The 5 Most Effective Diets This Decade – A Review
Out of the thousands of diets that have been written over the years 5 really stand out as being the most effective. One of them, Weight Watchers, has been around for over 40 years, while the others have been introduced more recently. One of them, the 9th Law Diet, is only a year old. Although each diet has philosophical differences on the best way to lose weight, they all are effective and have shown to be safe.
Here is a summary of each diet. Each summary includes information about the general philosophy, type of foods, overall expense of each diet, as well as the most commonly attributed pros and cons. The diets are listed in no particular order. These are just the top five weight loss diets this decade based on the formerly listed criteria.
Skinny Bitch: This diet was written by two fiery and passionate best friends who are proud to call themselves skinny bitches. Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin call Skinny Bitch, a no-nonsense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous. Skinny Bitch is definitely telling it to you straight. The way your best girlfriend would tell you over a cocktail.
These girls make no apologies for the attitude, wit, and even the language found in this colorful guide to basically getting your ass in gear once and for all. They refer to sugar as the devil, and themselves as pigs, and encourage you to get a sweet ass. They love food just as much as anyone. But, they have also learned a successful way to enjoy food and enjoy eating without depriving themselves and maintaining sexy little bodies.
The diet lets you eat all the carbohydrate packed goodness you could ever want including bread, potatoes, pasta, cakes, cookies and muffins. Of course, nothing good ever comes for free, so what is the catch? No dairy. No meat. No sugar or artificial sweeteners. Sound a little vegan? That is because it is, and Skinny Bitch is even endorsed by P.E.T.A.
These skinny girls don’t like to feel hungry and they don’t like to feel like they’re being deprived. And they know you’re the exact same way. There is plenty to eat when you decide to make the switch to Skinny Bitch. The basic premise is simple: being skinny means being healthy. The two ideas are not independent of one another. They come right out and show the flaws of some of the more popular diets around, probably some you have followed yourself. They say in the end, those diet programs are quick fixes that will never help you get a grip on your overall health and wellness.
Skinny Bitch will educate you about the foods you’re eating, how and why they have the effects on your body that they do and where you have been going wrong all along. They release you from the constraints of counting calories, but tell you to start reading all of those food labels. The expense is the cost of the book, Skinny Bitch. The book itself is an entertaining, albeit brash, read. The diet is perfect for vegetarians or vegans. The book can be purchased online and through all major booksellers
South Beach: If you are looking for a diet plan that has grown wildly popular over the past few years, gives your eating habits a dramatic makeover, and shares the name of one of the world’s favorite beaches, then the South Beach Diet is for you. Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist, created this friendly contrast to other prohibitive weight-loss plans and offers a chance to achieve success where you might have previously failed.
The South Beach Diet differs from its low carbohydrate competitor Atkins, in that it restricts saturated fats, which are linked with health problems like heart disease and high cholesterol. It promises that cravings for sugars, sweets and other carbohydrates will disappear as you go along because the diet is supposed to keep blood sugar levels maintained.
The South Beach Diet has three separate phases in which in each phase, you wean yourself away from certain foods and incorporate other South Beach Diet friendly foods. The diet promises that you will lose 8-12 pounds in the first two weeks as long as you adhere to the guidelines.
The South Beach Diet supports a clean way of eating that is void of refined sugars and trans fats. It also has thousands of satisfied clients, updated research in the 2008 release South Beach Diet: Supercharged, and a maintenance plan after weight loss goals have been achieved.
A problem is the fact that many South Beach Diet food products contain sugar-alcohols, which may cause diarrhea and other GI tract problems. The best recommendation is to adhere to the diet without consuming all the specially made products.
The diet has various phases. The first phase lasts for two weeks and has you remove starches like bread, pasta and rice, potatoes, fruits, milk, yogurt, honey and baked goods. Sugars are completely eliminated. During the first phase of South Beach, you will enjoy three balanced meals and some snacks that should include lean meats and fish, eggs, low-fat cheese, fresh vegetables, beans and nuts.
Phase two of the South Beach Diet will allow you to slowly re-introduce fruits, whole-grain breads and pastas. You will choose just one carbohydrate and include that in one meal each day for one week. Phase two will continue until you meet your goal weight. You will begin the maintenance, or third, phase of South Beach once you have met your goal weight. It is here that you will put to practice all that you learned in phases one and two.
The cost is the price of the book, South Beach, which is available online as well as all major book outlets. There is also a complete line of South Beach Diet foods that can be purchased in your grocery store from cereals to frozen meals. But many of the nutrition bars and snack items contain artificial sweeteners, which have been known to induce gastrointestinal problems.
The 9th Law Diet: This is a relatively new diet that has been sweeping across the country due to its simplicity and overall effectiveness. The 9th Law Diet was created by a physiology professor out of the St. Louis area. He is well known on the web as Professor Jay, but his real name is Jay Snaric.
The diet was formally created after a student of professor Jays lost over 90 pounds following his weight loss guidelines. The student convinced the professor to get it into the hands of so many people who really need it. Professor Jay created a website where he gives the diet away for free, as well as offers on-going email support. The rest is history, as the 9th Law Diet has swept across the country and around the world in record time. Thousands of people have lost major weight and have changed their lives with the 9th Law Diet.
The 9th Law Diet emphasizes cutting out what he refers to as negative carbohydrates and fats, and incorporating more positive carbohydrates and fats. Its emphasis on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats is an eating plan that is full of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids Support for this diet comes from the science provided by Harvard Medical school and other predominate members of the medical science community. Professor Jay Snaric himself has studied human physiology, nutrition, and health at New York University, The Medical University of South Carolina, and University of Southern Illinois.
The 9th Law Diet does not just promote dieting, but overall behavioral and lifestyle changes. As stated earlier, you can get the 9th Law Diet for free at secretloss.com. The cost is zero. At the very least this diet is worth a read, and subscribing to Professor Jays mailing list is well worth your time. It’s not coincidence that this diet has grown is popularity so fast.
Jillian Michaels, The Biggest Loser: The biggest loser background Fitness guru, Jillian Michaels, known for her tough approach for losing weight on NBCs The Biggest Loser, has written a guide on how to drop those pesky last 10 or 15 pounds in 30 days. Making the Cut: The 30-Day Diet and Fitness Plan for the Strongest, Sexiest You sets itself apart from the myriad of fitness and weight loss books at your local bookstore because Michaels’ program uses the process of oxidizing as a way to determine what kind of a metabolism your body has in order to lose weight effectively.
Michaels takes you through the steps to determine what kind of an oxidizer you are: slow, balanced or fast. Your new body classification then dictates what you will eat supported by Jillian’s own menus and recipes. She promises that you will feel comfortable in a bikini if you commit to her disciplined fitness and diet regimen. As part of Making the Cut, you must take a body fat percentage test and a “fit test” before starting the program as a measure to evaluate your pre and post self.
Michaels does not under estimate the power of the mind in the battle to lose weight. She includes helpful tips and advice for how to improve self-esteem and confidence. The book is also full of various exercises to improve strength, flexibility and endurance. Michaels also unveils some well-kept celebrity diet secrets to get your body prepared before a big event.
The diet is Inexpensive and personalized. The program focuses on the mental aspect of losing weight in addition to the exercise and nutrition components – Jillian Michaels is a popular weight loss coach with nearly 20 years experience
Michaels supplies a list of recipes and menus for each of the three oxidizer classifications. As part of your commitment to the Making the Cut program, you are supposed to adhere to her menu and calorie plan. During Making the Cut, you will take a fit test which is outlined in the book. The test establishes your level of fit-ness and you are then required to exercise about 5 hours each week. Michaels provides you with various exercises to do. She also has her own line of exercise DVDs that can be purchased at an additional cost over the book.
The cost is $14.95 for the book. Many online booksellers sell new and used books for discounted prices.
There is no refuting Michaels knowledge and training expertise when it comes to getting in shape and losing weight. Her 30-day promise, like any similar promise is no guarantee but it packs a three-pronged approach of diet, exercise and mental awareness to help you to lose those lingering pounds. The clinical science behind her oxidizer theory is scanty but her belief that the road to weight loss is a personal journey that begins with changes in behavior, lifestyle and self-motivation is an important component that many diet plans disregard.
Weight Watchers: It has been more than 40 years since Weight Watchers came on the scene and started helping people live healthier lives. Weight Watchers helps members create a foundation to introduce healthier choices and physical activity into their lives.
The original Weight Watchers plan invites members to weekly meetings where they hold group sessions, helping dieters form a network of support with people sharing similar experiences. Upon arrival, each person checks their weight privately. Meetings are conducted by a trained Meeting Leader who motivates and offers the group support through information about nutrition and fitness.
Members are also welcome to join the Weight Watchers community online. From the comfort of their homes, members can form virtual support groups, monitor progress and access hundreds of approved recipes, like Blue Cheese Muffins, Sweet and Sour Pork, Grilled Beef Fajitas and even delectable treats like Chocolate Mint Brownies. If it’s not convenient to prepare the approved meals at home, they offer a wide variety of frozen meals and point-complimenting menu items at Applebees.
Weight Watchers was made popular by a points system called Flex Plan. A point value is assigned to each food on the comprehensive list of more than 27,000 foods. The Flex Plan allows you to eat the foods you like. Just stay within your daily points and you can still enjoy fried chicken and Diet Pepsi. It is an easy plan to follow, offers great flexibility and has proven successful for more than 40 years. Read this full explanation of how Weight Watchers Points work, or use our free Weight Watchers Points Calculator.
Weight Watchers emphasizes eating more wholesome food through its Core Plan. Members don’t count points, just choose a balanced combination of whole grains, lean meats, fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy. Whether you choose the Flex Points or Core Plans, you can find hundreds of delicious, satisfying and good-for-you Weight Watchers recipes right here at Diets In Review. Weight Watchers Online helps its members with 60 workout demonstrations. There are fitness recommendations for all skill levels. As little as $5 a week with their 3-month plan. Weight Watchers is a trusted diet company with 40+ years experience – Programs to suit men, women and all adult ages – Flex Points or Core Plan programs – Choose one-on-one counseling or the online program for anonymity and convenience – Comprehensive Web site membership – Provides exercise guidance – Thousands of recipes and meals to choose from – Partnership with Applebee’s to make dining out more healthful. Counting points can be time-consuming – Web membership detracts from the traditional social aspect of Weight Watchers meetings
Weight Watchers is a tried and true veteran of the weight loss industry. With a variety of methods to choose from for both men and women, you’re almost certain to find the right path for your weight loss journey. Weight Watchers provides support from every aspect of weight loss- so you’re never left without information or support. Food is one of the primary concerns of any dieter and Weight Watchers goes above and beyond most other weight loss programs with thousands of recipes that anyone, dieting or not, will find tempting and delicious. If their style appeals to you, go for it.
Overall, all of these diets have proven to be very successful for many people, and have changed many lives. The key is finding the diet which works best for you. Obesity increases your risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Obesity is an epidemic. We need more diets like these to help people get their health back.
