You want to live healthier and probably look better; that's a good start. Diet popularity can either be a sign that something works or an indication that people believe in crazy stuff. Either way, it can't hurt to spend 5 minutes reading an article on the Internet before you commit.
A site called Realbuzz.com says it has put popular dieting approaches to the test - giving you the pros, the cons and each one has been rated on how they satisfy hunger, their ease to follow, expense and most importantly - the impact they can have on your overall health.
There are two plans that you can follow in this approach - Green Days, and Original Days. Following too many Original Days may not help you lose too much weight, but creating a balance between the two should give you a low fat diet. Overall verdict 6 stars out of 10.
The general ethos of this diet is a high protein diet, leaving out starchy and carbohydrate focused foods. Overall recommendations for this diet are completely different from the recommendations from registered dieticians for healthy weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. Overall verdict 3 stars out of 10.
The Glycaemic Index (GI) ranks a carbohydrate food according to how quickly it causes a rise in the blood sugar level. Low GI foods help you to feel fuller for longer so help you to control your body weight, research has also suggested that GI diets have a good effect on health i.e. blood fat levels, blood glucose levels and the level of insulin in the blood is more regulated. Overall verdict 9 stars out of 10.
Generally meal replacements are ’Shakes’ that are designed to give you a balanced nutritional content - you drink two of these a day, followed by a balanced meal in the evening. This diet can suit some lifestyles, Overall verdict 6 stars out of 10.
Detoxing is a form of dieting that restricts various food groups over a period of time, to take groups of toxins out of your body. Whole food groups are often cut which leads to an imbalance. Overall verdict 3 stars out of 10.
Food combining is as the name suggests; it’s a theory that says that combining various foods together can interfere with digestion, thus resulting in weight gain. However, it does encourage consumption of fruit and vegetables! Overall verdict 4 stars out of 10
This diet allocates food points, which is a breakdown of the nutritional value of the food, you have a certain number of points that you can use each day. It has gained success as people have to report back weekly on the diet, and chart their own progress. This has seen people have a higher success rate, and longevity within the diet. Overall verdict 8 stars out of 10.
A low-fat diet will give you, if followed correctly, a good start towards eating healthily and losing weight. All high fat versions of food are replaced with lower fat versions, or replaced with something of a better nutritional value. Overall verdict 9 stars of out 10.
There are many different types of supplements marketed towards those people who want to lose weight. Many make claims such as ’will burn fat’, ’boost your metabolism’ or ’help curb your appetite’. Always treat any radical claim with caution, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Overall verdict 0 stars out of 10.
Rosemary Conley’s Hip and Thigh Diet
Getting into the habit of eating a low fat diet may take a while but you are unlikely to be hungry and if it means increasing the amount of the ’healthy foods’ in your diet then it must be good news. One of the best things that Rosemary Conley promotes is exercise; her plan is unique in this respect. Overall verdict 8 stars out of 10.
