating at the same time each day will get the mind and stomach into a more predictable pattern. Breakfast, which is the most important meal for the day, should be larger than the other meals consumed for the day.

This diet also demands adequate protein intake. Since a vegan diet is void of any food from animal items, it’s going to be very important that a substitute be identified that is rich in protein. Legumes (peas and beans) is the food group that’s rich in protein and vegans may substitute the meats for a mix of peas and beans.

The Zone diet

The Zone diet is designed in a way which balances meal proportions, specifically along the ratio of 30-30-40 — proteins, fats, and carbohydrates respectively. The diet is not that restrictive in terms of what foods you must eat; however, dieters must match the recommended components.

The foods that are chosen daily as part of the diet will have some restrictions. The carbohydrates should have a low glycaemic index, which means they provide a slow release of sugar into the blood to keep you fuller for longer; the proteins should be lean and preferably a mix of meat and poultry at every meal, plus whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; and the fats should be mostly monounsaturated, for example, avocados, nuts, and coconut oil. Some foods such as dairy products should also be limited.

When you are in the zone, you should eat at least one hour after waking and you shouldn’t go beyond five hours without eating. Also, your meal plan for the day should include five meals and should be broken down as follows — three main meals, similar to other diets, with breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with two snacks.