teh_pwn said:
Depends on what you like to eat, but generally I think these diets are good:
1. Paleo diet
2.
PaNu
3. Atkins
Men's Health came out with a book years ago called "The Abs Diet", which despite the name is actually a very solid outline of the types of foods that can make up a healthy diet. I think if a total diet/fitness newbie came up to me to ask advice on what to do to get healthy or lose weight, I think giving him the book wouldn't be a bad idea. It's a fairly easy diet to integrate.
They outline the diet with the following food categories:
1) Almonds and other nuts;
2) Beans and other legumes;
3) Spinach and other green vegetables;
4) Dairy products (more specifically: fat-free or low-fat milk, cheese, cottage cheese or yogurt);
5) Instant (unsweetened, unflavored) oatmeal;
6) Eggs;
7) Turkey and other lean meats;
8) Peanut butter (natural, non-sugar laden type);
9) Olive oil;
10) Whole-grain breads and cereals (minimal sugar, high fiber);
11) Extra-Protein (Whey) powder;
12) Raspberries and other berries.
They label the foods out like that to fit into their marketing gimmick: the "Abs Diet Power 12". You'll notice the first letter of each food category spells out that phrase. Using that diet (along with calorie control) while integrating cardio and weight lifting is a fantastic starting point for fitness.
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