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Weight loss: Choosing a diet that's right for you
Look for a safe and effective weight-loss program
Content
Involve your doctor in your weight-loss efforts
Consider your personal needs
Look for a safe, effective weight-loss program
What are the options?
Ask yourself these questions when evaluating weight-loss plans
The keys to weight-loss success
What are the options?
The table below lists some of the more common diets. There's overlap, but most plans can be grouped into a few major categories.
Studies comparing different weight-loss programs have found that most programs result in weight loss in the short term compared with no program. Weight-loss differences between diets are generally small.
| Diet type and examples | Flexible | Nutritionally balanced | Sustainable for long term |
|---|---|---|---|
| DASH = Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, HMR = Health Management Resources. | |||
| Balanced (DASH, Mayo Clinic, Mediterranean, Weight Watchers) | Yes. No foods are off-limits. | Yes. | Yes. Emphasis is on making permanent lifestyle changes. |
| High protein (Dukan, Paleo) | No. Emphasizes lean meats, dairy. | Deficiencies are possible on very restrictive plans. | Possibly. But the diet may be hard to stick to over time. |
| Low carb (Atkins, South Beach) | No. Carbs are limited; fats or proteins or both are emphasized. | Deficiencies are possible on very restrictive plans. | Possibly. But the diet may be hard to stick to over time. |
| Low fat (Ornish) | No. Total fat is limited; most animal products are off-limits. | Yes. | Possibly. But the diet may be hard to stick to over time. |
| Meal replacement (Jenny Craig, HMR, Medifast, Nutrisystem, SlimFast) | No. Replacement products take the place of one or two meals a day. | Possibly. Balance is possible if you make healthy meal choices. | Possibly. Cost of products varies; some can be cost prohibitive. |
| Very low calorie (Optifast) | No. Calories are severely limited, typically to 800 or fewer calories a day. | No. | No. Diet is intended only for short-term use with medical supervision. |
