The table below represents the major diets over the past few decades that have some medical and longitudinal veracity (e.g. they are not fad diets, e.g. "grapefruit diet"). Of course, each new issue of a woman's magazine purports to have the right answer with the right diet, which only shows America's obsession with losing weight and bears the question -- if these new diets worked so well, why would we need new ones?
Table 1 -- Overview of Major Diet Programs
Premise
Basic Tenet
Strengths
Weaknesses
Misc.
Adkins
Strict Carb restriction
Phases that eliminate most carbs
Effective when followed
Lack of carbs not healthy in long-term dieting; uses fats (butter, etc.) not great for heart health.
Men tend to lose faster than women; fairly strict during initial phases.
HGC
Combination caloric restriction and hormone supplement
Resets body systems
Clinically proven
Requires Rx; numerous knock offs that are fraudulent
Still controversial; 500 calorie diet dangerous if not monitored appropriately.
Jenny Craig
Caloric restriction
Lifestyle and "how to eat planning"
Effective, addresses holistic person
Very expensive, must belong to their program
One on one counseling -- very effective for some but must be prepared for large investment
NutriSystem
Caloric restriction
Tries to balance diet
Balanced, small portions; reasonable premise
Encourages using their products and participating in their seminars.
Price varies; food (less fresh) may be delivered through mail.
Ornish
Caloric restriction
Focuses on whole grains and vegetables - no meat
Effective and has been subjected to clinical trials; excellent for heart health
Strict, menus lack variety
Need only book; might be more lifestyle change
Slim-Fast
Caloric restriction
Consumer Search. Cited in:
http://www.consumersearch.com/weight-loss-programs
