But of course, on top of a lot of people’s New Year’s Resolution this year (as it was last year and the year before last, etc.) is to lose weight, cut the belly fat (that’s belly good!), trim the grim bulges — more or less; hopefully, more! So, would you like to know which ones topped the list of the best diet options released by the US News & World Report in collaboration with a panel of health experts? US News is an American media company that gives consumer advice, analysis, and rankings. In choosing the best diets, the judges used the following stringent criteria: It has to be relatively easy to follow, nutritious, safe, effective, and protective versus diabetes and heart disease.
And the top 5 diets (actually only top 3, as three tied for the third spot) are:
1. Weight Watchers. This got 3.8 out of 5 stars from the esteemed panel of weight loss experts. The program was founded in the early ’60s by Jean Nidetch who gathered an intimate group of friends in her Queens home once a week to talk about how best to lose weight. Soon, word got around and the group grew bigger and bigger as the women got closer and closer to their desired weights. But Jean would be the first to admit, “If losing weight were easy, Weight Watchers wouldn’t exist.” She gently reminds everyone that losing weight is really hard, especially if you do it alone. It’s not a quick fix; it’s based on science, not trends.
Simply put, Weight Watchers’ PointsPlus system makes it simple for you to know what to eat — and how much of it — but you really don’t have to starve yourself. Jean says starving yourself is the worst thing you can do as it will only make you feel physically and emotionally unbalanced and you will start craving bad food and your metabolism will slow down. Jean gives this lean but mean reminder: A healthy weight loss is no more than two pounds (0.9kg) per week.
Yes, with Weight Watchers, you can still enjoy the foods that you love guilt-free! Because, according to Jean, if you do not enjoy your food, your efforts to eat better will fail.
A team of trained coaches, who have been in your shoes (or in your big fat pants), will help you get started and stay on track to achieve your goals. You get customized starter meal ideas and thousands of delicious recipes. Your coaches will help you choose only nutritionally dense foods with a healthy ratio of fiber, fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Eat more of fresh fruits and veggies and less of candy and processed foods.
2. HMR (Health Management Resources) Diet. Founded by Lawrence TP Stifler, Ph.D, a behavioral psychologist who specializes in developing weight-management programs, HMR is a leading provider of weight management programs. But the people behind HMR say it’s much more than a diet, it’s a lifestyle. It consists of two phases. Phase 1 is where you get started on meal replacements (think low-calorie shakes, nutri bars, multigrain hot cereal) delivered to your doorstep. Phase 2 is, of course, maintenance, where you introduce other healthy food options into your diet plus lifestyle changes including coaching with an exercise physiologist. Yes, physical activity is a must for the program’s long-term success. So, don’t just sit there. Even just 10 to 20 minutes of walking per day will help you inch closer to your goal (or trim those unwanted inches from your waistline).
3. The Biggest Loser Diet. This comes from the popular TV series, which includes six weeks of healthy food and regular exercise to promote weight loss and prevent disease. Healthy food means lots of fruits and veggies, lean protein (vis-a-vis red meat). Throw in some exercise to achieve the biggest weight loss possible.
3. Jenny Craig Diet. Like Weight Watchers, you can drop up to two pounds per week following a restricted low-calorie diet supported by one-on-one counseling. Jenny Craig offers pre-packaged meals that limit calories, fats, and protein, but lets you satisfy your sweet craving without guilt. It’s a customized menu (that’s probably made in heaven where nobody is fat) crafted by nutritionists with guidance from a medical advisoryboard. The menus are designed to help you feel satisfied without being deprived.
3. The Raw Food Diet. It’s a very down-to-earth, earth-friendly diet as it relies heavily on fruits and vegetables, and completely eliminates cooked, processed, microwaved, irradiated, GMO food or food exposed to pesticides/herbicides. But first, decide on your motivation. Do you just want to lose weight? Do you want to boost your waning energy and get closer to a winning form? Do you want to detox or rid your system of all the toxins that have accumulated through years of bad eating? Go organic and eat smarter (think raw, vegan, alkaline, and super foods). The downside is that eating out could be hard as restaurants don’t have too many raw food options (sushi, anyone?) and it could be time-consuming and costly as you have to prepare your own raw food meals and invest in a juicer, dehydrator or blender.
Excuse me while I finish a big fat slice of raw chocolate cake topped with a single succulent strawberry.