With so many choices at the bookstore, online and at the grocery store, diet programs and their brands can become a bit of a maze. Regional foods, famous doctors and special calculation methods can all form the basis of a specific diet program.. Most diets can be categorized according to the foods they recommend as well as the restrictions they require.
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean region of the planet includes Italy, Greece and 19 other countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The traditional meals of this region feature crops and animals that thrive there, and their health benefits are key to the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil, fish, nuts, herbs, fresh vegetables and grains like pastas and risottos create popular taste profiles for Mediterranean Diet meals.
Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers provides a system of tracking food values based on points. Points for foods are derived from a consideration of calories, fat content and fiber in foods. A Weight Watchers formula will determine the amount of points a dieter is allowed each day. According to Weight Watchers, weight loss will occur when its followers consistently adhere to the number of points assigned by their program.
The Best Life Diet
The Best Life Diet program offers specific lifestyle guidelines such as always eating breakfast and always choosing wholesome lean foods in moderation. It also requires that Best Life Dieters increase daily activities to support the eating plan portion of the diet.The program was created by Bob Green, who served as Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer for years.
Atkins
Following the Atkins program requires moderate to severe restricting of carbohydrate intake, removing sweets and limiting grains within the diet. As a low-carbohydrate lifestyle diet, the Atkins program emphasizes meals consisting of protein, fat and fiber to change the rate of insulin production in the body. According to Atkins, the new balance of foods dieters adopt as part of the program help the body's metabolism burn more stored fat and store less glucose as fat.
The South Beach Diet
South Beach dieters are asked to eliminate refined sugars and starches from their diets for an initial two-week phase, much like Atkins, to stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings. Subsequent diet phases include a steady weight loss phase in which whole grains and some starchy vegetables are reintroduced, and then a lifelong maintenance phase which allows for occasional desserts and other treats not previously included in the diet plan.
The Zone Diet
The Zone aims to control the composition of nutrients in the dieter's daily food intake. Eating 40 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fats puts the dieter in the Zone, according to the diet program, which can help boost the metabolism and lose weight.
The Sonoma Diet
The Sonoma Diet is inspired by the foods that come from the region of California which lent the diet its name. The program focuses on what it calls power foods, which are colorful fruits and vegetables with high antioxidant levels, as well as fish, nuts and whole grains for heart health and satiety. The Sonoma Diet also includes wine.
The Paleo Diet
The Paleo Diet aims to return the dieter's eating habits back to something more similar to "cave man" or hunter-gatherer days. The diet involves avoiding dairy, grains and legumes, plus processed foods, sweets and fast foods. Lean meats, seafood, fruit, vegetables and nuts are the main dietary ingredients of the Paleo Diet.
The Eat-Clean Diet
Eating Clean is described as eating nutritions foods that are in their whole or natural state whenever possible. The Eat-Clean Diet calls for a balance of lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. The program relies on clean eating, but not on counting calories.
Calorie Restriction
Calorie Restriction, also known as CR, is a diet that provides all the necessary nutrients, but reduces caloric intake between 10 to 40 percent below the amount of calories the body normally wants. The CR Society believes there are life-extending benefits to be gained by practicing calorie restriction.
References
- "The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook;" Nancy Harmon Jenkins: 1994
- "The Best Life Diet;" Bob Green; 2006
- "The Sonoma Diet;" Dr. Connie Guttersen, R.D., P.H.D." 2005
- Weight Watchers: The Four Pillars---Food
- The South Beach Diet: How The South Beach Diet Works
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