Weight Loss Diets - Two Common Dietary Plans for Your Weight Loss Mission

An effective diet plan is what you need to kick-start your weight loss mission. There are all sorts of diet plans available, including those that help to target certain challenging areas of the body. Two common but effective weight loss dietary plans are the high-protein diet and high-fiber diet.

The high-protein diet

Protein is the essential building blocks for healthy muscles. When your body builds more muscles that work efficiently, your body will burn fat more efficiently as well. It is said that high-protein diets boost metabolism to promote weight loss.

In fact, protein has been shown to be more effective than carbohydrate and fats in making a person feel full after a meal. When you are under a high-protein diet, you will feel more satisfied with your meals and feel less hungry. Combining this diet with a decrease in your daily calorie intake can improve your weight loss results considerably.

Different dietary plans have different criteria for the amount of protein needed in a high-protein diet. Basically, such diet contains around 30% of protein content in each meal (e.g. South Beach Diet). Some may even suggest up to 46% of protein content (e.g. Dukan Diet).

The main source of a high-protein diet is meat, but you can also consume plant-based proteins such as soy, whey and peanuts. To reduce the fat content that may be found in high-protein food sources, go for healthy options such as skinless chicken, lean pork and beef, and low-fat milk and dairy products.

The high-fiber diet

Everyone is aware of the health benefits that fiber can provide--from improving the digestive system and preventing constipation, to losing weight and preventing heart disease. The fiber you consume in your daily diet comes in two forms: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.

As the name implies, soluble fibers dissolve in water, and form a gel in the digestive tract, helping to slow down digestion. This leads to slower stomach emptying and you will feel full for a longer period of time. This indirectly helps you to control weight. You can get your daily dose of soluble fiber from oatmeal, oat cereal, apples, pears, oranges, lentils, dried peas, celery and carrots, to name a few.

Insoluble fibers do not dissolve in water, but they add bulk to the diet. Additionally, insoluble fibers act like a laxative; they speed up the movement of food and waste through your digestive tract, thereby helping to prevent constipation. Rich sources of insoluble fibers are whole grains, seeds, nuts, vegetables (e.g. broccoli, cabbage and dark leafy vegetables) and fruits (e.g. raisins and grapes).

Before you start a diet

Always talk to your doctor or a fitness expert before embarking on any type of weight loss diet or program. It is important that you understand the possible effects or risks the diet may eventually have on your health if practiced in long-term.

For example, a high-protein diet may be dangerous for people who have kidney or liver problems. Therefore, finding out if you have any pre-existing health conditions is vital to help you identify the right type of weight loss diet for you.

How about a fat burning diet? Knowing what foods that increase metabolism to include to your daily diet will also help to accelerate your weight loss plan. Visit www.dietforfatburning.com for more information.