Qatar nutrition expert explains how to know if a diet plan is right for you

Doha, Qatar: A dietitian has cautioned against judging nutrition plans solely by their short-term impact on weight alone. Therapeutic and community nutrition specialist Alaa Mahmoud Abu Nahia emphasizes that long-term maintenance and adequate nutrition are far more important factors in determining a healthy eating plan.

When evaluating a diet, Abu Nahia advises people to consider whether it represents a sustainable shift in their habits or simply a temporary period of deprivation for weight loss. Strict diets aimed solely at shedding pounds could lead to deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, while reverting to previous eating habits after reaching a target weight could undo the progress.

Intermittent fasting, which restricts eating to specific time windows, can help reduce overall food intake and facilitate weight loss for some individuals. However, Abu Nahia warns against viewing it as a "magic tool" for weight loss, stressing that calorie deficit remains the fundamental principle. Recent studies comparing intermittent fasting with traditional calorie-restricted diets have not found significant differences in weight loss outcomes, with the key factor being a reduced calorie intake.

However, Abu Nahia cautions that the quality of food consumed during the allowed eating window is equally important. An eight-hour eating window should not be an excuse to consume fast food and high-fat meals without consequences. Instead, she recommends choosing appropriate sources of protein, moderate amounts of carbohydrates and vegetables as part of a balanced eating pattern.

Abu Nahia also cautions against developing an unhealthy fear of certain foods, including carbohydrates and sugars. Instead of demonizing specific types of food, she encourages maintaining a healthy relationship with food as part of any dietary approach. The key question people should ask when evaluating a diet is whether it can realistically be followed long-term, leading gradually towards healthier eating habits rather than relying on severe restriction followed by a return to previous habits.

For someone accustomed to unrestricted eating, gradually reducing daily calorie intake can be an initial step towards weight loss. The next step should be improving food choices by replacing highly processed foods, processed meats, chips and sweets with healthier alternatives. Abu Nahia encourages choosing foods closer to their natural form and reducing reliance on heavily processed products and foods containing preservatives.

She stresses that dietary change is a gradual process, with each improvement building upon the last, and that the appropriate approach depends on a person's existing eating habits rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.