. . Choosing a Diet

Thinking about starting a diet? Can't decide on the right one?
Here's our advice...

Instead of trying to figure out which diet will help you loose the most amount of weight the fastest, start asking yourself which diet you'll be more likely to stay on.

To help you out, we have looked at six of the most popular diet trends and here is what they entail...

Diet Plans
Summary
Pros and Cons
Our Rating

Body for life

Exercise plan includes alternating days of weight training and cardiovascular exercise with one day off a week.

Diet plan is based around the consumption of six mini meals daily. Meals consist of lean protein, complex carbs, and vegetables, or replacement bars/shakes. Dieters are allowed to break the diet one full day a week.

Pros: It is a very healthy means of losing weight. Plus, Body for life offers support and contests to encourage dieters. We also like the fact that dieters get a free day in which they can eat whatever they want-even pizza and big macs!

Cons: The supplements/shakes they endorse are expensive and the diet is harder to follow if you can't afford them.

31/2 stars

Atkins Diet Revolution

Based on the idea that, once deprived of carbohydrates the body will begin burning fat for energy, the Atkins diet endorses the eating of high protein-low carbohydrate foods. No exercise plan is involved though walking for health is advocated.

Pros: You get to eat high fat foods such as steak, and cheese, and you don't have to exercise to loose the weight.

Cons: Breads, pastas, desserts, and even some vegetables are out*. And though many people do see positive results-both in weight and cholesterol levels, the health effects of this diet are still being debated.

*Note: Once you pass the initial induction stage of the diet,you can start eating a small amount of low carb, low sugar foods.

3 stars

Eight Weeks to optimun health

A back to basics look at health and nutrition. Diet plan includes eating natural foods- composed of good fats, proteins, and vitamins, and limiting or cutting intake of processed/refined foods.
Exercise plan centers around daily walks

Pros: You are not limited to strict diet guidelines or meal plans. Even if your not into health food, Dr. Weiss offers easy to follow information on the subject of nutrion that every dieter should read.

Cons: The healthy/organic food that he endorses is more expensive than traditional food, and you'll have to give up some of your favorite processed food such as hotdogs.

To firm

Diet plan centers around restricting fat consumption to 40 grams a day.

Pro's Fat grams are easier to count than calories and there are numerous low fat foods now available

Con's This diet doesn't take into account positive fats such as mono unsaturated fats which are necessary for brain function.

2 stars

E-diets.com

These groups advocate traditional low-fat, low calorie meal plans combined with moderate exercise programs.

Pros: Support!You will always have someone to talk to when you're having trouble sticking to your diet.

Cons: Money! Though they may be worth it in the long run, weight loss groups are generally commerical enterprises that require money to join.

4 starts

Slim fast

Diet plan revolves around drinking a shake for breakfast and lunch, followed by a light dinner. Small snacks are allowed between meals.

Moderate exercise is also recommended

Pros: Shake diets are nutritionally complete, inexpensive, easy to follow and have been proven to help individuals loose weight.

Cons: You'll have to give up many of your favorite foods, and some dieters claim that shakes leave them feeling hungry-even with the addition of snacks.

2 stars