At BallaratOSM we are keen to see you fit, well, healthy and active. Part of that involves being at a healthy weight, which means less load on your joints, less stress on your heart and lungs and better for your mind.

Sometimes a diet plan can be helpful, and that can take a number of forms. Common and popular diets over the past few years have included:

• The 5:2 diet, with limited intake 2 days of the week,
• The 16:8 diet, with fasting for 16 hours in a day,
• The Low-Carb/High-Fat (Keto) Diet, which decreases the insulin response to food and decreases the body’s storage of extra energy as fat,
• The Heart-Health diet, which limits the intake of saturated fats,
• The Paleo Diet,
• Vegetarianism, Veganism and Variations.

Which of these is the right one? It’s almost impossible to know, even with the best of advice from doctors or dieticians. Perhaps this diagram will help (courtesy of Dr Alan McCubbin, Sports Dietician).

Notice that in the middle, overlapped by each of the diet plans, is the area that is recommended by all of them (non-starchy vegetables, low sugar fruits, water, nut, seeds, olive oil). This would be the obvious place to start, eating more of these items, less of the items in the next area out (starchy vegetables, meat, eggs, coconut oil), and less again of the ones further out. The items outside the diagram (i.e. down the bottom) should be things we eat rarely.

If you want to start on a diet it is a good idea to check with your doctor first, especially if you are on any medications or have any long-standing medical issues.