Examples of Diet

When individuals become interested in losing weight or adopting a healthier eating plan, they often become overwhelmed by the wide range of diet options available to them. Some diets allow followers to eat a wide variety of foods as long as they eat appropriate portions. Others restrict the number of servings from certain food groups, so dieters are more limited in the types of food they can eat. However, there are many diet options available, so most people should be able to find an eating plan that fits their lifestyle. Be sure to consult your doctor before beginning a diet.

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is probably one of the best known diets. According to the Weight Watchers website, the program was founded in the early 1960s by Jean Nidtech, when she began meeting with friends to discuss the best weight loss strategies. The basis of the Weight Watchers diet plan is to eat whatever foods you like, but in moderation. In the Weight Watchers system, all foods are assigned a point value based on their calories, fat and fiber content. Those who are following the plan are allowed a certain amount of points per day based on their weight. They may eat whatever foods that they like, but if they use half their points on a high-fat breakfast sandwich in the morning, they are limited in what they can consume the rest of the day. The Weight Watchers diet emphasizes eating low-fat foods that are rich in protein, as well as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The reason many people follow the Weight Watchers plan is that the program also includes weekly support meetings where members can discuss their successes and struggles with others who are also on a diet. For some people, this support network makes it easier to stick with the diet.

Atkins Diet

When Dr. Robert Atkins developed the Atkins Diet in the 1970s, it was considered revolutionary. Since then, its emphasis on a low-carbohydrate diet has been incorporated into many other diets. Dr. Atkins developed his diet based on the premise that eating too many carbohydrates leads to a weight problem because while the body burns both fats and carbs for energy, carbs are used first. If the amount of carbs in the diet is cut, the body will presumably burn stored fat so individuals lose weight. By cutting the amount of carbohydrates in the diet, however, individuals begin to eat more protein-rich foods, which often contain high amounts of fat. Individuals must be sure to choose foods that contain heart-healthy fats and not those that are likely to clog arteries. This can be difficult during the highly restrictive first phase of the Atkins Diet, which limits individuals to only 20 g of carbohydrates a day. However, the later phases allow individuals to increase their carbohydrate intake, so it is often easier to make healthy food choices.

South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet also places an emphasis on limiting carbohydrates, but it is less restrictive than the Atkins Diet. During the first phase, individuals must cut their carbohydrate intake as they do with the Atkins Diet. However, in later phases of the South Beach Diet, those on the plan are encouraged to work "good" carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads, cereals and pastas, back into their diet. Good carbohydrates are generally considered foods that have not been processed or refined and are higher in fiber. As a result, the South Beach Diet is often easier to stick to than the Atkins Diet because it allows followers more food options.