Popular Diets to Follow to Get Ready for the Wedding
There are SO MANY diets out there - different ones come in and out of style. Let’s look at some currently popular ones, and their pros and cons.
Popular Diets to Follow to Get Ready for the Wedding
1. What are Popular Diets?
Paleo
What’s Allowed:
Lean cuts of beef, pork, and poultry
Game animals
Eggs, but no more than six a week
Fish, including shellfish
Fruit
Non-starchy vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Oils in moderation
What’s NOT Allowed:
All dairy products incl. butter
Grains
Legumes / beans
Starchy vegetables
Sweets, juices & sodas
Processed and cured meats
Highly processed foods
Whole30
What’s Allowed:
Meat
Poultry
Fish
Veggies – starchy and non-starchy
Fruits
Fats – e.g. avocado
What’s NOT Allowed:
Any type of added sugar
Alcohol
Grains
Beans
Nuts
Soy
Dairy
Processed additives e.g. MSG
No fake treats with Whole30-approved ingredients. E.g. cauliflower crust pizza
Gluten-Free
What’s NOT Allowed:
Gluten - found in Wheat, Rye, Barley, Malted milk or milkshakes, Brewer's Yeast, some oats
Low-Carb Varieties: Low-Sugar/ Atkins/ South Beach/ Keto
What’s Allowed:
Meats
Vegetables
Dairy
Eggs
Fish
What’s NOT Allowed:
Fruit
Starchy vegetables
Grains
Beans
Added sugar
Plant-Based Varieties: Vegetarian, Vegan
What’s Allowed:
Vegetables – starchy & non-starchy
Grains
Fruits
Nuts & seeds
Beans & legumes
Oils
What’s NOT Allowed:
Animal proteins (can include eggs, fish, also chicken/ meat, etc.)
Dairy products (depends)
2. Pros & Cons
You can (95% of the time) find a study to support whatever benefit for whatever diet you want to follow. So I’m not going to go into those types of “benefits” here. Instead, let’s look at overall pros and cons of following any diet or way of eating.
Money
Pros: eliminating nutrients/ food groups can help save money
Cons: Some diets e.g. Paleo, focuses on organic foods —> can be more expensive
Social Events
Pros: Easily navigate open bar, appetizer bar, etc.
Cons: Can feel deprived/ feel like you’re not part of the group
Food Cravings
Pros: If you’ve already made the decision to not eat something, it takes the stress out. You don’t have to think: Should I just have a bite? Does today ‘count’?
Cons: Feeling of deprivation
Health
Pros: eliminating certain foods can help with portion control; weight loss/ management; vitals; feeling of fullness – particularly with lower carb diets
Cons: You may not be getting all of the nutrients that you need, e.g. Anemia (lack of iron) – non-heme iron vs. heme iron; Omega-3s biologically much more available through fish; “Food Synergy”; nutrition is the newest science
3. So What Should I Do?
You have to do what works for YOU, personally. I do caution though, that typically eliminating any food group in its entirety is limiting essential nutrients from your diet