There are good diet and exercise programs designed to educate people about food choices and to motivate people to maintain an active lifestyle. For any program to succeed, participants must eat healthier foods, with no category of food being specifically forbidden, and participants must control portion sizes and maintain a physically active lifestyle. People who are overweight or obese should consult with their physician before beginning an exercise or diet program.
Volumetrics
Consumer Reports awarded its top rating to "The Volumetrics Eating Plan." Research conducted by Penn State nutrition department chair Barbara Rolls concluded that this plan met the requirements for healthy eating and while promoting weight management. The diet teaches followers to eat low-calorie, high-volume fillers like salads and soups at the beginning of meals so the dieter is satisfied after consuming fewer calories. The plan offers no gimmicks, just a sensible, nutritionally sound eating plan to curb dieters' urge to overeat.
Mayo Clinic Diet
Designed by the physicians at the Mayo Clinic, the two-phase Mayo Clinic Diet plan helps dieters lose weight. Core elements of this plan include behavioral modification tools, such as meal planners to avoid impulse eating and portion control. The first phase lasts two weeks and is the more restrictive phase. Mayo Clinic creators promise a weight loss of 6 to 10 pounds. The second phase continues for the rest of the weight loss process. Favorite foods are reintroduced in moderation. Weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week is achieved throughout the rest of the program. Exercise is encouraged.
Commercial Diet Plans
Commercial diet plans like Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem offer dieters a structured eating plan they can follow at home. The client orders portion-controlled, calorie-counted meals with the help of a diet consultant. The meals are shipped directly to the home. Consultants continually provide clients support through websites, phone consultations and mentoring sessions. It is important for consumers to factor the cost of fresh foods items like salads, fruits and vegetables into the overall cost of this plan. Commercials for those plans often show complete meals, but fresh foods are not included in the delivered meals, so the client must buy them at a grocery.
Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers is a comprehensive weight loss and management program. The plan incorporates healthy eating, portion control and physical activity. Instead of counting calories or grams of fat, participants count points. Points are numeric values assigned to foods based on nutritional content, calories, fat, and fiber. On this plan, each dieter is assigned a daily point limit based on current weight, goal weight and daily activity level. Once all points for the day are consumed, the dieter is finished eating for the day. Most of the work is done at home, but participants go to short weekly meetings, either in person or online. Dieters weigh in and then participate in nutritional and exercise education activities. No foods are forbidden, portion control is emphasized and exercise is rewarded. The program can be pricey, with joining fees and weekly meeting dues.
Home Exercise Programs
Often sold through infomercials, home workout programs offer more than a simple workout to follow. The Insanity system offers intense circuit training. Zumba Fitness is a Latin aerobic and dance workout that targets all of the major muscle groups. Windsor Pilates offers in-depth Pilates practice. They are all multi-DVD sets that offer comprehensive exercise routines. Being able to work out at home is compelling for people who may be uncomfortable going to a gym. However, this type of program can become boring.
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