The paleo and keto diets are probably among the two most contended ways of living currently and are seeing an increase year after year. But what are they compared to 'Other' diets and what makes them so popular and appealing?

Firstly it would be a good idea to look at the one word that scares most people and that is the word 'Diet'. A diet is just a way of describing how someone eats. An American 'diet' for example is a way of saying western traditional foods and a way in which that particular continent eats rather than an Asian Diet and the types of food their population eats compared to the rest of the world. Using the word to 'Diet' has become a way of people thinking it means to cut back and not to eat certain foods or just to eat 'Rabbit' food to lose weight, which is not always the case.

Some peoples diets consist of eating foods which 'Bulk' up the body, so to use the word diet as a means of saying 'weight loss' can be false. This then really just suggests a way of describing the types of food you do eat and perhaps the ones you don't or shouldn't eat using either the Paleo or Keto 'Diet'.

The Paleo and Keto lifestyles has gained traction this past decade, largely thanks to medical reports that link obesity and poor eating habits to the modern way of living, such as the amount of sugar in soda drinks, fast food that bulks up the main food content with substitutes like Soy and the amount of snacks that people eat between meals, not just to cut out hunger cravings but to replace healthier meal times by actually being too lazy to make a sandwich or light meal, but preferably open a packet of chips (crisps) along with a chocolate bar for 'energy' purposes, when actually these are slowing the body down, adding weight and unconsciously making people lazy, because it's easy.

By returning back to the idea of feeding the body its more natural sources of food such as organic grass fed meat and vegetables along with small portions of fruit, most fruit has its own natural sugar source, then proponents of these diets say they and those that follow these types of 'dieting' lifestyle are fitter, stronger, have a clearer mind and are less likely to suffer from illnesses, not just the ones that are obviously associated with being overweight, such as diabetes and joint inflammation problems due to the body carrying the extra weight.

A paleo diet would consist of high calorie density made up generally with meat and vegetables.By calorie density, you would most certainly say proteins and fats make up the largest portion of the Paleo eater’s macronutrient intake. It is not, however, just about the meat. By mass, vegetable consumption would top the list based on the fact it has a lower calorie density. You could indeed find yourself eating more vegetables than even your vegan and vegetarian friends and certainly more than in your former life, should you be considering this route. There is plenty of room in a paleo diet to eat a wide variety of plant-based foods like vegetables, fruit, nuts, spices, and herbs simply because your daily calorie needs are not made up of nutrient-devoid processed foods. It’s about eating real food that you are comfortable with and provides a balance of nutrients to work towards gaining optimal health.

The keto diet has a similar ethos about not eating processed foods and chemically produced fizzy drinks. The keto diet though for some has become a religion and more than a lifestyle, achieving 'Ketosis' is the mantra. Ketones are the main focus and how they control the bodies immune system and regulate the distribution of fats and protein. A ketogenic lifestyle consists of eating low carb, high healthy fat, and moderate protein 99 percent of the time. While the paleo diet can also claim to be low carb, the keto diet can for some be about zero carbohydrates for the simple reason it deliberately manipulates the ratios of carbs, fats, and protein to switch fat into the body’s primary source of fuel. Our bodies are used to using carbohydrates as fuel. Fats, which is a secondary source of fuel, are rarely tapped on when we eat and drink sugary foods. That means the extra fat is stored and keeps adding on the pounds.

On the keto diet, you don’t count calories. You count carbohydrates and adjust the intake of carbs vs. fat and protein. A typical keto diet will get 60 percent of its calories from fat, 15 to 25 percent of calories from protein, and 25 percent of calories from carbohydrates. The only limitation on the diet is sugar, which you need to avoid.

In conclusion, both have a high success rate of those who use either the paleo or keto diets to either lose weight or to bulk up on natural food sources. Quite simply though it requires a mind shift as well as a change of eating habits. To suddenly go from eating one particular food source to another can be a challenge in itself. Just like any such challenge prepare yourself by changing at a pace that is you and not at a 'this must work for me attitude' otherwise you are set for failure. Having goals, not just for weight loss and the amount of pounds you will and want to lose but what you want to achieve in looks and exercise for a fitter healthier you. Taking this in to consideration will add more impetous to your objectives and you are more likely to succeed.