As a college student, I have come to realize that being healthy is of the utmost importance. Not just because I want to fit into my old pair of skinny jeans, but because a healthy body equals a healthy brain. Eating right is one of the easiest ways to achieve said goals; it’s even easier (and less stressful) than drinking detox teas or being a card-carrying member of #fitfam. All you need to do is discover the right diet for you, and stick to it.
Here are a few diets you can pick from:
1. KETOGENIC DIET
This diet consists of high fat, moderate protein and little to no carbohydrates. The aim of this diet is to force your body into a state called ketosis (a state where the body uses stored fats for energy as a result of insufficient glucose). After following this diet for a while, you might notice a reduction in appetite. This automatically results in lower calorie intake. As you’ve probably guessed, the ketogenic diet is most effective if weight loss is your main goal.
2. MEDITERRANEAN DIET
The Mediterranean diet is based on the eating style in most Mediterranean countries. It involves lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, legumes, fish and nuts. Poultry meat, dairy products and alcohol are consumed in moderation, while red meat is eaten very rarely. This diet is perfect if clean eating is your goal.
3. PALEO DIET
The Paleo diet pretty much eliminates anything your hunter-gatherer ancestors did not have access to. This includes pasta, bread, desserts, cereal, sugar, coffee, alcohol, and many other processed or refined foods. Once you channel your inner caveman/woman, you’re good to go.
4. VEGETARIAN DIET
This diet varies in strictness levels, depending on your preference. You can choose to go completely vegan, which would eliminate all foods sourced from animals, or you can go lacto-ovo, which allows milk and eggs. Your only concern with this diet would be to meet your body’s protein and calcium requirements with legumes and non-dairy milk/yoghurt/cheese. With this diet, you also have to be careful to avoid eating too much junk, since a lot of junk food these days can be made vegan-friendly.
5. PESCATARIAN DIET
Pescatarians eat seafood, but completely do away with other types of meat. So, think of a vegetarian diet that allows you to eat fish and shellfish. Eating dairy products with this diet is entirely up to you. Like the vegetarian diet, pescatarian diet does not automatically equal healthy eating. Junk foods are typically “allowed” with this diet, so you should consume such things using your discretion.
These diets are by no means the only ones that exist, so feel free to research more options until you find one that rocks your boat.