Diets to Lose weight

If you're searcing for different diets to lose weight, here are some well known diets. How they work and what they cost are part of what is reviewed. Other aspects, which are equally important, are: what are the disadvantages and what is the success rate.

Before I give an overview I want to state emphatically that any diet which restricts certain foods is not healthy and usually doesn't succeed in the long run. If you want information on diets that work, you can read more in my hubs or on my losing weight blog. I also want to state that any diet which focuses on calorie control will always work, no matter what kid of diet it is. How long it may work is what you should probably ask, and will I be able to follow the plan forever. When you have lost your weight, if you do not maintain your eating habits (ie focusing on calorie control), the weight will pile back on. And if you did not maintain any strenght or weight training while dieting, you lost valuable muscle, which further increases your risk to gain additional weight. WIth that being said I'll get off my soapbox! =)

Weight Watchers -

How it works: weight watchers works by focusing on calorie control through an interesting method. While most calorie counting diets require a numeric counting of calories, weight watchers focuses its power through point systems. You have a set amount of points and each food you eat has a point value. Typically, an overweight person starts off with 25-27 points.Each meal is approximately 3-7 points (depending on the meal). There is a specific formula for the program, but I won't detail it here. For the money it is one of the best diets to lose weight available.
The cost: There is a $50 join fee, plus a registration fee (varies by region sometimes the registration is free). Once you pay the join and registration fee you pay a weekly or monthly fee to attend meetings. Generally this fee is in place to cover the cost of meeting places. I'm sure that there is profit made, however, there are no additional costs. Weekly fee ranges are from $10-$15 depending on region. Additionally, you have the choice of using weight watchers food during your weight loss journey. I happen to love the food so I buy it because it tastes good.

Disadvantages – Weight Watchers can be costly for some people. I can't really find much else to say that is bad. This program follows the rules of successful weight loss, including promoting exercise. You get points for exercising (meaning you get to eat more, always a plus for me!)

This system revolves around cutting carbs from the diet, or at least what it terms as unhealthy carbs. I don't find any diets that limit a specific food to be healthy, but thats me. Maybe it's because I love bread. Oh man do I love bread. Anyway, if you're not a big fan of white and processed breads, this may be the diet for you. It actually promotes pretty healthy eating in terms of specificity. Meaning the carbs you're allowed to eat are “healthy”. Me, I'm a processed food girl and no way can I live on brown rice (ugh). I do like brown breads better than whites tho, at least I'd get that aspect. It's up to the individual to decide if this is one of the good diets to lose weight.

Costs: Not much besides the books.

Disadvantages : Cutting specific foods from a diet will not help maintain a healthy lifestyle, unless you have no proclivity to eat those foods.

Seriously not one of the best diets to lose weight! I'm sorry but there is nothing about this diet that screams healthy to me. Supposedly this diet works by forcing your body to burn fat since you eat no carbs. If you're looking for a healthy diet that doesn't include carbs, choose the South Beach instead of this monstrosity. Besides allowing almost every kind of fat, it doesn't allow almost any fruits and most veggies. That is some serious fiber deficiencies for anyone that doesn't eat beans.

Costs: Your health for one. But other than that just the money you shell out for the book

Disadvantages: You can't eat any carbs ie: no sugar, no bread, no fruit. Lets you eat plenty of fat, not very good for the heart. You get to add a few fruits and veggies towards the end of the beginning, but too little too late in my opinion. This is not a diet to lose weight!

Basically weighing and measuring your food and using a book or online feature to calculate the number of calories, fat, protein, carbs and fiber, you're consuming per day. The idea is to keep your consumption in normal ranges. With the portion sizes of today's food, it is almost impossible to visually understand the amount of calories a person can eat in a day. Today a person can eat a McDonald's meal for the entire caloric needs for that day. You may be surprised how much you eat when you start counting.

Costs: A food scale is helpful, but not necessary. There are free online calculators. You may want to invest in a calorie counting book.

Disadvantages: There aren't any. This is actually the most proven long term successful diets to lose weight available. There is a version of it in all the successful stories, including The Biggest Loser and Weight Watchers.

Quite simply calorie counting is the best diet to lose weight, it is also one of the healthy diets to lose weight, Weight Watchers is another.

Happy dieting folks

If you want to know more about a specific diet, leave me a comment and I'll research it for a while. In the meantime the best diets to lose weight, are the ones you plan to follow.