| Home | Diets and Weight Loss |
| Diets-Weight loss |
| Find the Best Diet to suit you |
| The information here provided is just a short summary. Further reseach will be needed before your final choice of diet is made. The links in the right hand column are regarded as non-biased sources. Always consult you health practitioner first before going on a diet. |
| Diets highlighted in light green are generally endorsed by nutritionists. |
| Diet | Essence | Weight loss | Risks and side effects | Comments | Further reading |
| Alkaline Diet | Vegetarian. | Likely. | Dietary imbalance possible and more. | Misleading name. | 1 |
| Alli | Prevents fat absorption. | Yes but modest. | Loose and oily stool, drug interactions, lack of certain vitamins and more. | Not a diet but a medication. | 1,2 |
| Apple Diet | Eating an apple before each meal. Meals should be small with other restrictions. | Likely | Not expected. | In general not a bad idea. May be monotonous. | 1 |
| Atkins Diet | Low carbohydrates. | Yes. | Breath odor , constipation, kidney stress and more. | Controversy exists. | 1,2,3,4 |
| Baby food Diet | Pureed foods. | Possible if calorie intake is limited. | Possible vitamin deficiencies depending on food choice. | No sound basis. | 1 |
| Belly Fat Cure | Low carbohydrates. | Possibly. | Possible nutritional excesses or deficiencies. | Some resemblance to Atkins Diet - regarded as less scientific - allows carb swaps. | 1 |
| Belviq | Appetite suppressant with recommended reduced calorie diet. | Yes. | Usually well tolerated. Headache, respiratory side effects, nausea and more. Possible drug interactions. | Not a diet but a medication. | 1,2 |
| Best Life Diet | Lifestyle change- eliminating bad choices. | Yes usually slow. | Unlikely. | Recommended - patience required. | 1,2 |
| Beyond Diet(Isabel De Los Rios). | Essentially a healthy lifestyle
diet with emphasis on organic foods and portion control. |
Probably - can be slow. |
None known. Deemed safe during pregnancy. |
No calorie counts . Can
apparently have low calorie intake side effects when starting. No exercise program. Seems healthy in general. |
1 |
| Big Breakfast Diet | Breakfast as main meal. | Possible in some cases. | Unlikely. | Big breakfast not suitable for all people. | 1 |
| Cabbage Soup Diets | Cabbage Soup daily + other limited foodstuffs varying each day for 7 days. | Yes. | Possible malnutrition although more nourishing versions of the diet exist. | Cabbage makes a good low calorie filler. Boredom is likely to set in and these diets are mostly considered unsustainable. | 1,2 |
| Cambridge Diet | Meal replacement /supplement with additives. Low carbohydrates and fiber. | Yes. | Bad breath, a dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and constipation from cutting down on carbs and fiber. | Likely unsustainable due to lack of solid food intake. | 1 |
| Clear Body Clear Mind | Combination of exercise, vitamins, nutrition and sauna use. | Yes. | Saunas and vitamins far in excess of safe levels, malnutrition. | Unscientific and dangerous. See also Katie Holmes detox diet 2009 . |
1 |
| Detox diets | Diets that claim to remove toxins from the body. | Depending on the diet. | Depending on diet. | Scientifically mostly regarded as false claims. | 1 |
| Diet Plate | Plates and bowls that have specific sections for each type of food. | Can work - although there is not much data confirming weight loss. | Not known. |
The height of piling food on is
not controlled. Discrepancy of calories in foods can lead to consuming
too much. Some foods cannot be put on the plate. Not convenient for
eating out.
|
1,2 |
| Diet solution program.(Isabel De Los Rios) | Establishing a correct mindset.Eating in accordance with metabolic type. Staying within ideal calorie ranges. Consuming a variety of high quality food. | Slow weight loss aimed at long term success. Real unbiased data lacking. | Not expected. | Some experts have disputed the validity of the metabolic type. A number of websites that appear to be reviews of the program are actually promotion sites. Nevertheless the diet has many positive attributes. | 1 |
| Dukan Diet | Low carbohydrates. |
Yes. | Breath odor , constipation, kidney stress and more. | Similar to Atkins Diet - more restrictive on vegetables and fat in the beginning. Controversy exists. | 1 |
| Fasting Diets | Numerous diets exist that prescribe abstention of food for certain periods. | Yes. Especially initially. Body slows down metabolism later. | Short term fasting safe for healthy people. Not for diabetics, could be problematic in pregnancy and other conditions. Consult physician first. Long term fasts are dangerous. | Quick weight gain likely after fast. Regular short term fasting may have other benefits - reducing blood pressure and preventing clogged arteries, anti-ageing. | 1 |
| Fruit Diets | Eating mostly (75 %) fruit. | Yes, mostly. | Definitely not recommended for children. Vit B12 deficiency. Other deficiencies. Malnutrition possble depending on specific diet. | May have some positive benefits, but is controversial . Very restrictive diet and choice of fruits should be carefully selected. | 1,2 |
| Fruit Flush Diet | First day, drinking protein shakes.Then two days of eating fresh fruit every two hours.plus a dinner of raw vegetables and a small amount of lean protein . | Probably. | Not very likely. | Not a long term solution. Detox claim debatable. | 1, |
| Grapefruit diet, Hollywood Diet, Mayo Diet (Not Mayo Clinic Diet) | Based on the unsubstantiated believe that when grapefruit is eaten with protein, fat burning is triggered resulting in weight loss. | Not proven. | Can interact with certain medications e.g. Calcium channel blockers and Cholesterol lowering drugs. | Although the grapefruit is an excellent and nutritious fruit, a number of diets have been built around grapefruit that make little sense. | 1,2,3 |
| Gluten Free Diet | Eliminating gluten from diet. | Perhaps only if total carbohydrate intake diminishes. | Constipation, gassiness, diarrhea sometimes increased cholesterol levels. | More evidence needed. | 1,2 |
| hCG Diet | Injecting human chorionic gonadotropin with low calorie intake. | No from the injection yes from the low calorie diet. | Malnutrition | Unscientific and dangerous. | 1 |
| Healthy Diet Plan | Any diet based on sound nutritional principles. | Depending on diet and other factors. | Unlikely. | Most healthy diets have slow weight loss. See Best Life Diet. | l |
| Hoodia gordonii | Suppresses hunger by giving a sensation of fullness. | Varying data - can produce modest weight loss at times. | Although (as far as is known) no serious side effects have been reported from the public after pure Hoodia use - some studies have shown possible unwanted effects on liver , increases in blood pressure, heart rate and other. | Not a diet but a herb. Long term use perhaps best avoided. Many exaggerated claims. | 1,2 |
| Jenny Craig Diet | Personal support, a meal delivery service and exercise plans | Yes. | Not expected. | You have to buy your own fruit vegetables and dairy products. Could not be to everyone's taste. Probably not sustainable. | 1,2 |
| Katie Holmes Scientology detox diet 2009. | Combination of exercise, vitamins, nutrition and sauna use. | Yes | Saunas and vitamins far in excess of safe levels, malnutrition. | Unscientific and dangerous. = Clear Body Clear Mind from Church of Scientology. |
1,2 |
| LighterLife diet | Low-calorie meal-replacement diet with weekly counselling. | Yes. | Bad breath, a dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and constipation from cutting down on carbs and fibre. | Strict and probably unsustainable. Expensive. Medical supervision advised. | 1,2 |
| Low Carb Diet | One of various diets that have low carbohydrates. | Yes. | Breath odor, constipation, kidney stress and more. | See also Atkins Diet, Dukan Diet etc. | 1 |
| Mediterranean diet | Various diets mostly plant foods e.g. vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, olives, and olive oil some cheese, yogurt, fish, poultry, eggs, and wine. Low saturated fats. | Positive results expected - will depend on calorie intake. | Not expected. | A very healthy lifestyle and highly recommended. | 1, |
| Metabolic typing (Metabolism diet 1) | Diets based upon personal metabolism. | Validity and effectiveness in question | Depending on diet, beware of high animal fat and protein diets. | If it has any validity at all - much of it has been overemphasized and turned into a money making fad. | 1,2 |
| Metabolism diet 2 | Diets that claim to boost your metabolism. | Probably if calorie intake is below daily requirement. | Malnutrition. | Considered a fad. | 1,2 |
| Metformin (Glucophage) |
Decreases the amount of sugar the body absorbs from food and increases the body's response to insulin. | Positive reponses. | Gastrointestinal upset. Some patients can experience dangerously low blood sugar. |
Not a diet but a medication, although it can be combined with diets. It is an unnatural approach to diet but may be of value for patients with diabetes. Not a cure though. Long term use not recommended unless you are a diabetic patient. | 1, |
| Protein Diets | Diets that have protein as main food source - usually also low carbohydrates. | Often - depending on diet. | Breath odor,kidney stress and more. | Controversy exists. See also Atkins Diet. | 1,2 |
| QuickTrim Extreme Burn | Tablets that supposedly help burn calories, control cravings and provide natural energy. | Some users claim weight loss - little if any scientific data can be found. | Some reports of side effects - little data - niacin causes a warm sensation under the skin. | Not a diet but a supplement. Some ingredients have proved not to produce weight loss - others need more evaluation. |
1,2 |
| QuickTrim Iso-Burn | Caplets that are supposed to stimulate metabolism, burn calories and fat. | Doubtful. | Contains numerous substances including stimulants like caffeine and theobromine and bloodthinners e.g. willow bark (aspirin). May interact with certain medications.Studies have determined that chromium picolinate does not produce weight loss. | Very complex to evaluate - little data can be found or unbiased reviews in support of the product. | 1 |
| Qsymia | Contains phentermine and topiramate with a lifestyle modification program. | Yes. | Numerous: e.g. increased heart rate, increase in blood pressure, palpitations, restlessness,insomnia, cognitive deficits,birth defects and more. | Not a diet but a medication. Only to be used under the supervision of a physician. | 1,2,3 |
| Raw Food Diet (Vegetarian option) |
Based on believe that plant foods uncooked and unprocessed are the most wholesome for the body. | Aimed at healty living rather then weight loss. Weight loss often accompanies this lifestyle. | Possible B12 deficiency if diet is strictly vegetarian. | More data is probably needed but indications are that it is a healthy lifestyle in general. Some dietary shortages are likely due to lack of meat intake and other. | 1,2 |
| Rosemary Conley Diet | Combines a low-fat, low-GI diet with regular exercise. | Yes. | Not expected. | Offers a balanced approach to weight loss that teaches you about portion size, the importance of regular exercise for weight management and making healthier choices. | 1,2 |
| Scarsdale Diet |
Fast weight loss due to reduced caloric intake. | Yes. | Deficiencies possible on long term use - consult health practitioner first. | Extreme and rigid. | 1,2 |
| Slender Wonder Diet | Dietary component, a meal replacement shake and a variety of supplements. | Probably. | Malnutrition in the first three phases. Contains laxatives. Not recommended for long term use. More. | Mostly phase 4 seems to have merit. Quite expensive and similar results may be expected from a more economical approach. | 1 |
| Slim-Fast diet | Dietary supplements, including shakes, bars, snacks, packaged meals coupled with sensible meals and moderate daily physical exercise. | Yes | Not likely. | Meal replacements are often not sustainable. | 1,2 |
| Slimming World Diet | Eat foods that are lower in
calories but high in nutrients. |
Has a good record. | Not likely. | Has been around for 40 years + with many success stories. Avoids calorie counting which may be a good or a bad thing. | 1,2 |
| South Beach Diet | Replacing "Bad carb and bad fat" with "Good carb and good fat" Low GI Diet. | Yes. | Initial phase may have low carb symptoms: bad breath, a dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea possible electrolyte imbalance | First phase is rather extreme, healthy otherwise. | 1,2 |
| Subway Diet | Low calorie sandwiches and other foodstuffs at Subway fast food stores. | Yes if right foods are chosen. | Possible risk of calorie intake below daily requirement. Lack of certain vitamins/minerals on repeated use- take advice of health practitioner first. | Mostly an acceptable diet - variation is advised from other sources. | 1,2 |
| Tony Ferguson Diet | Meal replacement (soup or shake) and protein based meal. | Often. | Low carb symptoms including headaches, bad breath or cravings. | False statments e.g. about glucose low G.I. - could be a recommended diet in certain cases , but mostly regarded as unsustainable. | 1,2 |
| Ultrametabolism Diet (Nutrigenomics) | Choosing the right foods, will reduce your desire to overeat. | May have merit - effectiveness not been properly determined yet. | Not expected. | Mostly acceptable - does have controversial ideas e.g. "detoxify the body" Also does not stress physical exercise. | 1 |
| USN diet fuel | Meal replacement /supplement with additives. | No scientific data - long term use not likely sustainable. | Unlikely at recommended dosages and short term use. | Some ingredients have been used previously in weight loss products with conflicting data. | 1 |
| WeightWatchers diet | Points system, which gives a value to foods and drink based on protein, carbs, fat and fibre content. | Yes. | Unlikely. | Working out the points system can be as time consuming as counting calories. Some people feel pressured into purchasing WeightWatchers branded foods. | 1,2 |