Diet Plans Review

Losing weight isn't as simple as following the latest fad diet. This usually leads to more weight gain rather than weight loss. After giving up on your diet, the feeling of deprivation and starvation will push you to overeat as a means of compensation. In order to avoid this, you should pick a diet that is right for you. This means that the diet can be more than a passing phase in your life but a lifestlye.

Below is a list of the most popular and effective diets that have been created. Go through the list and pick the best diet for you!

Dr. Robert Atkins may have brought about the most profound change in the way we view health in the past 30 years. His diet books have become one of the top 50 best selling books for all time.

Because he believes that people become fat because due to the consumption of too much carbohydrates, his diet plan involves staying away from carbohydrates like white breads, white rice and potatoes, which are all high in sugar. The controversial diet, however, allowed the consumption of rich foods like eggs, cheese and meat.

At the beginning of the diet, you can only consume 20 grams of carbohydrates. The rest of your nutrients will come from meats, eggs and other protein-rich food. As you continue with the diet plan, your carbohydrate intake will be increased by 5 to 10 grams per week depending on the stage that you are in. This is limited to high-fiber carbohydrates with low glycemic indices. The goal here is to find the optimum carbohydrate intake that will allow you to lose and maintain your weight.

The good news is that the Atkins Diet will help you lose weight by inducing your body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. Your stored fat will then become your primary source of energy, causing you to lose weight.

The bad news is that a diet that is high in fat and protein can cause kidney, liver and heart problems later on. Also, because glucose fuels the brain and breaking down fat and protein to create this fuel can take an awfully long time, the diet may affect our performance as we go along our daily routines.

Invented by Florida-based cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston, and named after a popular Florida beach, the South Beach Diet was originally designed with the objective of preventing and reversing heart diseases. It also focuses on how foods affect your blood sugar levels. As an added bonus, following this heart-friendly diet also resulted in weight loss.

The South Beach Dietclaims to be easy to follow because it doesn't involve depriving yourself by reducing the portions that you eat. Although it's similar to the Atkins diet because it teaches people to pick high-fiber carbohydrates with low-glycemic indices, it can be differentiated by the fact that the intake of fats is limited to good fats.

Phase 1 involves a 2-week program where the dieter is encouraged to eat foods that contain only "good fats" like nuts, olive oils and seafood. They are also asked to stick to foods that have the lowest Glycemic Index like breakfast cereals and salad vegetables which are needed for sugar control.

Phase 2 includes the introduction of healthy carbohydrates like whole grain bread and fruits into the diet. Just like Phase 1, the dieter must choose the carbohydrates he takes in based on the glycemic index.

Phase 3 will indicate a change in your cravings. At this stage, your cravings for bad foods should be decreased because your body has settled into this healthy eating plan. Of course, if you find yourself putting on weight, you can revert back to previous phases until you're back to your ideal weight.

During all these three phases, the dieter should have around 8 glasses of water or beverages that do not contain sugar, caffeine or soda.

As you can see, the South Beach Diet provides a system where the dieters get to know their own weight loss pattern as well as the way they react to certain foods by switching from one phase to another. Unfortunately, the first phase of the diet may prove to be taxing for the dieter. Because the intake of carbohydrates is restricted during this phase, the dieter may end up experiencing weakness, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, dizziness, glucose depletion and dehydration.

The word diet is usually associated with deprivation, starvation and suffering. Hence, a lot of people end up not sticking to the diets that they have chosen. The Mediterranean Diet eliminates this stereotype because it doesn't remove important food groups from a person's diet.

The Mediterranean Dietencourages people to eat fresh and healthy foods like whole grains, nuts, vegetables, fruits and seafood. It also allows people to have their fill of healthy fats from fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and plant sources. In fact, most Mediterranean dishes contain drops of olive oil which has a lot of oleocanthal, a compound that can help prevent chronic health problems like heart disease, arthritis and Alzheimer's.

Another part of the Mediterranean Diet that we shouldn't leave out is the glass of wine that they consume with their food. Because it contains antioxidants like trasresveratrol and oligomeric proanthocyanidin (OPC), it will improve your blood circulation and stop the formation of blood clots.

Although starvation is not a part of the Mediterranean Diet, portion control is still important. The Mediterranean people believe in enjoying their food. They make dishes with rich flavors that can immediately satisfy their senses, stopping them from overeating. Also, because the Mediterranean food contains a lot healthy fats like olive oil and nuts, your feeling of fullness will last much longer.

Although the Mediterranean Diet is a healthy and enjoyable way to lose weight, it has one downside: You might end up consuming too much healthy fats which can cause you to gain some weight.

The Zone Dietcomes from a popular diet book called The Zone. It was written by Barry Sears PhD, a former bio-researcher from MIT. He and his co-author, Bill Lawren, believe that this diet not only offers weight loss but heath and well-being as well.

The objective of the Zone Diet is to get your body used to having a diet which consists of 30% proteins, 30% fats and 40% carbohydrates, helping your maintain the level of your blood sugar. They claim that undergoing this diet can help you achieve peak physical performance and prevent chronic ailments such as high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes.

Unlike the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet, you don't have to go through any faces when you undergo the Zone Diet. All you have to do is minimize your intake of carbohydrates with high glycemic indices and have measured portions of low-fat dairy, lean meats, fruits and vegetables. Taking in some olive oil, avocado and nuts is also encouraged in the Zone Diet. You are also required to drink eight glasses of water everyday.

While undergoing the Zone Diet, people are expected to have three big meals and two small meals everyday. Their first meal should be eaten within an hour after they wake up.

The Zone Diet can help regulate the production of insulin, a hormone which stimulates the body to pile up on extra nutrients and convert carbohydrates into fats which are then stored in the areas where you don't want to find them. I'm talking about your tummy, your butt and your thighs. Because the Zone Diet involves eating more protein, the production of glucagon, which stimulates the body to release the carbohydrates that are stored in the liver, is increased. This boosts the energy supplies in your body. As a reaction to this, your brain will command you to stop taking in nutrients, lessening your calorie consumption.

Although the Zone Diet is not as drastic as the Atkins Diet or the South Beach Diet, it is still considered a low-carbohydrate and low-calorie diet that may stimulate the depletion of an individual's glycogen storage. It may also limit the consumption of fibers from whole grains and starches as well as foods that are rich in nutrients like calcium, iron, folic acid and vitamins A, D and E.

Believe it or not, the Weight Watchers Diet was begun by a group of friends who met weekly in order to exchange ideas about weight loss. Now, this small group has expanded to millions of Weight Watchers Diet followers.

Perhaps one of the reasons for its success is the fact that it is easy to follow. Just like the Mediterranean Diet, the Weight Watchers Diet does not deprive people of a satisfying meal. Instead, it encourages them to make healthy choices and engage in a lot of physical activities.

The good news is that you can choose between the two types of Weight Watchers Diet: the Flex Plan and the Core Plan. You can either lessen the amount of food that you eat (Flex Plan) or limit the dishes that you can eat (Core Plan).

The Flex Plan utilizes a point system in which a number is assigned to the different types of food. A certain number of points are allotted daily based on current weight, gender and age. Members can "eat" their points in any fashion they choose. However, the program encourages nutritious and balanced eating. Weekly bonus points are given for extras like a pat of butter, a beverage or a dessert that is not normally part of a day's meal plan.

The Core Plan eliminated the counting of points. A member chooses from a list of wholesome foods incorporating all the food groups. Since the items are purposely listed for their nutritional quality, members feel satisfied with most meal selections. The Core Plan offers the occasional treat in controlled amounts.

Both plans can help you lose weight by lessening your calorie intake. Coupled with regular exercise to burn calories, you'll definitely be able to get rid of a lot of excess pounds.

Aside from the easy-to-follow and convenient plans that the Weight Watchers have prepared, participants get an extra dose of support from the other practioners of this diet as well as a website that is equipped with recipes and other information. It's really difficult to get lost or to give up when you are surrounded with a lot of guidance. Unfortunately, this approach may not work for all people.

By picking the best diet that would suit your lifestyle and answer your needs, not only will you lose weight, you will also be able to maintain your ideal weight.