A diet is any food that is eaten; however, the word is usually taken to mean food that is eaten to help you lose weight. With the spread of obesity in the United States and other developed countries, diet food programs have become a billion dollar industry. According to "Business Week," Americans spend $40 billion annually on these programs and products. Some of the more popular diet food programs are Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, NutriSystem and The Atkins Diet.
Weight Watchers
This program, which has been around for 45 years has coined the motto, "Stop dieting, start living," and warns that weight loss is a lifelong undertaking. The Weight Watchers, or WW program involves "good eating choices, healthy habits, a supportive environment and exercise." With this plan you are allowed to eat what you like using a points system to prevent you from overeating. What makes this program unique are the weekly group meetings where a trained counselor who has lost weight through WW and kept it off gives you helpful advice and encouragement. You are also weighed at these meetings to keep track of your progress. Some persons who are very overweight may find the group meetings intimidating.
Jenny Craig
This program begins with a meeting with a consultant either on the phone or at a center to give her an idea of your eating habits, weight loss goals and activity level. You are then given a customized program consisting of three entrees and one snack every day, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, which you may combine with your own grocery foods. Your consultant will also set you up on a program of moderate physical activity. You will meet with her weekly for support and to track your progress. This program is probably best known by its "lose 20 pounds for $20" motto, but you have to purchase the Jenny Cuisine as well, which can make it an expensive proposition.
NutriSystem
With this program you get to create your own 28-day menu, which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert, or you can choose from their Favorite Foods Package. The program eliminates meal planning--although you can balance it with your own grocery foods--counting calories, carbs or points. It is supposed to be one of the easiest plans to follow, and you can even have meals delivered daily to your door. The plan costs as little as $11 a day and includes menus for older people as well as diabetic and vegetarian menus. NutriSystem portions are very small, so you may have to cook separately for the rest of the family.
The Atkins Diet
The Atkins Diet, known for its low-carb intake, is also designed to be a permanent weight-loss solution. Dieters on this program are expected to lose up to 15 pounds in two weeks and continue losing weight after that. The principle behind this diet is that by replacing carbs low in fiber, like white bread and white potatoes, with high-fiber carbs and adding protein and fat, you boost your energy level and metabolize fat faster. While most programs tell you to reduce or eliminate fat from your diet, Atkins encourages you to eat fat. The program also provides a variety of shakes and bars to help you stave off hunger during the day. This high-fat, high-protein diet can play havoc with your heart and kidneys.
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