What Is the Best Diet for Weight Loss? (Meal Plan Included)

In this article:

• There are many weight loss diets. The best diet for weight loss is the one that works for you.
• Vegan (plant-based), Mediterranean, DASH, and low-carb diets are all well-known.
• This sample meal plan has a variety of healthy foods.
• Lark's weight loss coaching encourages a nutritious diet for healthy and lasting weight loss.

There are a lot of diets out there! Which one is best for weight loss?

There is no single answer. But Harvard Medical School says good weight loss diets should also be healthy and easy to follow. They help you establish healthy habits. Over time, you can lose weight and keep it off.

What Makes a Diet the Best?

The truth is that the best diet is the one that works for you. It may be different from the best diet for someone else. But if your goal is to lose weight, improve health, and keep the weight off, you can look for a diet that meets these guidelines.

List of Weight Loss Diets

US News and World Reports ranks weight loss diets each year. Rankings depend on factors such as  Diets are also checked for how easy they are to follow and how healthy they are for diabetes and the heart. These are among the publication's best weight loss diets of 2021.

They may have different names, but their approaches are similar. In general, they do the following.

• Encourage plant-based foods.
• Reduce red and processed meat.
• Encourage fiber from whole grains, beans, fruit, and vegetables.
• Limit added sugar and refined starch.
• Suggest healthy fats, such as from nuts, olive oil, avocados, and salmon or flaxseed.
• Discourage fried foods and fatty foods.

Most of these diets have research supporting them.

• A study in Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that people who ate more fruits and vegetables kept their weight off better than those who ate fewer.
• That study found that eating more reduced-fat dairy products also led to sustained weight loss.
• People who eat the most added sugars can gain 1.55 kg per year (about 3 lb) more than people who eat fewer added sugars. That is what research in British Medical Journal showed. A review article in Diabetes Care had similar conclusions.
• Sugar-sweetened beverages are strongly linked to weight gain and obesity, according to research in Nutrition.
• A review in Revista espanola publica found lower body weight with greater consumption of olive oil.
• Fatty meats, fried foods, and refined grain consumption are all linked to weight gain.
• Whole grains and nut consumption are linked to weight loss.

Low-carb diets can be healthy choices for weight loss if they:

• Are only moderately low in carbs.
• Include high-fiber carbs, such as whole grains, beans, fruit and vegetables.
• Encourage healthy fats from olive oil, nuts, and avocados rather than butter.
• Focus on healthy protein sources, such as fish, low-fat dairy, and beans, instead of fatty and processed meat.

Lark's weight loss coaching is based on science. Lark helps you choose healthier foods that are linked to weight loss. You can log foods and get instant feedback to help you make better choices. 

Meal Plan for Weight Loss

What does a healthy menu for weight loss look like? It can be different for different people. But it may include lots of fruits and vegetables. It can be low in added sugars and processed foods. And it can have nutritious carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

You should always talk to your doctor before starting a new meal plan or diet. Your doctor can help you determine how many calories to consume. A healthcare provider can also discuss any individual needs. 

Here is a basic three-day plan for weight loss. It has about 1,200 calories per day. If you need more calories, which may be the case if you're physically active or are a larger individual, you can add snacks. There are some suggestions below the meal plan.

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The above meal plan has about 1,200 calories per day. That may be too low for you. If so, you can add healthy snacks. These are a few examples.

• Raw vegetables with hummus or eggplant dip (baba ghanouj or mutabel).
• Apple, carrots, or celery with peanut butter.
• A piece of fruit or cup of cut fruit or berries.
• String cheese stick, hard-boiled egg, or small container of yogurt or cottage cheese.
• 1/2 ounce of nuts or peanuts.
• Canned tuna or salmon.
• Cooked sweet potato slice with blue or goat cheese.
• Roasted edamame.
• Whole-grain toast or bread with low-fat ricotta cheese.

And there are more healthy snack ideas here!

Lark can be a helpful weight loss coach. Losing weight can lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and that's not all. When you lose a few extra pounds, energy levels can increase, cholesterol and blood pressure can improve, and clothes fit better. Best of all is that Lark makes weight loss simple!

Lark doesn't just know which choices can lead to weight loss. Lark coaches you on how to make good choices that can become habits. With small changes that fit right into your lifestyle, you can drop pounds and lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. Your personal coach is available 24/7 through your smartphone so you can get expert tips, track meals, physical activity, and weight loss. 

The entire program may be available at no cost to you if your health insurer covers it. Click here to find out if you may be eligible for Lark! You could be minutes away from taking the first steps to hitting your weight loss goals and improving health.