The Great Diet Dilemma

Before starting any diet, there are inevitable questions: Is it hard? Can I do it? Will I like it? Is it expensive? Is it worth it? And sometimes, despite our best efforts to answer those questions before we start a diet, we just can't know the answers until we start it ourselves. Over the years, I've tried many diets. I'm not proud of this; yo-yo dieting is not a healthy practice. But, because I have, I thought I'd talk about each one and rate them.

I'll begin by saying, that I've lost weight on all of these diets. So, if the only criteria for judging them is by pounds lost, then they're all successful. But weight loss is not always the most important result of dieting. The best kind of diet isn't temporary. It is a lifestyle change, where we replace unhealthy habits with healthier eating and exercise. We all know this, but for some reason we over complicate it. It's not rocket science. When rating these diets, I asked myself a few questions: Is it a healthy, lifestyle change? Is it expensive? Is it overly complex?
 

Body For Life 5/5 stars
This is the first diet I ever did, after the birth of my oldest child, 13 years ago!

• Great, easy-to-follow eating plan. The small portion sizes make sense and meal planning is easy. I LOVED my free day once a week! That splurge definitely made success possible!
• The book offers detailed photos of the exercises that make up the training plan and they were easy-to-follow and replicate. After following the exercise plan, I had nice, lean muscle tone and was very pleased with the results.
• BFL has a nice website with an active community. The success stories and "before/after" photos are inspiring. There's a nice prize package for winners of their 12-week challenge!
• One downside of BFL is that dieters are encouraged to drink the EAS protein shakes. They're tasty, but a bit on the pricey side.  I had the shakes on occasion, but did not find them crucial for weight loss. With or without the shakes, you'll get a lot of bang for your buck on this diet.
• This is the only one that gets 5/5 stars. The combination of healthy eating, exercise and the realistic inclusion of "free days" makes it a great lifestyle change.

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Weight Watchers 4/5 stars


Over the years, I've gone back to WW multiple times. I've had consistent, repeat success on their program. I'm not giving WW a full 5/5 because exercise is encouraged, but not required.

• The point system is brilliant. It's easy to understand and follow. WW is definitely not a fad diet; people have successfully lost weight on versions of the diet for decades!
• Great support system. Their website is community based and members have access to the tools on the site and a large database of recipes. Members have the option of attending local meetings with other dieters if more personal support is needed.
• Because WW is so well known, there are thousands of popular name-brand foods at the grocery store that list WW points. Weight Watchers also has its own brand of foods.
• I never minded keeping track of my points, but this can be a deterrent for dieters who don't want to have to "think" too much.
• Joining Weight Watchers isn't free and a weekly or monthly fee is required to maintain membership. Still, it is definitely an affordable option.

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South Beach Diet 3/5 stars

• This is a sound diet that focuses on avoiding sugar and eating whole grains.
• There are 3 phases that make up the South Beach Diet. Phase 1 is a strict phase designed to help dieters overcome their food cravings. Phase 2 introduces more foods into the diet and lasts until the dieter reaches her goal weight. Phase 3 is the maintenance part of the program.
• The SBD doesn't require any calorie or point counting, which is a bonus for dieters looking for something that doesn't require extra figuring.
• The entire diet is in a book, which is very affordable in paperback form. Or, South Beach also offers a website membership for a weekly fee.
• This diet wasn't a good fit for me. I hated the first phase. Although it only lasts for 2 weeks, it felt much longer to me. It was very restrictive. Even in phase 2, the diet felt a bit boring to me. I prefer the flexibility of other diets.

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Somersizing 3/5 stars

• The somersizing approach is unique because the plan allows for high fat, savory meals and whole grain carbohydrates. The catch is that the meals must be enjoyed separately with several hours separating them. "Carbos" meals are eaten with fruits and other (allowable) carb-rich foods. "Protein/Fats" meals are eaten with high protein or high fat foods and vegetables. 
• This diet definitely takes some meal planning and structuring of meals throughout the day. It is a diet you don't want to cheat on because it can be counterproductive to ever mix the high fat with sugar or other high carb foods. 
• There are many "somersizers" out there and plenty of books with recipes and tips from Suzanne Somers. The Somersizing website also offers a great support community. 
• I was never hungry on this diet and really enjoyed it, but it wasn't as easy to follow as other diets I've tried.

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 HCG Injections 1/5 stars
This fad diet is the most extreme diet I've ever done. I'm still not sure how "safe" it really is.

• The program offers two options, depending on the amount of weight one wants to lose; a 23-day program and a 40-day program. 
• The program consists of two basic steps: a daily injection of the HCG hormone and a 500 calorie, very strict diet.
• HCG injections are expensive but are credited with rapid weight loss results.

• When I was on HCG, I lost all of the weight I wanted to lose in a very short amount of time. I couldn't exercise and I felt light-headed frequently throughout the day. It was nice to see my weight literally melt off of me, but my energy level was very low. When I finished the HCG program, I began gaining back the weight easily and quickly. 
• This is the worst option for changing your lifestyle. It is a temporary fix and not a healthy dietary change.

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When it comes to diets this is only the tip of the iceberg. Always ask yourself if the diet you're choosing is one that is a healthy lifestyle change. Be wary of diets that offer a lot for a little. Good luck becoming the healthiest YOU you can be!