Men and women follow different diets depending on their body type. They use and store fat differently. On average, men have an average of 3 percent essential fat while women have 12 percent.Also read – No diet is suitable for everyone: why you need to optimize nutrition according to your age, says expert
Essential fats are a percentage of the total body fat needed for insulation, to protect our vital organs, to make key cell messengers such as vitamin storage and steroids needed for effective cell communication. Without these fats, the body does not function properly and our immune and neurological systems are affected. Also read – Studies show how the Cato Diet can help reduce disability and improve people’s quality of life
Women have four times the essential fat. Fat stored in women is actually beneficial for overall health. The 12% baseline of essential fats also protects women from type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This is important to understand because: Also read – Summer diet: You can follow simple diet tips to beat the heat and keep hydration level intact.
It helps to set expectations and goals when you choose weight loss programs:
- Trying for 20 percent body fat is undesirable
- There are three popular diets in the world: Cato Diet, Intermittent Fasting and GM Diet. Unfortunately, this diet is not particularly helpful for women who are considering significant weight loss (over 15-20 kg) and maintaining it permanently.
Let’s look at these diet plans in detail:
Cato diet: A ketogenic diet is a low carbohydrate, high fat diet. Limiting carbohydrates and increasing fat intake can lead to ketosis, a metabolic condition in which your body relies primarily on fats for energy instead of carbohydrates. “Women’s bodies are always resistant to losing fat because it is essential for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and it is essential.”
Carbohydrate intake in the Cato diet is usually limited to less than 50 grams per day, which can traumatize a woman’s body. When the portion of carbohydrates is reduced, it switches to ketones and fats for fuel at the beginning of this diet, women’s brains and metabolism begin to resist fat loss. It results in a complete imbalance that leads to hormonal and metabolic changes. Also, keto-type diets usually work only for a short period of time and can cause side effects such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and constipation.
In addition, most initial weight loss is water weight. Once the body enters ketosis, we begin to lose muscle, become extremely tired and eventually enter a state of starvation that makes it really difficult to lose weight.
The keto diet does more harm than good to most women, especially if they have an underlying medical condition such as PCOS, irregular menstruation or infertility.
Intermittent fasting: Fasting is a practice that involves completely abstaining from certain foods for a certain period of time. In recent years, intermittent fasting has become increasingly popular among people seeking weight loss.
During the study, it was found that although intermittent fasting produced favorable results in people who were overweight or obese, women who tried it had the following negative effects:
- Severe mood swings
- Excessive hunger
- Low energy / fatigue
- Think obsessively about food
- Overeating on days without restricted calories
- Frustration
- Anger
Most women show such behavior during the first few weeks of intermittent fasting. It has also been found that limiting calorie intake in this way can interfere with their menstrual cycle.
GM diet: The GM diet aims to help people lose weight by focusing on a specific diet or food group every day for a week. The GM diet includes a 7-day meal plan. Each day focuses on a specific diet or food group.
While the idea of significant weight loss in the short term may seem appealing, the GM diet comes with risks which are:
Lack of important nutrients: Women who follow a GM diet do not get enough of certain important food groups, such as healthy fats and proteins. These diets may also lack the essential vitamins and minerals that come with eating a variety of healthy foods.
Short term weight loss: The GM diet is not a sustainable long-term weight loss strategy. Once a woman stops following a diet, she may gain weight again. One reason for this is that the diet does not teach healthy cooking or eating techniques that are essential for long-term weight maintenance.
Other risks that are very common and may increase in women in a few weeks include dehydration, headaches, fatigue, muscle weakness and inability to concentrate, in short, a balanced calorie intake – micronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins. And minerals that are essential for pregnancy, breastfeeding and the overall health of women. Therefore, it is advisable to eat a balanced diet during weight loss.
(Inputs from IANS, Dr. Kiran Rukdikar, Renowned Obesity Physician and Weight Loss Specialist)