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Diet Analysis & Comparison

There are thousands of diets available, and for many of those trying to lose weight probably feel like they have tried most of them. A lot of diets are successful in short term weight loss, but this is usually not sustainable in the long term.

Diets often involve restricting certain foods Diets often involve restricting certain foods

There are too many diets around to mention - they come into fashion and back out again so quickly it is hard to keep up. Some are good, others flawed, but it is not easy for the layperson to know this. You cannot believe what you read in the papers and hear from others. Even those diets that have stood the test of time may not be any good. Read our guide to assessing a diet to help you make the right decision.

Any diet that firstly claims to ‘cure everything from heart problems to skin disorders’ or provide ‘results without dieting or exercise’ is more than likely not going to work in the long term for weight loss or general health.

Following a sensible plan that you can stick to is the best method to employ. Sorry to disappoint you but changing what you eat and increasing the amount of exercise you do is the most proven method of weight loss.

All diets that restrict kilojoule intake will allow bodyweight to be lost, following the rule of energy in and energy out. However, they may not be a healthy option to try in the long-term and may be so extreme that it is difficult to adhere to.

A word of advice is to watch that weight loss is not fluid restriction (dehydration) or loss of lean body mass (muscle), as these are not ideal ways to lose weight for long term gain.



Fad Diets

You need to be aware of any radical or ‘fad’ diets that have outrageous claims - anything that states you need to cut out a certain food or food group, exchange a balanced meal for a ‘shake’, or the promise a quick fix, is more than likely not going to work in the long term for weight loss or general health.

Fad diets are usually;

Diets Analyzed

Here is an analysis of some diets to help you get a better understanding of what to look for in a diet, and how to spot the fad diets that may be just a waste of your time and money.

Diet Description
3-Day Diet over 3 days you must only consume 800-1000 calories per day.
3-Hour Diet involves consuming smaller portions every three hours during the entire day
Apple Cider Vinegar Diet ingesting vinegar before meals is believed to help with appetite control, blood sugar regulation, and fat metabolism.
Atkins diet is extremely low in carbohydrate and high in protein
Best Life Diet diet developed by Oprah's personal trainer Bob Greene
Beverly Hills Diet the diet begins with 10 days of fruit exclusively
Blood Type Diet eating according to your blood type
Cabbage Soup Diet as many cabbage soups as you like every day
Caloric Restriction Diet reduce average daily caloric intake below what is typical 
Carnivore Diet involves exclusively consuming animal products and excludes plant-based foods
Chicken Soup Diet quick weight loss by consuming chicken soup for an entire week.
CSIRO Wellbeing Diet controversial Australian diet with some scientific basis.
Dukan Diet efficient weight loss during a brief 'attack phase' which is meant to shock the body, from France
Fast Metabolism Diet The more weight you aim to lose, the bigger the portion sizes.
Fat Flush Diet a low-carbohydrate, restricted-calorie diet for increasing metabolism, detoxifying and losing fats
Flash Diet requires you to take a photo of all the food you eat
French Women Don't Get Fat Diet mainly about consuming high-quality foods but in moderate portions
GAPS Diet starts with a strict elimination diet, followed by maintenance and reintroduction phases.
Glycemic Index Diet created for diabetics - for controlling their blood sugar levels
Grapefruit (Hollywood) Diet Grapefruit has very low calories
hCH Diet a 500-calorie diet with daily injections of HCG
Hormone Diet claims that being overweight is caused by an imbalance in your hormones
IIFYM count your macronutrients rather than counting kilojoules
Jenny Craig a diet plan that includes prepackaged low-calorie food
Keto Diet The ketogenic diet drastically reduces carbohydrate intake and increases healthy fat consumption, so the body enters a state of ketosis where it primarily burns stored fat for energy
Lemon Detox Diet / Lemonade / Master Cleanse fancy some lemon juice? In this diet you are only allowed to drink the special drink
Lion Diet an elimination diet that includes only ruminant meat
Macrobiotic Diet involves eating foods rich in vitamins and minerals
Mediterranean diet based on a traditional eating style
Negative Calorie Diet recommends eating a range of foods that are regarded as having negative calories, some fruits and vegetables.
No Sugar Diet The name speaks for itself - avoid foods with sugar in it
Nordic Diet a healthful way of consuming the traditional diet followed by many in Scandinavia
Nutrisystem Diet a delivery diet service that comes in prepackaged portions
One Good Meal Diet allows you to have only one good meal for the entire week, on the 7th day.
Ornish Diet a vegetarian diet that's low in fat, refined sugar, and animal protein
Paleo Diet / Caveman Diet a diet imitating the food humans consumed during the Paleolithic era, about 10,000 years ago.
Raw Food Diet focuses mainly on seeds, fruits and vegetables
Reversing Diet involves increasing your energy intake in a gradual way after you stop dieting.
Russian Air force diet apparently developed in the former Soviet Union in order to keep their soldiers fit
Sacred Heart Diet a soup-based diet that lasts for 7 days
Scarsdale Diet Plan consists of fresh fruits, lean meats and vegetables with 3 meals daily
Shangri La Diet The only rule is to take some extra light olive oil and sugar water twice daily between meals.
Sirtfood Diet a diet based on sirtuins, a group of proteins that regulate several functions in the body.
Skinny Bitch Diet lets you eat low-calorie foods following set instructions
South Beach low-carb diet
Stop Hunger Diet lose weight and do good deeds at the same time
Tapeworm Diet Yes, there are people who actually eat tapeworms just to lose weight
Veganism a diet that excludes all animal products and by-products
Volumetrics Diet Eating foods that will fill you up will fewer calories
Weight Watchers Diet eat whatever you like to a set amount of points personalized to your body height, weight, gender and age.
Zone Diet eating a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats


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Weight Loss Extra

There are no simple answers. You should keep a healthy weight, consider one of these diets, though exercise is also important.

Sports Nutrition Extra

Athlete nutrition isn't just about weight loss. It is important to fuel the body optimally before, during and after exercise, as well as to stay hydrated. Supplements may also be required.

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