Weight Loss Programs
 

Weight Loss Programs

There is a confusing array of weight loss programs on the market, ranging from those which are based on restricting a particular class of food (such as carbohydrates or fats), to those which comprise pre-packaged foods (such as shakes and bars), to those which emphasize the support of others (such as one-on-one and group meetings). To those who feel that they have a weight problem and are simply looking for an effective solution, this choice of programs can be more bewildering than the problem itself.

However, in tandem with the increasing number of weight loss programs is a growing body of research-based evidence which is available to would-be dieters, which can help them to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of major programs. In the final analysis, the most effective weight loss program is the one that you stick to, and this underlines the fact that there is no one program which is the most effective for all. For some dieters support and encouragement is the most critical success factor, while for others this is much less important than, for example, specific knowledge on nutrition such as the energy value of foods.

One of the more telling results of a recent study is that more than 80% of dieters who had been successful in losing weight long-term reported that they had designed their own diet plans and exercise regimes. This reinforces the fact that the most successful weight loss programs are those which have flexibility and which dieters are most comfortable with.

Common Weight Loss Programs

Some of the major weight loss diets on the market today include the following:

  • The Anne Collins diet is about modifying one's attitude to food, and is very much focused on healthy eating. It is based on regular foods and not pre-packaged or formulaic substitutes. It is strong on support through a well-developed community forum, and has many advocates.

  • The Atkins diet is based on eating low glycemic foods, being foods which are low in sugar. The diet involves applying a proprietary ranking system which measures foods according to their effect on blood sugar levels. It is strong on avoiding high-index foods such as processed carbohydrates.

  • DietWatch is a web-centered diet program which is based on members receiving tailored meal plans and personalized feedback on their progress. The web site offers significant information on nutrition and fitness, and access to a community forum.

  • Jenny Craig offers individually-tailored programs either through a consultant at a local Jenny Craig center or through phone consultations. There is a range of membership options through to platinum level which includes personalized menus, consultations, activities, motivational plans and online support.

  • NutriSystem consists of a number of 28-day, pre-packaged meal plans which are based on low-glycemic foods. It is based on eating set-size snacks frequently throughout the day, and aims to maintain a feeling of fullness between meals.

  • Slim-Fast, which is owned by Unilever, consists of two daily pre-packaged meals comprising shakes or meal bars, combined with a main meal (the contents of which are supplied by the dieter) which is designed to contain approximately 500 calories only.

  • The Sonoma diet is based on the portion restriction of real foods, and it associates itself with the benefits of both Californian and Mediterranean cuisine. It promotes a 'plate and bowl' concept to limit portion size (7 to 9-inch plate, and a 2-cup bowl), and diagrams tell dieters how to fill those plates and bowl with the right amount of foods.

  • Volumetrics is a dieting plan enunciated in a book by by Dr Barbara Rolls, which is based on attaining a feeling of fullness by eating lots of low-calorie foods. The plan is based on the 'energy density' of food, which is a measure of the number of calories per unit of volume of food;

  • Weight Watchers is a long-established and highly-regarded diet program which emphasizes healthy foods and the support of others in achieving weight loss goals. It is based on real-world foods, and over the years it has offered increasing flexibility to each participant in the design of weight loss programs.

  • The Zone diet is an ostensibly scientifically-based weight loss program consisting of specific ratios of carbohydrates (40%), fats (30%) and proteins (30%). One of its principal objectives is to control levels of insulin in the body, and it therefore mandates restrictions on the quantity of carbohydrates consumed.

How to Choose a Weight Loss Program

When choosing a weight loss program, keep these five points uppermost in mind:

  1. Don't look for a weight loss program. Not, that is, if you want to succeed long-term. Look for a program which will bring you health, through attaining and maintaining the correct weight, good nutrition and enjoyable, regular exercise;

  2. Search for a life-long program, for the reason that you want the results to be life-long. Realize that the benefits stop when the program stops. There isn't an easier way to say this;

  3. Disregard all quick-fixes. Look for a program which reduces your weight surely but gradually, over a long period of time;

  4. Learn to love fruit and vegetables. If that's hard, realize that it is much more difficult to overestimate the value of these foods to good health and nutrition;

  5. When you accept and assert point number 1 on its merits, then you understand.

The best weight loss program will be the one which you have customized for your life-long health.

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