10 Tips for Finding the Best Diet That Works for You
It's time to turn over a new leaf and resolve to get your waistline under control -- again. Will it be The South Beach Diet, Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days, Sonoma, Atkins, The WebMD Weight Loss Clinic, or one of the gazillion other diet options?
With so many to choose from, it's not easy to figure out which diet will be the best one that works for you. To help the 65% of adults who are overweight, we asked the experts for tips to help you find a weight loss diet that is both healthy and effective.
Which Diet is Best?
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The Best Diet That Works for You: The One You Can Stick To
All the experts agree on one thing: The best weight loss plan is one you can keep up.
"It doesn't matter how scientifically sound the program is (and many are not), how fast they work (you will regain as fast as you lost), or even how many people have tried it before. What matters is whether you can do what they say forever -- not whether you should, but whether you can." says Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work.
And of course, not all diet plans and programs are scientifically sound.
"Just because it is on the bookshelf, or the name is on a door, it does not mean it is a healthy, well-rounded program," says Judy Rodriguez, PhD, RD, author of The Diet Selector.
Still, it seems that the diets everyone wants are those promising the quickest, most painless results -- which, unfortunately, are usually not sustainable. Weight that is lost rapidly is usually a mixture of water, muscle, and a little fat instead of mainly fat. What's worse, losing is usually followed by gaining.
"Most people go on and off fad diets and fall into the yo-yo syndrome of dropping weight followed by gaining weight," says Rodriquez, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Florida. "The consequence is, you lower your metabolism and end up at a heavier weight than when you started."
The simple (if boring) truth is that losing weight is a simple formula: Calories in minus calories out equals weight loss, gain, or maintenance. Neither potions, detox rituals, nor supplements can change that formula.
"In order to lose weight, you have to eat fewer calories and be more active. Cleanses, creams and supplements are just gimmicks and not going to help in the long run," says Tara Gidus, MS, RD, the "Diet Diva" on the nationally broadcast morning TV show The Daily Buzz.
Just how do you know if a diet is healthy and sustainable? Experts say a sound weight loss diet plan should:
- Include exercise
- Allow a variety of foods from all the food groups
- Be created by a credentialed professional
- Promote slow and steady weight loss
- Include portion control
- Allow snacks between meals
- Not rely heavily on supplements
- Include small portions of your favorite foods and beverages
- Be based on science
- Include a maintenance plan
- Recommend drinking plenty of water
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