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What Diet Plan Is Best For Me?

Article by Richard Lipman M.D.

Start you quest for the “best diet” by looking in the past. What has worked before? Was it counting something, preparing low calorie recipes or watching you carbs or fats. You might have done well on prepared meals, protein shakes and bars. If you can find a successful pastern you might want to try it again.

You can lose weight on any diet plan with reduced food. There is nothing magical about low carb, high protein or low fat. However, If you try to follow a diet based on food you do NOT like or are unfamiliar with, after one or two months you will go back to what you like to eat. Many dieters need to stop wasting time, effort on money on diets that are not for them.

You don’t have to be skinny to be healthy. If you lose 10% of your body weight, your medical problems and complicati=ons are diminished.

MOST DIET PLANS PRODUCE THE SAME RESULTS: Changing the amount of protein, fats, carbs or counting calories result in almost identical weight loss at the end of one year and especially two years. If all different kinds of diets yield the same results, why are we spending so much money and effort restricting one food group or giving up something?

SUCCESSFUL DIETERS FOLLOW THEIR OWN PLAN: These ground breaking studies show the same results: successful dieters are those that tailor the plan to fit their personal food and culture preferences rather attempting to follow the newest diet trend. The proof is in; no one can follow a crazy diet for more than a few weeks. In the end, feelings of deprivation only lead to failure and a return to the old eating habits.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A DIET PLAN?

AUTHOR: Who is the author: MD or PhD, dietitian, trainer, celebrity, commercial plan?

WHAT IS THE CONCEPT? Is it a fad diet, low calorie, low fat, low carb, portion control, strenuous exercise, can it be made personal?

WHAT IS THE PROOF IT WORKS?: How long has the diet been around and is there proof that it will work? How complicated is it? Compare with Weight Watchers which really works and has been around for many years.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS? Shopping, special foods, recipes, counting phases, multiple meals, prepared meals, shakes?

DO YOU LIKE THE FOODS AND BEVERAGES IT OFFERS? If you end up with a lot of foods that you do not like, the diet is a sure waste of money and is not sustainable.

PERMANENT: Can the changes you make become sustainable when the diet finishes? Ask yourself: “Will I be able to do it forever?” – It’s that simple

COSTS AND EASE OF DOING THE DIET: Can you afford the diet, this IS especially important in the diets that have meals delivered to your home which can cost more than 0.00 a week. Do you have time to shop for special foods and do extensive preparations in recipe based diet plans.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE DIET PLANS FOR 2012: I have shown the unique features of each plan and tried to rate each plan. Generally they fall into Elimination Plans(one food group is eliminated for another), Recipe Plans( low calorie, low carb or low fat recipe based) or Meal Delivery-to-Your -Door- plans.

Medifast.++ This plan delivers to your home meals that are low-fat and have a low glycemic index. They are safe for clients with type 2 diabetes. vegetarians, seniors, nursing mothers, people with gout, and people undergoing bariatric surgery.

Trim360: + The Trim360 weight loss program is based on high-protein hunger busting meal replacements and snacks delivered right to your door. All are low calorie, low fat and low glycemic index foods.

The Baby Food Diet (avoid it): Celebrities Lady Ga Ga, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston are reportedly fans of this diet. It calls for eating up to 4 jars of pureed food or baby food every day. It works because of portion control and restricted calories. Not even a baby should be made to do this.

Raw Food Diet (avoid it): It’s the practice of eating raw uncooked food and non-pasteurised/non-homogenised dairy products. This diet can be used by vegans and meat eaters. It works because its low fat and low calories. Many of the higher calorie raw foods are excluded like rice, pasta, bread and potatoes. The diet takes a lot of time and has little chance of long term success. This diet is time consuming; socially isolating and you’ll have an awful lot of chewing to do.

Blood Group Diet (avoid it): This diet is completely based on pseudo-science. It claims that different nutrients are broken down in the body based on the body’s blood type. Blood Group A – No dairy products allowed and a vegetarian-based diet. Blood Group B – A more varied intake of food and the only blood group able to manage’ dairy products. Blood Group AB – Combination of diets A and B. Blood Group O – High meat intake, no dairy, no wheat, no grains – like Atkins You lose weight on this diet because your calorie intake is very restricted but this diet is not sustainable in the long term.

Alcorexia/Drunkorexia Diet (so bad, I cannot even comment on it): This is the diet that many models prefer; they eat few calories and save the calories to binge on alcohol. Alcohol has little to no nutrition. The whole idea is crazy and dangerous.

Dukan Diet + A complicated four-phase diet that starts off with a protein only approach that promotes weight loss of around 7 lb per week. There is absolutely no solid science behind this at all. It works on restricting foods, calories and portions. Phases include Attack (all protein), then Cruise (add vegetables), then Consolidation and finally, Stabilization. The length of each phase depends on the pounds to lose. The diet is so confusing, very rigid, and full of foods that cause constipation, bad breathe and fatigue.

Nutrisystem, Jennie Craig: +++ Nothing new here, the same old prepared meal systems. Expensive and perhaps good for 20 lbs or less, but not a long term solution.

Biggest Loser Club: ++ This is an ambitious weight loss program. The exercise recommendations are an integral and essential part of the program and include a full mix of both cardio and strength training on a daily basis. A good deal of commitment is required to stay the course.

Bistro MD Gourmet Diet: + Bistro is like having a “chef, dietitian and a weight management physician” right in your kitchen. Every recipe is prepared to Dr. Cederquist’s strict nutritional guidelines and is delivered to you. Programs start at 9.00 per week.

Diet-to-Go:++ This is the diet delivery plan that has been around for 20 years. Diet-to-Go’s diet plans are highly customizable fitting into almost anyone’s schedules and budgets. You can also choose between local pickup, if you live in the area or Fed Exp delivery.

Joy Bauer’s LIFE Diet: ++ Today show expert Joy Bauer has transformed her popular diet into a step-by-step online program. Offering on line profiles, good carbs, low fat, and lean protein recipes. It’s coupled with an exercise program all on- line.

Flat Belly Diet: (This has been my annual winner of worst diet of the year until the Alcorexia/Drunkorexia Diet.) This is just a little bit better especially if you like to drink sassy water which is better than getting into an alcohol stupor every day. Pros: Not much, unless you like Sassy Water.

Sonoma Diet: Pros: ++ Not a proven concept, lots of pleasing foods focus on “healthy foods.” Lots of Mediterranean diet foods. You need to like these types of foods. Cons: many recipes, preparations, focus on oils, whole grains, not very practical to do for permanent changes. Foods can be expensive and involve a lot of preparation.

Fat Smash: ++ It works, if you can keep on it. Cons: phases, no proof detoxification has value, 4-5 meals a day, lots of preparation and shopping, too complicated for long periods of time and not practical for most dieters.

Low Carb Diets Atkins, South Beach, Zone D +++ Pros: Lots of experience, they work Cons: Low carb with little variety, high drop out rate, unsustainable, South Beach relies on frozen meals, no exercise regimes

Sensa:+ + A new concept based on reducing hunger by imitating tastes. Sensa powder sends message to brain to reduce hunger. Based on sensory specific satiety principle. Now offering a free month try it, they advertise 5 lb weight loss per month. Not bad for sprinkling a little powder on your food.

The New HCG Diet: ++++ Clearly one of the winners with relatively inexpensive, rapid and safe weight loss. Focus is on carb reduction and increasing metabolism and fat burning. HCG diet has been around for 50 years.

About the Author

Richard Lipman MD author of 20 scientific articles & 4 books relates his experience using the HCG Diet in his new book, NEW Pounds & Inches. He offers an HCG food plan & the strongest, safest HCG at http://www.BestBuyHCG.com