There are so many diets on the market at the moment that it becomes difficult to know which ones to give a go, which diets are easy to follow and which ones actually work. This article aims to give a basic run down of the types of diets that are available at the moment, and how they work.

Meal Replacement Diets

These diets include the likes of Tony Ferguson Weight Loss Program and Kate Morgan Weight Loss Program. These diets work by having a calorie controlled weight loss drink once of twice a day and then supplemented with a balanced diet. These diets have tended to result in significant weight loss in the short term. The problem with these diets is that it can be difficult to maintain. The drinks also don’t work in well with social habits in terms of eating out. Common side effects of these diets are constipation. These diets can definitely work, however make sure you also keep up with your recommend servings of fruit and vegetables.

Detox Diets

There are many detox diets out there on the market and the most common is the Lemon Detox Diet. These detox diets remove saturated fats from your diet, as well as refined sugars, however there is little evidence to show it actually removes ‘toxins’ from the body. These diets are extremely calorie restricted. For instance the Lemon Detox Diet would involve having 6 drinks a day, and nothing else. Each of these drinks only has 100 calories in them, so anyone who sticks to this will lose a substantial amount of weight. The problems is that the fast weight loss throws the body into starvation mode and the bodies metabolic rate slows down significantly. Once the diet is finished, weight will be put back and fat will replace what was once muscle. Dieters should be very careful before embarking on these diets and do so under doctors supervision.

Fad Diets

There are so many fad diets on the market that it is almost impossible to keep count. The cabbage diet or the grapefruit diet are two of these. Most fad diets can be identified by the promise of fast weight loss. The problem with any fad diet is that fast weight loss is almost never sustainable and will invariably lead to weight gain and the yo-yo weight effects that dieters experience from going on to many diets.

Healthy Balanced Diets

These are not the diets that people get excited about, however they have always had the best long term results. These will diets that include at least 5 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit a day, and a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Some good examples of these diets are Australian Lifestyle & Fitness, CSIRO and Low GI Diet. The focus is on moderating calorie intake but still achieving a balanced diet.

By: Michael Jenkins

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