Diet Comparisons

In today's world, diets have become a way of life. Popular diets have become the focus of talk shows, magazines and entertainment news where celebrities and their spokes-persons are continuously endorsing one diet or another. Whether it is to shed a few pounds, put on extra muscle mass or just simply to stay in shape, every individual is looking for a diet that is most suited for his or her body type.

Contrary to popular belief, a 'diet' is not eating only celery sticks, digestive crackers and drinking carrot juice all day long. In fact a healthy meal combining of fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, cereals and lean meats, all in moderation would be considered an ideal diet as well as a good dietary habit. People lose weight over a few months time only to gain it back in no time at all. It has been established that the true secret of losing weight and to maintain that loss is to make some permanent changes to your eating and lifestyle habits.

The meal you eat is influenced by several factors that include how hungry you are, how long it has been since you have eaten your last meal, smell and taste of food as well as the genetics that shape your appetite. Perhaps, the most important is the feel of satisfaction that one derives after eating. You only feel full when the stomach sends the requisite signals to your brain. Satisfaction however, does not depend only on how much you eat but what kind of foods you choose to eat.

Although most people tend to overlook it, a healthy diet is a matter of common sense. When one is really looking to shed a few pounds, besides sacrificing excessive fried foods and desserts, all one needs to do is eat few calories per ounce of food ingested. Fruits, vegetables, soups, stews or whole grain cereals are some instances of such foods. They are full of fibre and have high water content which not only provide you your share of nutrients but leave you feeling satisfied without having broken the calorie bank.

There are several different kinds of diets to suit individual needs. The most popular are:

Atkins - The Atkins Diet, although extremely popular, is a move away from the conventional. Instead of an emphasis on the inclusion of a combination of different food types that typically make up a healthy, balanced diet, the Atkins approach is towards eating more of protein, fat and cutting down on carbohydrates. Although it represents a drastic lifestyle change, you can eat as much as you want as long as you keep to the restricted food groups. The diet has proven very effective and helped people achieve their weight loss goals, but whether, it is an healthy option in the long run, remains to be determined.

Jenny Craig - The Jenny Craig diet offers much more than just a weight loss program by including exercise, healthy meals and lifestyle change. With a great deal of support it inculcates counselling and prepared meals within your diet regimen. Moreover, along with prepared meals delivered home, it also offers vegetarian options. It may not however, be suitable for people who travel constantly and those who are cost conscious, because buying prepared meals on a daily basis may prove expensive. It however advocates the moving away from the prepared meal option after acquiring the weight loss results initially aimed at.

The Zone is similar to the Atkins Diet in that it emphasizes on increased protein intake and less carbohydrates. However, as compared to Atkins, you can eat greater amounts of carbohydrates with smaller portions. It is a more balanced approach and even allows the intake of vegetables. However, for people who like larger portions, variety and flexibility in their diets, the Zone can be restricting.

NutriSystems- The NutriSystems is an easy to follow plan which concentrates on low Glycemic index, good carbohydrates and optimal amounts of protein to keep your sugar levels stable as well as aims to keep you satisfied. The plan offers a NutriSystem meal, pre packaged and delivered on order which you supplement with different food items like fresh fruits, salads, dairy etc.

Weight Watchers- The Weight Watchers Diet believes that dieting is one part of long-term weight management. It does not tell people what they can or can't eat. The goal is to help people make healthy eating decisions and encourage them to enjoy more physical activity, thereby losing weight safely and sensibly -- and keeping it off. It gives information on food choices, recipes and meals as well as exercise plans. It has an online support network and weight loss tracker and progress chart to keep you motivated.

South Beach- The South Beach Diet is more like the Atkins Diet and restricts carbohydrates except for some good carbs which are allowed. What is an absolute no-no are food types like potatoes, fruit, bread, cereal, rice, pasta, beets, carrots and corn. Again it discourages fats but promotes the healthy ones. It is a diet for life. Eat normal foods in portions.