There are a number of things you can do to encourage weight loss. Stocking the kitchen with diet-friendly foods and creating structured meal plans can help.

Choosing the best weight loss plan depends on your preferences, lifestyle and goals. A good plan should include healthy foods you like and also promote activity to counteract the muscle mass loss that occurs with weight loss.

1. Low-Carbohydrate Diet

A low-carbohydrate diets for fat loss is a popular weight loss approach. Carbohydrates provide energy for most bodily functions, but excess carbs can lead to fat storage and a sluggish metabolism. According to the Mayo Clinic, dietary guidelines recommend that carbohydrates should make up 45 to 65% of an individual’s daily calories. This amounts to about 900 to 1,300 calories per day for a person who consumes 2,000 calories a day.

A new study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that limiting carbohydrates can help people lose weight, and even maintain it over the long term. The study followed more than 120,000 adults for four years and found that a low-carbohydrate diet — which was largely centered around eliminating processed foods like white bread or sugary cereals — reduced overall weight gain.

The researchers found that the low-carb group lost an average of about a pound and a half more each year than the low fat group. They also saw improvements in waist-to-hip ratios, total cholesterol and triglycerides.

However, the study did have some limitations. It was hard to accurately measure how strictly the participants adhered to their assigned diets. The studies were also short in duration, which limits their real-world generalizability. The study authors note that future research should increase rigor in addressing these issues, as well as address the importance of incorporating long-term adherence assessments and evaluations of other important outcomes such as inflammation and microbiome changes.

2. Low-Fat Diet

A low fat diet focuses on reducing all foods high in saturated and trans fat. This includes red and fatty cuts of meat, full fat dairy products such as cream and cheese, fried foods and many processed foods. Healthy fats like omega 3 and 6 are encouraged, but only in small amounts. The goal is to limit total fat intake to 30 percent or less of calories, so the low-fat diet can be a weight loss plan as well as an eating plan.

A Low-Fat Diet is ideal for those who have had their gallbladder removed, as it may improve digestion by lowering the amount of fat ingested. It is also a good choice for those who have heart disease or other medical conditions, such as diabetes.

A common low-fat eating plan is the Ornish diet, created by a physician and founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California. This eating plan focuses on whole grains, vegetables and lean proteins. It eliminates fried foods and limits fat in meat and poultry to reduce the intake of saturated and trans fat. It also emphasizes consuming a large quantity of fruits, limiting alcohol and eliminating junk food. A low-fat diet can be challenging to stick with long-term, however. One study found that people who followed a low-fat diet were less likely to lose weight than those following a Mediterranean or low-carbohydrate diet.

3. Vegetarian Diet

While the vegetarian diet excludes meat and animal by-products, it includes a wide variety of foods, including (but not limited to) vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds. It can be high in protein and fiber, two nutrients that help promote fat loss, says Beachbody nutrition manager Krista Maguire. Those who adopt this diet should make sure to consume enough iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iodine and omega-3.

Studies have found that individuals who follow a vegetarian diet are more likely to lose weight than those who eat meat and animal products. Vegetarian eaters typically eat fewer calories and may be less likely to eat fried or sugary foods, which can lead to greater weight loss.

If you are considering becoming a vegetarian, start by making small changes to your current eating habits. Begin by eliminating meat from one meal per day, and then gradually add other meals until you reach your goal of being a vegetarian. Be creative when planning your meals and include a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Be sure to get adequate amounts of protein from beans and other legumes, tofu, soy products and a variety of nuts and seeds. Make sure to plan your meals to include a variety of foods that are low in salt and added sugars. Try to eat at least five 80g servings of fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruit and vegetables a day.

4. High-Fat Diet

Fat is incredibly satiating, which helps to reduce cravings and snacking. Getting your calories from fat also helps to keep blood sugar stable, which can help to prevent the spikes and crashes that often occur with carbohydrate-rich foods.

High-fat diets are a popular alternative to low-carbohydrate diets for those struggling with weight loss. These diets usually focus on consuming plenty of healthy fats (olive oil, coconut oil, lard, etc) and moderate amounts of protein and carbohydrates. There are a number of different types of high-fat diets, including ketogenic diets, vegan ketogenic diets, and various takes on the Mediterranean diet.

Proponents of high-fat diets often claim that eating a lot of fat will cause your body to burn more calories in the form of energy, which can lead to more weight loss. However, the evidence has been inconclusive on this point. Some studies have shown that a high-fat diet may result in higher caloric expenditure, but other studies have found no such effect (7).

Conclusion

Despite this, many high-fat foods are still available in supermarkets, ranging from butter and double cream to bacon and avocado. The NHS still advises people to limit their intake of saturated fat, as it can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. However, many foods that are labelled as “low-fat” are not necessarily low in calories, as they may be replaced with sugar to make them taste more appealing.