Want to lose weight? Your in the right place!
Easily the most important aspects about embarking on a healthier lifestyle is choosing which foods to eat and how best to prepare them.
Many people from all walks of life share the same goals: to be more fit and trim than they are. Though most people realize that there is no “magic button” to diet and fitness, just as with anything else, they would prefer that the process was as fast and painless as possible. Many do opt to seek out miracle diet aids and programs that offer the fastest possible results while using the least amount of effort. These plans promise to burn or melt fat at unprecedented speeds and some actually make good on that promise, however many people are discouraged when they notice that in only a short amount of time the weight is right back to where they first started
 There is always an abundance of new diets, diet pills, and marvelous exercise programs being touted on the internet, in print publications, and on television. This overabundance of so-called solutions can be very confusing for individuals who simply want to know the best and most effective way to safely lose the weight. With the ever-increasing obesity levels due to the abundance of so-called “convenience” and fast foods, the epidemic of overweight and even obese people will not slow down until they decide for themselves to live a more active and healthy lifestyle.
No matter what the medical professionals such as physicians and researchers say, people seem to flock to fad diets and magic bullet solutions. Here are a few of the most popular diets available today and the pros and cons associated with them:
The Atkins Diet.
You would be hard-pressed to never have heard of the Atkins diet. The amount of praise that Dr. Atkins and his program have received is nothing short of revolutionary. This is due, in no small part, to immensely effective marketing and advertising as well as paid accolades from people who have used the programs and have seen results from them. The Atkins diet advocates eating high fat dairy products such as butter and cheeses while limited other types of foods. This has caused the diet and its founders to come under scrutiny from many in the medical field citing that this kind of lifestyle can bring on increased risks of heart disease and other associated symptoms. Many Atkins diet followers have complained of other side effects as well, including rashes, diarrhea, muscle cramps, and weakness. The safety and effectiveness of the Atkins diet is still heavily debated at this time.
The Zone Diet ; another well-known eating plan. The Zone diet was conjured up by a man named Barry Spears. The Zone diet is one that consists of eating the “right” mix of foods in order to achieve an optimum hormonal balance, which is referred to as the “Zone.” Once a person has achieved the Zone in their dietary lifestyle, they are able to take in calories throughout the day indiscriminately and not separating the “good” foods from the fats. However, the diet does not follow sound science at all. For instance, whole grains, starchy vegetables, and beans are banned from the diet even though they do not seem to directly conflict with the outlines given in the diet. This practice effectively limits or outright cuts out entirely nutrients that are deemed necessary and advocated by the American Heart Association.
Jenny Craig diet.
Jenny Craig has been around much longer than the previous two diets and still remains strong in the running. Jenny Craig has been around since the 1980s and has no less than thousands of proponents touting its effectiveness. The Jenny Craig diet consists solely of buying and eating pre-packaged Jenny Craig food for all of your meals. While this saves you the hassle of shopping for, cooking, and preparing food, your food bill may just add up to well over one hundred dollars a week. Additionally, pre-packaged food is loaded with preservatives that have been proven to contain harmful substances at levels which can be reached by eating all day, every day. In short, the Jenny Craig diet may help you lose weight, but one must consider the marketing practice behind it, as Jenny Craig representatives are known for pressuring customers into buying more food because they get a percentage for their salesmanship.
The South Beach diet.
Many people have lost weight using the South Beach diet but that has many physicians worried for their health. The premise is relatively simple: at the beginning of the diet, the dieter completely cuts out any kind of carbohydrates from their daily meals. This only lasts for two weeks, but dramatic effects can occur, as some people claim to lose up to 10 or more pounds in this time frame alone. However, it also causes symptoms such as extreme lethargy and weakness, as it leaves your body with no fuels to burn other than its own fat. The second phase lasts as long as necessary and allows the dieter to resume eating some carbohydrates such as whole grains and fruits. The second phase lasts as long as necessary to lose the weight you want to lose. Unlike other diet plans, the South Beach diet cannot be altered if you dislike the foods that it approves.
Weight Watchers.
Like Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers has been around for many years. It is also one of the most recommended by physicians because it allows the dieter to pick and choose the foods which they will eat, which can help keep people committed. Weight Watchers also uses power in numbers so that you can rely on others that are going through the diet with you to help you keep your motivation and willpower strong.
When selecting a diet plan to follow, it is best to choose one that is approved by your family doctor that will fit your dietary needs, allow you proper nutrition, and be accompanied by an exercise regimen that you can live with.
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