It can be incredibly challenging to lose weight. Perhaps you have tried many different diet programs and found some not to be effective for you. Some may work initially but are quite often not sustainable. If you are considering following the Ketogenic Diet or the Mediterranean diet for weight loss, it’s worth comparing the two.
The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional eating and lifestyle patterns of healthy citizens living in countries in the Mediterranean, such as Italy and Greece. The ketogenic diet is a diet that focuses on low carbohydrate food choices, and the correct ratios of fats and proteins.
These two diets are certainly popular weight-loss diets, but one is more restrictive than the other. So which one will be the best diet for you?
In this article, we take a look at the differences between the keto diet and the Mediterranean diet for healthy weight loss. Use this guide to help you decide on one that suits not only your weight loss requirements and health needs, but your ability to stick to it.
Meal Plans
The Mediterranean diet is more of a healthy eating plan than a regulated weight-loss diet. It promotes choosing whole single-ingredient foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. It encourages staying away from processed foods, and minimizing intake of dairy products and red meat.
Essentially, there are few foods that you can’t eat while following a Mediterranean diet, it’s just that some foods should be avoided if possible or eaten in moderation. The further the departure from the Mediterranean diet ideal, the less healthy you are likely to be.
The Mediterranean diet is absolutely a lifestyle diet. You shouldn’t expect to see the weight drop immediately, but if you adhere to the principles you will see a steady and sustained improvement in health and weight.
Alternatively, the ketogenic diet is a super-fast weight-loss diet for many people. There are foods you should avoid at all costs. Each meal has set carb, fat, and protein portions, and therefore your food choices are more controlled.
The aim is to turn your body into a fat-burning machine. Your body seeks out stored fat for energy due to the carb intake reduction. The body burns fats and ketones instead of carbohydrates so that you lose weight and stored fat.
Healthy Fats
Both diets promote the intake of healthy fats. The Mediterranean diet recommends you avoid butter and use olive oil instead. It promotes the consumption of healthy fats such as those found in avocado and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.
The keto diet is the same. You need to eat healthy fats as part of your macronutrients. Don’t assume that dietary fat means body fat. You need healthy dietary fats to survive and to lose weight.
Nutrient-Rich Foods
The Mediterranean and keto diets are both filled with nutrient-rich foods to choose from. The Mediterranean diet includes many food choices including whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables etc. The keto diet also promotes nutrient-rich foods, and includes many of the same foods. The difference is the portions and the percentage of fats, carbs and proteins in any given meal that is consumed.
Both diets contain foods that include essential vitamins and minerals.
Restrictions
As mentioned above, there are not many off-limit foods in the Mediterranean diet. However, it does discourage eating sweets, some dairy products and over-indulgence of red meat.
The keto diet is far more restrictive. It is designed to put you into a state of ketosis and keep you there, whereas the Mediterranean diet doesn’t. You need to track your food consumption, especially carbs, when following the keto diet.
In the Mediterranean diet, you don’t have to do any tracking of macros.
Both diets are popular among health-conscious individuals trying to lose weight or simply be healthy. They certainly differ in many ways, but both diets will help you lose weight, whether it be slow or fast.
Understandably, having a healthy body depends on your eating habits and lifestyle. So if you want to lose weight fast, but keep it off, you may like to choose the keto diet and then follow up with a healthy lifestyle change with the Mediterranean diet.
The Mediterranean diet is definitely a diet you can follow for the rest of your life. Anyone from the Mediterranean will no doubt attest to that. They would probably even say we’ll drink to your health!
