A healthy diet is more than just a source of energy. The food we consume not only fills our stomach but also contributes to the kind of body we have. Therefore, a diet plan becomes necessary if you have certain goals to achieve like losing weight or muscle building. And if you go out to find something for yourself, there are tons of diet plans available. It becomes very difficult to choose the right one as each of them claims to be the best and gives a hundred percent results. This becomes even more challenging, especially for men as their diet plan should be customized according to their age, goals and health concerns.
One should be very conscious while choosing a diet plan and must consider factors like goals, budget, health issues, schedule, past experiences as a single diet plan does not work for everyone. The best diet plan for you is the one that fulfills your goals along with being easy to follow and suits your lifestyle and most importantly, one that you can stick to for a long term. Are you also confused about which diet to follow? Don’t worry, we have brought some best diets for men that you can choose according to your convenience and goals:
1. Mediterranean Diet: Best For All
This diet is best for all as it promotes eating plenty of healthy ingredients like fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and healthy fats. It is based on the traditional eating pattern of people living in countries like Greece, Spain, Italy, and France. They are associated with various health benefits like promoting brain function, heart health and regulating blood sugar. The best part about the diet is that no food is banned. Rather, it encourages limiting foods which are processed or sugary.
2. Weight Watchers (WW): For Weight Loss
Weight Watchers, commonly known as WW, is a popular weight-loss program that was founded by an entrepreneur Jean Nidetch in 1963. It is a point-based program that encourages eating nutrient rich food that is low in calories and unhealthy fat. It is customized, along with being flexible that makes it easy to follow and the dieter can choose their own specific dietary restrictions. The diet program helps in achieving long term sustainable weight-loss. It calculates the amount of calories, sugar, protein and unhealthy fat certain food contains.
3. Paleo Diet: For Muscle Growth
It is similar to the eating pattern of ancient hunter societies, which includes ingredients like fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and poultry that are minimally processed while foods like grains, legumes, sugar and dairy products are restricted. It is recommended for men who are working towards muscle growth. There are different versions available which give the best results when paired with ideal training.
4. Dash Diet: For Heart Health
The Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a plan designed to promote heart health. It mainly focuses on maintaining the blood pressure level as high blood pressure is the main cause of heart diseases. DASH diet mainly focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat as they are low in salt and high salt intake is considered the main reason for high blood pressure.
5. Low Carb Diet: Best For Diabetes
A low-carb diet has been a popular recommendation for diabetic people for decades. They promote reducing the carbs in the meal and increasing the protein-intake. Reducing the content of carbs in the food helps in maintaining the body weight, thus being beneficial for controlling diabetes. There are many ways to do a low-carb diet, but the most popular ones are Ketogenic diet, Low-Carb, High Fat (LCHF) and Atkins diet.
6. Plant-Based Diet: For Men Over 50
Plant-based diet is a great option for men above the age of 50 as it has got several health benefits like weight control and brain function. It is often confused with vegan diet but plant-based diet also includes chicken, meat and eggs (in limited content). It is important to increase the intake of nutrients and antioxidants at this age in order to fight chronic diseases that damage the cells and a plant-based diet fulfills all the necessary requirements of the body.
These diets can be a solution to your fitness concerns if followed properly with regular exercise. But remember good things take time and dieting is not a miracle that can give you quick results. So, focus on your goal, have patience and eat healthy.
Note: It is always recommended to consult an expert before starting a diet plan.