Diet and weight loss programs come in all forms. Some focus on portion control and others simply restrict certain foods. You must choose a diet that is right for you and your weight loss goals. Discuss your needs and wants for losing weight as well as any health concerns with a physician before embarking on a new diet and weight loss program.
Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers is a weight loss program designed to help you eat the foods you love and still lose weight. Weight Watchers uses portion control to restrict the amount of calories you eat each day to promote weight loss. You are given an individual point value for the day based on your weight loss goals. Using a point system, you choose the foods you want as long as you do not go over your point value for the day. You are able to create a caloric deficit by staying in your point range, while creating your own meals.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet focuses on eating specific foods to help you drop unwanted pounds. The diet requires a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans and olive oil. Meats and dairy products are limited because of their saturated fat content. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes monounsaturated fats to promote weight loss. The Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial Group conducted a two-year trial to determine whether a low-fat diet, low-carbohydrate diet or Mediterranean diet would promote more weight loss. The study, published in 2008 in the "New England Journal of Medicine," showed that participants on the Mediterranean diet lost the most weight, an average of 9 lbs. in a year.
South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet is a low carbohydrate diet that focuses on eating healthy proteins and fats. MayoClinic.com explains that while on the South Beach diet you are able to consume 28 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates. Healthy carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables and whole grains are a focus while processed carbohydrates are restricted. The South Beach diet has three phases; the first phase restricts you to only consuming 10 percent of your calories from carbohydrates. The second allows you to consume 27 percent from carbohydrates and the third helps you maintain a healthy weight with 28 percent of your calories coming from carbohydrates.
Considerations
Set realistic weight loss goals when you are beginning a weight loss program. According to the MayoClinic.com, a healthy weight loss is 1 to 2 lbs. per week. A healthy weekly weight loss will help you keep the weight off because of making healthy lifestyle changes, rather than drastic changes that can not be sustained.
Member Comments