Low-carb and low-fat diets - which is best for weight loss?

Principles of a hypocaloric diet

The hypocaloric diet is based on the following principles:

• Before you start a diet, you should prepare. To do this, you need to arrange fasting days for yourself, during which you eat only vegetables or kefir. This will allow the body to take the transition to a menu cut in half less painfully.
• The number of kilocalories should be reduced gradually, starting from 500 kcal per day.
• Protein products in the menu should not be cut; you should only reduce the consumption of carbohydrates by three times and the amount of fat by half.
• Sugar, salt and caffeine are limited in the diet. You should also reduce the amount of water you drink. If most dietary programs, on the contrary, recommend drinking as much fluid as possible, then a hypocaloric diet requires “drying” the body, expelling excess water from it. However, this does not mean that you cannot drink while dieting at all.
• The menu is based on eating foods that are rich in fiber, protein and vitamins.
• You need to eat often, but in small portions.
• You should not follow the proposed diet for more than 3 weeks.

The hypocaloric weight loss system allows you to speed up metabolic processes in the body, normalize blood glucose levels, and improve the health of the digestive system as a whole. The body is cleansed of toxins, toxins are released from it, fats are broken down. Against the background of general improvement, blood pressure stabilizes.

During the diet, you can play sports, but the load should be minimal. If this is not possible, then you can simply take walks or perform gymnastic exercises at home.

Getting rid of excess fat with low-fat diets

Low-fat diets have recently become fashionable. As you can easily guess from the name, the basis of this category of diets is a serious restriction of fat intake, usually up to 50 g per day. However, there is no need to limit either the total calorie content of your diet or the list of foods you consume. Reducing the amount of flour, sweets or other “unhealthy” foods consumed (from the point of view of other diets) is recommended only if reducing fat consumption does not lead to the desired result.

Dr. Ornish's diet is perhaps the most common and well-known of the low-fat diets. Low-fat diets are based on the results of a number of new studies, during which scientists have found that large amounts of fat in food do not reduce appetite, and high amounts of fat do not increase satiety. It’s easy to see this for yourself. It is enough to make any vegetable salad, divide it into 2 equal parts, season one half with sour cream and the other with sunflower oil. Then eat one, and the next day - the second, and compare - which salad satisfied your hunger better? The feeling of fullness will be approximately the same, but the calorie content of a salad dressed with vegetable oil is two or even three times greater!

Considering that the restrictions imposed on the daily diet are not very burdensome, the body tolerates these diets quite well. Most people can even stick to low-fat diets for long periods of time without harm. Some scientists believe that a low-fat diet should soon become the norm for us.

When using a low-fat diet, weight loss occurs at a low rate - two to three, and sometimes up to five kg per month, but it is stable over a long time. That is why in the long term the result is usually very good. But if you want to lose weight quickly, low-fat diets are not very suitable for you.

The main problem with following a low-fat diet is that by limiting your fat intake for a long time, you may become deficient in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which the human body does not produce. However, this problem can be prevented by regularly eating fish or fish oil.

Ornish diet

The essence of Dr. Ornish's famous diet is that you almost completely give up eating fat. And if fats in one form or another were not included in almost all products, then it could then be called completely fat-free. Dr. Ornish divides all foods into three categories: the first - you can eat without restrictions, the second - you can eat, but only in moderation, the third - prohibited foods.

According to the Ornish diet, you can eat without restrictions:

1. grains: rice, buckwheat, oats, millet, wheat, barley;
2. legumes: peas, beans, beans, soybeans, lentils;
3. vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, zucchini, sweet peppers, carrots, any greens, broccoli;
4. berries and fruits: oranges, peaches, apples, melons, pineapples, watermelons, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries.

Allowed to be consumed in moderation:

1. cereal flakes (no sugar);
2. dairy products (low fat);
3. egg whites;
4. crackers.

The Ornish diet prohibits foods containing 2 grams of fat per serving. These include:

1. any meat and fish;
2. butter, margarines, mayonnaise, fats;
3. cheeses;
4. low-fat dairy products;
5. seeds and nuts;
6. egg yolks;
7. olives and avocado.

It is also prohibited to consume pure sugar and products that contain it in significant quantities (jam, jam, sweets, confectionery, etc.), as well as alcohol and hot seasonings.

As you can see, the basis of the Ornish diet is vegetarian products, which are allowed to be “diluted” with egg whites and low-fat dairy products (only in limited quantities). With this diet, the body's need for protein is usually satisfied by legumes. The diet of this diet includes a significant amount of carbohydrates, and the “correct” ones – high molecular weight ones.

The total volume of products and the number of meals is not limited by the diet. Therefore, the Ornish diet is relatively easy to tolerate - there is no feeling of hunger. But you must remember that even with large portion sizes, you need to carefully ensure that your body receives the required amount of iron, proteins and B vitamins - after all, these are the components that are not contained enough in the diet.

Dr. Ornish himself strongly recommends sticking to this diet throughout your life. The weight loss effect of the Ornish diet is not very fast, but quite stable (as with other low-fat diets). On average, this diet will allow you to lose up to 14 kg per year, and in the first couple of months the weight decreases slightly, but over time the effect increases.

Ginsburg Diet Pulse

The diet of Mikhail Ginzburg seems to us one of the most correct and interesting diets. What is its essence, you ask?

The essence of this diet is quite simple. First, you need to switch to a low-fat diet. And secondly, you need to regularly give your body fasting days. By “regularly” we mean no more than every two days (if you increase the number of fasting days even more, then as a result you may encounter a lack of vital substances that we all get from eating food), but not less often, than 2 times a week (you can do it less often, but the rate of weight loss will significantly decrease). Another mode of the Ginzburg impulse diet is possible: a low-fat lunch and at the same time fasting breakfast and dinner daily.

Ginzburg recommends the following fasting days for us: 600-700 g of vegetables and 400-500 g of fruits during the day, plus a special food mixture developed in their clinic; liquid (tea/coffee, naturally without sugar, mineral water) in unlimited quantities.

However, it is quite possible to do without this special food mixture. It can be replaced with the most common foods that are rich in protein and at the same time contain a minimum of fat: lean meat (veal, beef) or fish, cottage cheese (low-fat) - the total amount is up to 150 g per day. You can also slightly sweeten coffee and tea (however, the total amount of sugar per day should not exceed five teaspoons).

The Ginzburg impulse diet allows you to get rid of 3 to 8 kg in a month and from 6 to 18 kg in 3 months. The rate of weight loss depends on the frequency of fasting days and the amount of extra pounds before starting the diet.

This diet is also good because it is very simple and does not require counting calories every day. During this diet, the most common foods are consumed; some expensive exotic rarities are not required (but are not prohibited, provided that they are low-fat).

The body tolerates the Ginsburg diet relatively easily. The list of undesirable foods is small (they are the same as in the Ornish diet), but they are not completely prohibited and you can sometimes treat yourself. And the best thing is that you can indulge yourself from time to time. For example, for a couple of weeks, forget about fasting days altogether. The author of the diet reports that in this case the process of weight loss will stop, but new kilograms should not be added. Unless, of course, you move away from a low-fat diet. And when you resume your diet, your weight loss will continue.

The Ginsburg pulse diet helps to reduce fat tissue, but not muscle tissue. If you do not reduce, but, on the contrary, increase physical activity while on a diet, then with great confidence we can say that your muscles will not suffer any damage during the diet and they will even get stronger.

The Ginsburg pulse diet is absolutely safe even with long-term use. At the same time, it contributes to the development of the skill of rational nutrition. And the likelihood of returning to your previous weight after it is much lower than with most other diets.

Types of hypocaloric diets

There are 4 types of the Pevzner diet, which depend on how much excess weight a person has:

• Diet 1800 kcal - this diet is suitable for those people who suffer from excess body weight, but they have not developed obesity.
• Diet 1500 kcal - this diet is suitable for people with the first stage of obesity.
• Diet 1200 kcal - this diet is prescribed to people with second degree obesity.
• 800 kcal diet - such a diet can only be prescribed by a doctor and only to those people who suffer from 3-4 degrees of obesity. While observing it, a person must adhere to bed rest.

There are also foreign versions of the hypocaloric diet, which range from 500 to 1800 kcal. The Western diet also differs from the Pevzner diet in that it reduces the amount of fat: 20 g per day on a foreign diet versus 40-60 g of fat on a Russian diet.

However, regardless of which diet option was chosen for weight loss, you need to enter it correctly. Without the preparatory stage, it is prohibited to sharply reduce the number of kilocalories. Every day you need to reduce your daily caloric intake by 500 kcal until its values ​​reach 1300 kcal. Only after this can you switch to a low-calorie diet menu in the full sense of the word.

Fat Loss

Most studies show that low-carb diets are better for weight loss.

A small 16-week study found that those who followed a low-carb, low-calorie diet had greater reductions in total fat mass and belly fat than those who followed a low-calorie diet ().

A year-long study of 148 people showed similar results ().

In fact, several other studies show that low-carb diets reduce belly fat more than low-fat diets (, ,).

Additionally, one analysis of 14 studies found that low-carbohydrate diets, particularly very low-carbohydrate diets, reduced fat mass in obese people ().

Diet

When creating a menu, you must consider the following recommendations regarding the selection of products:

• Number of proteins

  animal origin should be at the level of 60-70%. These are meat, eggs, fish, seafood. About 30% of proteins should be of plant origin - these are cereals, beans, soybeans, peas and mushrooms. A person should consume no more than 1-1.5 g/kg of protein per day. It should be taken into account that animal proteins contain fats, so their calorie content is higher than plant proteins.

• Fats

  The menu may contain fats of animal origin, of which no more than 30% of the total amount of fats should enter the body. These are products such as: butter, fatty meats, lard, waterfowl, dairy products. Vegetable fats occupy the bulk of fats in the diet of a person following a hypocaloric diet. Their share is 70%. In this case, a person should eat vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and olives. If animal fats are a source of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, then vegetable fats supply the body with unsaturated fatty acids and help reduce cholesterol. Eating fats increases appetite, as they give foods a pleasant taste. Therefore, there is a parallel between how much fat a person eats and how quickly he gains weight. In this regard, it is so important to observe the above proportion of 70 to 30. Also, when creating a menu, you should take into account that fat is hidden in sausage, cheese, smoked products, confectionery, offal, ice cream and more. This must be taken into account when creating a menu.

• Carbohydrates

  can be slowly and quickly digestible, as well as non-digestible - this is fiber. The latter include cereals, vegetables, herbs, wholemeal flour, berries and fruits. After entering the intestines, they are not broken down or absorbed, and therefore do not have any effect on a person’s weight. Carbohydrates, which are absorbed quickly by the body, are represented by products such as sugar, jam, juice, honey, sweets, chocolate, candy, drinks containing sugar, and dairy products. After they enter the body, they are rapidly absorbed into the blood, and therefore lead to weight gain. Slow carbohydrates include pectin and starch. They are not as quickly absorbed by the body, since it takes time to break them down. Products that are sources of slow carbohydrates: corn, pasta, bread, cereals, flour.

Priority in the menu should be given to carbohydrates that are not digested at all or are digested slowly. You also need to take into account that fast carbohydrates are contained in hidden form in many foods. The daily “limit” of carbohydrates on a low-calorie diet is 150 g, but no more.

In order for the diet to be as effective as possible, you need to periodically arrange fasting days for yourself, when the daily calorie intake is 500-750 kcal. Unloading should not be performed more often than 2 times every 10 days. During such periods, metabolic processes accelerate and fat reserves are burned faster. The products that are taken as a basis on a fasting day can be: fermented milk drinks, fish, meat, cottage cheese, vegetables and fruits.

Products

When going on a hypocaloric diet, you need to understand that the consumption of many foods will have to be reduced, and foods high in carbohydrates, fat and harmful additives will need to be excluded for the duration of the diet.

List of prohibited products:

• various trans fats contained in fast food;
• butter, full-fat sour cream, cheese of any kind;
• soda, packaged juice;
• cow's milk;
• red meat;
• salo;
• sausages, frankfurters, small sausages;
• fast carbohydrates: chocolate, cakes, puff pastries, various types of cookies with cream;
• pickled spicy foods;
• various semi-finished products;
• mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauces;
• alcoholic drinks;
• high fat cream;
• White bread.

List of permitted products:

• low-fat dairy products, except cheese;
• lean poultry and fish: chicken fillet, steamed sea bass;
• slow carbohydrates: buckwheat, rice, millet, durum wheat pasta;
• non-starchy vegetables: cucumbers, herbs, tomatoes, bell peppers;
• whole grain bread;
• herbal teas;
• natural coffee, chicory;
• seafood;
• mushrooms;
• potatoes baked without oil;
• fruits in small quantities.

Menu for a week of hypocaloric diet

Sample menu

To create a menu for a hypocaloric diet, you can use the dietary program with recipes offered by experts or change it at your own discretion, using the list of allowed foods and a calculator for calorie content of dishes. Depending on the amount of excess weight and your weight loss goals, you choose a moderate or strict calorie diet.

List of approved products

The list of products for a hypocaloric diet is quite diverse and includes the following items:

• vegetables, except starchy ones (potatoes, corn);
• fruits, except bananas, dates, figs;
• green legumes – green beans, peas;
• cereals - oatmeal, buckwheat, pearl barley, brown rice, bulgur;
• dairy and fermented milk products 0% fat;
• chicken or quail eggs;
• fish and meat of white varieties with low fat content;
• seafood (shrimp, mussels, etc.);
• limited - dried fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils.

Soups should be prepared mainly vegetarian with the addition of cereals, as well as dairy or fruit. Twice a week you are allowed to use weak fish or meat broth. In case of severe obesity, first courses are excluded.

When creating a menu, the greatest emphasis should be placed on raw vegetables, fruits and berries. Stevia is best suited as a sugar substitute, but sorbitol, xylitol, and aspartame are acceptable.

Options for hypocaloric meals may be as follows:

• for breakfast: oatmeal with pieces of fruit;
• egg white omelet;
• vegetable stew with rice;
• buckwheat porridge with cottage cheese or milk;
• cottage cheese casserole;
• zucchini pancakes with yogurt;

For snacking, unsweetened fruits (apples, plums, apricots), vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage), low-fat dairy products (yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese), and diet bread are best suited for snacking.

For a week

Despite dietary restrictions, when losing weight on a hypocaloric diet, you can create a fairly varied menu. The most important thing is that it is balanced in the content of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and also corresponds in calorie content to the chosen method option. To understand the principle of such nutrition, it is recommended to use the weekly menu below as an example.

Day 1:

• breakfast - an omelette of two whites and one yolk with herbs, 1 glass of kefir (can be poured into the omelette to give the dish a cheesy flavor), herbal tea;
• lunch - 1 apple or other unsweetened fruit;
• lunch – 150 ml of vegetable soup, 50 g of cabbage salad, 150 g of buckwheat steamed overnight, 100 g of boiled veal, 100 ml of berry compote;
• afternoon snack - fresh cucumber or celery stalks;
• dinner - 100 g of stewed chicken breast or chicken cutlets, green tea;
• at night - 1 apple or a glass of biokefir, 30 g of sunflower seeds or 2 walnuts.

Day 2:

• breakfast - 150 g of sliced ​​tomatoes and cucumbers with herbs, 75 g of fish, tea;
• lunch - 1 small orange or grapefruit;
• lunch - 150 ml of vegetable soup with cereal, 100 g of steamed meatballs, 1 glass of fruit juice without pulp;
• afternoon snack - medium-sized carrots grated with the addition of half a grated apple;
• dinner - 150 g of eggplant stewed with tomatoes and onions, 120 g of rabbit meatballs, tea;
• at night - 1 glass of yogurt or plum.

Day 3:

• breakfast - 100 g of boiled chicken breast, 150 ml of fresh tomato juice or 2 fresh tomatoes;
• lunch - 2 whole grain breads, tea;
• lunch - 150 ml of borscht, 75 g of steamed meat, 100 g of hard pasta, 200 ml of compote;
• afternoon snack - 100 g of boiled beets;
• dinner - 150 g of grilled vegetable mixture (eggplant, zucchini, tomato, bell pepper), 100 g of boiled fish, tea;
• at night - 150 ml of fresh apple or apricot without pulp, 2 walnuts.

Day 4:

• breakfast - 100 g of baked bell peppers with asparagus and tomatoes, 200 g of cheesecakes, 150 ml of berry compote;
• lunch - 200 ml of smoothie made from steamed oatmeal, strawberries and yogurt;
• lunch - 150 ml rassolnik, 120 g veal roll with prunes, 100 g sliced ​​vegetables, tea;
• afternoon snack - 200 ml smoothie, as for lunch;
• dinner – 200 g pearl barley porridge with vegetables, 100 ml fresh apple juice;
• at night - 1 glass of kefir, 3 pcs. prunes

Day 5:

• breakfast – 50 g of baked fish, 100 g of buckwheat steamed overnight, fresh cucumber, rosehip infusion;
• lunch - 1 glass of fresh sweet and sour berries;
• lunch - 150 ml fish soup with a piece of fish, 100 g baked broccoli with onions and celery root, plum compote;
• afternoon snack - sliced ​​tomato, cucumber and celery stalk;
• dinner - 100 g chicken meatballs, 100 g boiled cauliflower with herbs and tomatoes, 50 ml yogurt;
• at night – 200 ml fresh apple juice or kefir with 1 tbsp. l. Flaxseed.

Day 6:

• breakfast - 100 g of cabbage salad with carrots, beets and apples, 2 boiled eggs, 200 ml of kefir;
• lunch – grated carrots with apple;
• lunch - 150 g vegetable salad with 1 tbsp. l. sour cream 10% fat, 150 ml lean borscht, 75 g boiled breast, 150 ml fresh fruit;
• afternoon snack - 200 ml of yogurt with apple slices;
• dinner - 100 g steamed rabbit, 150 g sliced ​​cucumbers, tomatoes, celery stalk with herbs;
• at night - 30 g of dried fruits.

Day 7 – unloading on apples, cucumbers, kefir or other permitted products. The total amount of food (1.5 kg of vegetables and fruits or 1.5 liters of kefir) is divided into 5 meals and consumed during the day at regular intervals. Additionally, on this day you can only drink clean water and herbal tea with stevia.

Permitted and prohibited products

Foods that can be eaten during the diet:

• Animal and poultry meat: veal, beef, turkey, chicken, rabbit.
• Egg.
• Fish: herring, hake, tuna, pike, salmon. Seafood: mussels, squid, oysters, shrimp, crabs.
• Legumes: beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas.
• Mushrooms and seaweed.
• Cereals: buckwheat, wheat groats, oatmeal.
• Vegetable oil: olive, sunflower, corn, flaxseed.
• Fermented milk products and low-fat milk.
• Crisps and bread based on whole grain flour and bran.
• Vegetables: carrots, onions, zucchini, celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, etc. Lettuce, greens.
• Nuts, olives, flaxseed.

Foods that should not be eaten during the diet:

• Fatty varieties of animal meat and poultry.
• Smoked meats, sausages, lard, bacon, fast food, semi-finished products.
• Dough, bread based on wheat flour, all bakery products, waffles, cakes, pastries, pancakes, dumplings and dumplings.
• Sugar and products that contain it. Including honey, halva, dried fruits, condensed milk, ice cream.
• Fermented milk drinks containing sugar and other additives.
• Semolina.
• Potatoes, bananas and grapes.
• Drinks containing alcohol and caffeine, spicy sauces, seasonings.

Quitting the diet

It should be noted that you should exit the diet smoothly and correctly, gradually increasing calorie content and adding the right foods. It is forbidden to immediately consume foods high in fast carbohydrates: bananas, chocolate, cakes, cookies, as well as fatty foods: sausages, smoked meats, cheese, meat, otherwise there is a risk of gaining all the kilos back and returning to their original form. Below is a sample menu for one day to quit the diet.

• Breakfast: oatmeal, cooked in 2.5% fat milk, half a grapefruit.
• Snack: coffee with cream 10% + omelette of two whites and one yolk;
• Lunch: baked potatoes + chicken breast + vegetable salad dressed with low-fat sour cream;
• Snack: bread with low-fat cheese + a glass of fermented baked milk with a spoon of honey;
• Dinner: salad of shrimp, vegetables and herbs, dressed with olive oil + baked cod with egg.

Pros and cons of a hypocaloric diet

The advantages of the diet include:

• Metabolism improves.
• Weight is lost due to the fact that fats are broken down, not muscles.
• The intestines are cleansed.
• The muscles are strengthened.

The disadvantages of the diet include:

• A diet can only be followed if a person is at home all the time. It is difficult to follow the principle of fractional meals at work. Moreover, it is not always possible to bring food with you.
• Diet cannot be combined with physical activity, especially intense exercise.
• The weight will not come off quickly. You will not be able to lose a large number of kilograms in a short period of time.

Pros and cons of low-fat diets

First, about the important points that will appeal to those with a sweet tooth. They are allowed to eat their favorite treats.

Marshmallow, marmalade. Even flour: cakes, pies. That is, it cannot be said that this is a diet without fatty and floury foods.

The main condition for such a feast is that the share of fats should be about 20% of the daily calorie intake and no more.

In other words, the amount of daily pleasure should be limited to 30-40 grams per day.

By accustoming yourself to this regime, you can lose up to 7 kg in six months. Every day, the calorie content in the body will automatically decrease.

“Fat” calories, which is especially pleasing, will leave those places where they are accustomed to accumulate and thereby spoil the figure. That is, this is the stomach, sides, hips.

Contraindications

Contraindications to following the diet:

• Chronic renal failure.
• Significant physical activity.
• Diabetic retinopathy.
• Angina pectoris.
• Age under 18 years.
• Diseases of the digestive system.
• Carrying a child and breastfeeding.
• Diseases of the endocrine system.
• Tendency to constipation.
• Mental disorders.
• Cardiac ischemia.
• Arrhythmias.
• Osteoporosis.
• Atherosclerosis.
• Senile age.
• Infectious diseases in the acute stage.
• Gout.

Reviews and results

Evangelina: “I have suffered from excess body weight all my life. I tried to stick to different diets. All of them gave only temporary results. Literally after 3-4 months the weight returned, and sometimes even with a reserve. When I gained more than 15 kg, I decided to see a doctor. The doctor advised me to stick to table No. 8. I followed the diet for 8 months, during which time all the extra pounds were gone. Now I strictly monitor my weight and if I see even a slight weight gain, I go on a low-calorie diet. It’s better to fight the problem at the root.”

Julia: “This diet is absolutely not suitable for me. I can’t stand it for more than a week, because I feel very bad without sweets. During the diet, your head starts to hurt, your health worsens, and your nervousness increases. A week is enough to lose 2-3 kg, but the weight quickly returns. I think I should try a different diet."

Karina: “You can lose weight with a hypocaloric diet. I practice it in the spring to prepare my body for summer. During the diet, I feel great, just a little lacking in sweets. I feel like eating from time to time, but not too much. I approach menu planning carefully, using an online calculator to calculate calorie content, as well as the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Therefore, a hypoallergenic diet, or rather its menu, does not present any difficulties for me.”

Conclusion

The hypocaloric diet has a balanced composition, with priority in the menu given to protein products. When creating a diet, it is important to use a wide variety of foods, and you also need to monitor the calorie content of your meals. To lose weight faster, you need to do gymnastics. If obesity does not allow you to engage in active sports, then you can simply go for walks. The main thing is that the number of kilocalories does not exceed the permissible norm.

Author of the article:

Kuzmina Vera Valerievna |
Endocrinologist, nutritionist Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after. N.I. Pirogov, specialty “General Medicine” (2004). Residency at the Moscow State Medical and Dental University, diploma in Endocrinology (2006). Our authors