Listening to celebrities, television shows and advertisements promoting new diets can make the dieting process confusing. Although some fad diet plans cut entire food groups from your meals, the healthiest diets typically advocate balanced, moderate portions. When choosing a new weight loss plan, think about what type of plan fits best into your lifestyle.
Weight Watchers
Overweight New York housewife Jean Nidetch developed Weight Watchers in the 1960s. There are two basic forms of the Weight Watchers system: the points plan and the core plan. Each food you eat has a Weight Watchers point value based on its saturated fat levels and number of calories. Under the points plan, you receive a certain number of points each day. You can eat whatever foods you like as long as you stay under your points goal for the day. The core plan allows you to eat certain "core" foods without counting points. Core foods include fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products and some lean protein sources.
Weight Watchers does not restrict the types of foods you eat as long as you stay under your points limit. The company offers several types of memberships at different price levels. Although the Weight Watchers plan is effective for some dieters, becoming a member can be expensive.
Mayo Clinic Diet
The Mayo Clinic Diet focuses on making significant lifestyle changes. The plan advises you to set lifestyle goals, such as eating more vegetables or exercising for 30 minutes each day, rather than a specific goal weight. The first phase of the Mayo Clinic Diet, called Lose It!, is a two-week restrictive diet designed to kick-start your weight loss. After completing the first phase, you enter the long-term Live It! phase, which allows you to lose 1 to 2 lbs. each week. The Mayo Clinic Diet relies on a healthy eating pyramid in which fruits and vegetables form the pyramid base. You can eat unlimited fruits and vegetables, four to eight servings of carbohydrates and three to seven servings of lean protein or nonfat dairy products. The Mayo Clinic Diet permits only small portions of high-fat or sugary foods. The plan also emphasizes healthy lifestyle habits and frequent physical activity.
South Beach Diet
Cardiologist Arthur Agatston developed the South Beach Diet to prevent cardiovascular disease and help people lose weight. The South Beach Diet uses the glycemic index to determine which foods you can eat. Your body quickly breaks down foods with a high glycemic index, causing a spike in your blood sugar. The South Beach Diet focuses on foods with a low glycemic index; these foods release energy over a longer term, reducing food cravings. The diet allows unlimited portions of certain foods, making it feel less restrictive.
The first phase of the South Beach Diet requires you to eat very few carbohydrates. During this two-week phase, you eat chicken, fish, eggs, broccoli, cabbage, nuts and low-fat cheeses. In the second phase, which lasts until you reach your goal weight, you may eat fruits, whole-wheat bread, nonfat milk, wheat pasta and other foods with a low glycemic index. After reaching your goal weight, the South Beach Diet allows you to reintroduce a variety of foods into your diet. Dietitian Juliette Kellow of the website Weight Loss Resources warns that the first diet phase may not provide the nutrients your body needs. Starting at the second phase may be more healthy and appropriate.
Considerations
Although you can use a number of methods to monitor your food intake, weight loss occurs when you eat fewer calories than your body burns each day. Different diet plans create methods by which you can easily create a daily caloric deficit, promoting weight loss. Focus on eating a balanced diet to lose weight in a safe, healthy way. Choose a diet that complements your lifestyle and financial situation. A diet that leaves you feeling hungry or weak is likely not the best choice for you. Consult your doctor before beginning any new weight-loss plan.
References
- Weight Loss Resources; Weight Watchers Under the Spotlight; Juliette Kellow
- MayoClinic.com; The Mayo Clinic Diet: A Weight-Loss Program for Life; April 2011
- Weight Loss Resources; South Beach Diet Review; Juliette Kellow
- Rebecca Thinks...; Science Behind "The Biggest Loser" Diet; Rebecca Critchfield; October 2007
- MayoClinic.com; Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid: A Sample Menu; January 2011
Member Comments