Best Diet Plans to Lose Weight Fast

1. Keto Diet

Want to know how to lose weight in 7 days or less? One option is trying the ketogenic diet. A ketogenic diet is an extremely low-carb diet in which you drastically reduce or completely eliminate the amount of glucose you eat. Once glucose has been eliminated from the body and there are no carbs available for your body to use for energy, the body will turn to stored fat instead, putting you into the metabolic state called nutritional ketosis.

Pros:

Many studies show you’ll likely experience weight loss, particularly in the first few weeks and months. When we eat foods with sugar and carbohydrates, our bodies release insulin, the “fat storage hormone.” It sends a signal to your cells to store as much energy in the form of glycogen — i.e., fat — as possible. By drastically reducing our intake of carbs, our bodies release less insulin. Less insulin in our bloodstreams means glycogen is used by our bodies as energy and not stored — and when that supply is over, it turns to fat next.

You might lower your risk of diabetes, neurological issues, metabolic syndrome and other health concerns. When you switch to a low-carb diet, you naturally take in much less sugar and starch. Diets high in refined carbs can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity, which means a keto diet may be protective against these conditions.

Since ideally you’ll replace grains and other carbohydrates with more protein-rich foods and healthy fats, you’ll be more full and less hungry. Fats and proteins are known for their satiating effect, while reducing insulin intake helps turn off ghrelin, the “hungry hormone.”

Cons:

Reducing or totally eliminating carbs can result in a lack of energy and feelings of fatigue, which isn’t exactly the motivation you need for hitting the gym. If you’re especially active — for instance, you’re training for a marathon or cranking up the intensity of workouts — a low-carb diet might not provide you with the stamina you need to keep going.

The keto diet may feel restrictive for some and make it hard to eat out or socialize.

2. Low-Carb Diets

If you’re looking for how to lose weight fast in two weeks or so, but don’t want to fully go keto, then a low carb diet is a good option. A low-carb diet is a diet that limits carbohydrate foods — such as foods with added sugar, grains, starchy vegetables and fruit — and emphasizes foods high in protein and fat.

There are various types of low carb diets in existence, one of which is a high-protein diet. Low-carb diets tend to be either very high in fat or high in protein. If you choose to follow a high-protein diet, which is what the Atkins Diet could be considered, your diet will be roughly distributed as 30 to 35 percent calories from protein, 20 percent or less from carbohydrates, and about 45 to 50 percent from fat. With every meal you’ll want to incorporate 1–2 palm-sized portions of protein, such as fish or meat.

Many people will still experience great results when eating a modified keto diet that is a bit higher in carbs, or “keto-cycling” or “carb-cycling” in which they boost carb intake on certain days of the week.

Pros:

There’s no need to count calories or go hungry. Low-carb diets tend to be filling due to their high protein and fat content, which means reduced hunger and cravings (and an easier time fasting if you’d like to incorporate this).

This type of diet can improve health markers such as blood sugar levels, neurological health, hormonal balance and more.

Eating lower-carb means focusing on eliminating major sources of added sugar and carbohydrates — especially from sugar snacks, sweetened drinks, refined grains and possibly legumes and conventional dairy, too.

Cons:

Carbs lurk in unexpected places, like fruits, legumes and whole grains such as quinoa. Totally kicking them out of your diet might mean missing out on essential vitamins and minerals.

Low-carb diets may increase symptoms like fatigue, constipation, brain fog and irritability in some people, plus hormonal issues in some women. These side effects usually clear up within 1–2 weeks, although some people will ultimately feel better eating a more moderate-carb diet.

Eating lots of protein from animal products raises environmental and ethical concerns, since these foods cost a lot of energy and resources to produce compared to most plant foods.

3. Vegan Diet

While there are different levels of vegetarian and vegan diets, most vegetarians steer clear of eating meats, including seafood and poultry. What do vegans eat? Well, they take it a step further and avoid all products that come from animals, including dairy and eggs.

If you’d rather be mostly plant-based but don’t want to totally nix all animal products, that’s a good option, too. Simply swap out meat, fish, etc. for clean proteins like legumes, lentils, quinoa, etc. several times per week or more. There are plenty of ways to get protein without consuming too many animal-derived foods, such as from nuts, seeds, beans, ancient grains or plant-based protein powders.

Pros:

You’ll be following a plant-based diet that is naturally low in fat and high in fiber. No need to count calories when you’re chomping down on lettuce.

Vegetarian diets have been linked to lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol. If you’re looking to control those conditions naturally, eliminating meats can help.

Good, quality meat can be pricey and also takes a toll environmentally. Eliminating it from your diet can really save money in your grocery budget and better the planet too.

Cons:

What do meat-free, deep-fried burritos, potato chips and French fries have in common? None of them are healthy, and they’re vegetarian/vegan. Simply eliminating animal products doesn’t guarantee you’ll eat wholesome, nutritious foods.

High-quality animal meats provide nutritional benefits that are hard to replicate naturally. Vegans especially need to beware of serious nutritional deficiencies and should consider adding a supplement.

4. Mediterranean Diet

People who follow a traditional Mediterranean diet know how to lose weight naturally without going to extremes. Made popular by the fortunate folks living in one of the most beautiful regions on Earth, people on the Mediterranean diet enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, embrace fats like olive oil, and eat high-quality poultry and seafood, all in close-to-natural states.

Pros:

Because this diet focuses on foods found in nature, you’ll eat very little processed or sugary foods. It’s more likely you’ll snack on nuts, for example, than cookies.

The abundance of foods rich in healthy fats helps reduce your risk of heart disease.

It’s probably the most sustainable long-term. With the allowance of an occasional glass of red wine or steak, this diet allows you to enjoy food and the occasional indulgence.

Cons:

It’s easy to go overboard. While healthy fats are good for us, portion control still needs to be exercised, which can be difficult for some people.

While eating this way is good for your body in the long run, if you’re looking to lose weight fast, this diet is probably not for you.

5. Paleo Diet

Paleo diet vs. vegan diet, which is better? These are two of the trendiest diets out there. “Going Paleo” is something you hear more and more these days, especially in athletic communities such as CrossFitters. It’s modeled after what our ancient (specifically, Paleolithic) ancestors would have eaten thousands upon thousands of years ago.

Pros:

The paleo concept of going grain-free can be greatly beneficial, as you strip away nutritionally bankrupt, starchy calories that spike insulin levels and instead usually replacing with more vegetables.

Following that hunter-gatherer lifestyle can aid in getting more minerals, more omega-3 foods, more protein and more healthy fats overall in your diet. In fact, if you follow the Paleo diet in the right way, there’s evidence it can help improve autoimmune illness and support weight loss.

Along with jettisoning grain, sugar (a major inflammatory and disease creator) is forbidden. Instead, the diet relies on popular anti-inflammatory foods like wild-caught salmon, blueberries, leafy greens and nuts.

Cons:

Unfortunately, for many who follow the Paleo diet, they tend to consume probably a little bit too much meat, in my opinion, as well as some toxic animal substances.

Additionally, they really do not stress organic in that diet. For example, I’ve known people on the Paleo diet where their diets consisted of consuming conventional butter and fried bacon — if you eat that every meal, it could be considered a Paleo diet.

6. Low Fat Diet

Low-fat diets reduce the amount of (you guessed it) total fat you eat in a day. The diet became especially popular in America following the release of the federal government’s dietary guidelines in 1980, leading to the proliferation of low-fat food availability.

Pros:

Foods high in fat are usually high in calories as well. If you play a strict numbers game, reducing high-caloric foods will usually help you lose weight.

Cutting out obvious fat-filled villains, like sweets and sodas, can help you lose weight; plus, it’s great for your body.

Cons:

Low-fat foods are often processed foods that are filled with sugar and unnatural ingredients designed to make low-calorie foods taste like their full-fat counterparts. These added ingredients can actually cause weight gain.

By choosing low-fat foods, it’s easier to overindulge. This happens for two reasons: The low-fat versions just don’t have the same satiating tastes and ingredients in them, and we’re more likely to reach for that second cookie when we think it’s lower in calories.

Our bodies need fat! While foods like avocados or butter might have a high calorie count, they’re filled with healthy fats our bodies crave and need to function properly. Plus, what would you rather eat: butter churned from a cow or a “butter-like substance” created in a lab?