What defines which diets are the most successful weight loss plans? Television commercials, magazine ads, and trendy weight loss books bombard us with information. All tout promises to hold the elusive answer to melting away unwanted pounds and keeping them off. Popularity is one measurement of success, and some of the most successful diet plans today include:
Bill Phillips Eating for Life Diet
Eating for Life is one of the most successful diet plans currently on the market. It claims to help build leaner, stronger bodies with a plan based on the right foods, the right amounts, the right combos and the right times. That sounds like a lot of factors to figure in, but advocates claim that while following the diet's guidelines, they enjoy healthier, happier lives.
This diet program can also be found in Phillip's bestselling book which has sold more than four million copies. The Eating for Life Diet helps individuals lose weight by feeding the body rather than starving it while promising benefits like increased energy. A free diet profile is available at eDiets to help create a personalized diet plan that includes eating frequent, balanced meals throughout the day.
South Beach Diet
The South Beach diet focuses on eating the right carbs and fats. In phase one of the South Beach Diet, carbohydrates are severely restricted. In phase two, carbohydrates with a low glycemic index are gradually ushered back into the diet, and the final phase works to maintain your weight loss for the rest of your life.
Zone Diet
The Zone Diet takes a bit more calculating than the average diet. To reach The Zone, each meal and snack should equal 40 percent of calories from carbohydrate, 30 percent from protein and 30 percent from fat. To aid dieters in finding the right balance, Zone Food Blocks were created to make planning and tracking easier. How many Food Blocks are eaten by an individual dieter depends on body weight.
Hollywood Diet
On the Hollywood Diet, dieters drink a blend consisting of natural fruit juices, enzymes and minerals. Dieters drink this concoction throughout the day to diminish appetite while balancing blood sugar levels and cleansing the digestive tract.
Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers helps people realize short-term and long-term weight loss goals through a variety of products and services. Local support groups provide emotional support and guidance. A points program determines a numerical value for calorie intake and energy expenditure.
Atkins Diet
Found among the most successful diet plans, the Atkins Diet system still stirs up a good amount of controversy. This diet refutes standard concepts for nutritional needs. Instead of cutting saturated fats, Atkins dieters focus on eliminating trans fats and restricting carbohydrates. Although doctors dispute the health benefits of this diet, dieters continue to lose weight by following this popular weight loss system. The Atkins Diet takes dieters through four phases, starting with the induction phase and ending with the Critical Carbohydrate Level for maintenance.
Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type
The Eat Right 4 Your Type Diet concludes that dieters fare better when they fashion their diet based on blood type. The theory behind this diet is founded on the concept that human blood types progressed over time based on which foods were regularly consumed by your ancestors. Following this logic, your blood type would be tied to whether or not your ancestral line came from a clan of farmers, gatherers or hunters. The conclusion is that people today who eat a diet similar to their ancestors based on blood type will metabolize foods faster and lose weight.
Vegetarian Diets
In attempt to reduce cholesterol, lose weight and improve overall health, people have embraced vegetarianism. Some vegetarian-based programs are among the most successful diet plans on the market today. Numerous books on the market support this popular trend:
- God's Way to Ultimate Health by Rev. Malkmus (Halleluiah Diet)
- The Diet by Brandy Barrows
It's important to note that eating vegetarian alone doesn't necessarily mean people will lose weight. Like any other diet, guidelines must be followed. For some, a gradual transition to a meat-free diet works best.
Exercise and Diet
No matter which diet you choose from the list of most successful diet plans on the market today, regular exercise is highly recommended as part of your healthy lifestyle routine. Exercise combined with a healthy diet speeds weight loss because it burns calories faster. Regular exercise also strengthens the heart which helps pump more blood with each heartbeat. A more efficient heartbeat carries more oxygen into your bloodstream, which in turn helps the body function more efficiently and increases energy. Other potential health benefits of regular exercise include lowering blood pressure, reduced risk of diabetes, reduced risk of heart disease and lowered levels of "bad" cholesterol.
