Popular Diets That Work

You have choices to make in your quest for weight loss. The diet industry publishes countless books, magazine and website articles. Some vendors have online plans, too. Popular diets are part of weight-loss culture. Some of the advertised diets do work due to successful marketing techniques and long-term followers who have learned how to perform lifestyle changes and behavior modification.

Jenny Craig Diet

Jenny Craig program started in 1983 with a focus on lifestyle factors such as your relationship to food and increased physical activity. The diet also has a variety of food products you can buy at local centers or online. The centers have trained consultants to provide advice and a private weigh-in for clients once a week.

Jenny Craig teaches you how to control calories and portions. For example, you can eat as much food as you want, provided it only has 0 to 30 calories in each serving. This includes non-starchy vegetables and sugar-free drinks. Jenny Craig also has pre-packaged meals in single-serve entrees, which helps you with portion control.

Jenny Craig teaches you to limit certain fruits like cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries or watermelon to 1/2-cup portions, which are within the 10 to 20 calorie range allowed for snacks. This popular diet works especially well for people who don't have the time to count calories or cook their own meals.

Nutrisystem Diet

Nutrisystem has been in business since the 1970s. The company started with a liquid protein diet and has since expanded to offer portion-controlled meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner with one snack or dessert. The focus is on foods that have a low glycemic index, delivered to your home or office.

The diet is popular because all you have to add is fresh fruit, vegetables and fat-free dairy products. The menus are customized for women, men, vegetarians and diabetics. The foods in this diet are only available online or by phone.

This diet is popular for people who don't have time to count calories or make meals and who have trouble with portion control at mealtime. Nutrisystem also has an online program and telephone counselors, another reason for its success.

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers started in 1963 when Jean Nidetch, a woman who was tired of going on diets without success, began meeting with other friends to build a support system. The concept took off and she sold the company in 1978.

Weight Watchers has expanded globally. The diet uses a points system to teach you how to make wise food choices. Each food has a points value, and so does physical activity. Each dieter has a daily points allotment that is used to reach a caloric deficit. The diet is popular because you can lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week.

Weight Watchers does not sell pre-packaged meals as a core part of the plan. Instead, the diet emphasizes portion control and low energy density foods with a support system from other dieters. The company has an online version of the diet as well.