Among the many diets available, some help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Others are costly without producing results, and some are dangerous. Choose the diet that fits your lifestyle and eating habits, and check with your doctor and perform due diligence to ensure it's safe for you.
Cookie Diet
According to MayoClinic.com, the cookie diet limits your calorie intake to 1,000 per day by eating six specially formulated cookies and one healthy low-calorie meal. This diet can cause weight loss, but it also has risks such as inadequate nutrients and the inability to maintain the weight loss.
Diets that Provide Meals
A number of commercial diets provide you with prepared meals, such as Jenny Craig and Slim-Fast. These diets lower your calorie intake by controlling your portions, but they can be expensive.
Vegetarian Diet
A vegetarian diet is one in which you avoid meats. Some vegetarians consume fish but avoid all other meat products. Vegetarians, in general, consume less fat and calories when compared to meat eaters.
Vegan Diet
A vegan diet requires you to abstain from the intake of meats, animal byproducts such as dairy and eggs and even honey in some instances. Vegan diets are plant-based; because of this, they contain no dietary cholesterol and reduce your intake of saturated fat and calories.
Gluten-Free Diet
Gluten is found in foods that are made with ingredients such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale. People who have celiac disease should abstain from the intake of gluten. It damages their intestines, which makes it hard for their body to absorb needed nutrients, says Family Doctor.org.
Ornish Diet
The Ornish diet limits your intake of fat to about 20 percent of your daily calories, says Mayo Clinic.com. The Ornish diet doesn't allow for the intake of meat or seafood, and if dairy products are consumed they have to be low-fat or non-fat. The main foods are fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
High-Protein Diets
High-protein diets generally limit the amount of carbohydrates you can consume and suggest that your diet be mainly protein-based. Common high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets include the Atkins Diet and South Beach Diet. The lack of carbohydrates could leave you deficient in some nutrients.
Mediterranean Diet
A Mediterranean diet entails eating high amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Dairy products and lean meats such as fish or poultry are consumed in moderation. The use of olive oil is an important component of a Mediterranean-based diet, and red wine is consumed with meals.
Grapefruit Diet
According to the Diet Channel website, the grapefruit diet lasts 12 days and has you eat a grapefruit with every meal, drink eight glasses of water a day and drink unlimited amounts of black coffee. The idea is that grapefruits increase fat burning, but this has not been backed up by research.
Liquid Diets
Diets based on liquids are significantly lower in calories. These diets are usually considered to be detox diets and are generally used on a short-term basis to quickly lose weight.
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