Review of 8 Popular Weight Loss Diets

 It seems people are constantly obsessed with the latest diet - always looking for that magic diet that will help them lose weight. At this time there are eight diets that have been at the top of the popularity chart for a while now, and for good reason. They are all effective diets in their own way.

1) The Atkins Diet - The main goal of this diet is to control the body's production of insulin by limiting what you eat. It does this by limiting your intake of carbohydrates and increasing you intake of protein. The drop in carbohydrate intake leads to weight loss in a lot of people.

2) The Zone Diet - This is one of the easier diets to follow as it is based on a balanced intake of 30% protien, 30% fat, and 40% carbohydrates. Like Atkins, this diets attempts to control the insulin produced by the body. But it differs in that it allows you to eat unrefined carbohydrates, as well as fats such as those found in avocados, olive oil and nuts.

6) The South Beach Diet - Similar to the Zone Diet in that it offers a more balanced nutritional profile that attempts to reduce the intake of refined carbohydrates to lower insulin production. The foods selected also tend to be lower in fat which also helps in weight loss and promotes better health.

5) The Weight Watchers Diet - This is a membership and introduces the addition of exercise, as well as offering a network of support from other members. You have the option of attending group meetings or using the online forums for support. The diet itself consists mainly of balanced nutritional intake but in smaller portions to reduce calories, as well as the increased exercise Indian diet chart for weight loss in 7 days.

3) The Vegetarian Diet - As the name suggests this diet is made up of non-animal food sources. Some exceptions can be eggs and dairy products. Studies have shown that most vegetarians weigh less, tend to suffer fewer diseases, and have longer life spans. They also consume less fat overall due to the removal of meat from the diet.

4) The Vegan Diet - This is very similar to the vegetarian diet with the exception that it does not include any animal based food, which includes the eggs and dairy allowed in the vegetarian diet. This requires a serious lifestyle change, and is often done more for ethical or environmental reasons then for pure health or weight loss.

7) The Raw Food Diet - with this diet you consume food or drinks that are still in their original state and have not been processed or pasteurized. There are four categories of followers which are raw omnivores, raw carnivores, raw vegetarians and raw vegans. The theory behind this diet is that food eaten in its raw state does not have any additives or preservatives, nor has it lost any of its vital nutrients through high-heat cooking, both of which could attribute to weight gain.

8) The Mediterranean Diet - This diet originated in the south of Europe and has spread to the Unites States. It attempts to mimic the diets of the people of Greece, Southern Italy and other countries in that area. The nutritional focus is on vegetables, fruits, beans, seeds, nuts, olives, cheese and yogurt for the fats and dairy intake. a high consumption of fish and low consumption of eggs and red meat help keep the saturated fat levels below 8% of total calories.

As you can see there is a diet for just about every lifestyle to fit every person. And each one can provide improved health benefits and increased weight loss.