Which Diet Plan Is Best? Study's Surprising Results
As the old year comes to a close and everyone begins to look
forward to the beginning of a New Year, many people are also
anticipating the beginning of their New Year's resolutions. For
numerous individuals, New Year's resolutions will involve vows
to cut back on their food intake, get on a diet and exercise
regimen and drop at least a few pounds. The question that hangs
in the air for those who are anticipating the start of a new
diet lies in exactly which diet might happen to be right for
them and which diet holds the key to helping them lose the most
weight.
Certainly, there are numerous diets available and it seems like
every few months a new diet or eating plan has emerged to become
the new successful diet rage. Is it possible that all the
'popular' diets can help you lose weight or are there certain
diets that can help you lose more weight than others?
This is the question that a group of researchers set out to
answer recently. Over a period of two months, 160 individuals
were monitored closely as they followed a supervised program.
The varying factor among all 160 program participants was that
they were allowed to choose whichever diet suited their fancy.
Researchers waited and watched in anticipation to learn which
diet or diets would prove to be most successful.
What they learned at the conclusion of the study proved to be
quite interesting. The data they collected not only helped them
to learn more about which diet programs tend to be more
successful in terms of total weight loss but also which diet
programs more individuals were more likely to stick with for
long term weight loss and maintenance.
While the study participants were allowed to choose their
favorite diet plan, most participants opted for one of the
following: Atkins, Weight Loss, Ornish and the Zone. Even though
initial data was conducted after just two months, researchers
continued to study the remaining participants. They discovered
that after a period of time more than half of those participants
who opted for diet plans that focused on low carbs and high fat,
such as the Atkins plan, dropped out. Additionally,
approximately the same percentage of individuals who chose the
Ornish plan, which focuses on low fat and high carb vegetarian
foods, also quit their diets. Weight Watchers participants fared
moderately better, with about two-thirds of that group's
participants sticking with it. The Zone participants showed
similar results.
So, which diet plans performed best overall in terms of total
weight loss? Surprisingly, they all performed about the same.
Those individuals participating in the Ornish plan who were able
to stick with their diet for the entire year achieved a weight
loss rate of about 6%; the highest of all groups. Atkins came in
at about 4%, with Weight Watchers and the Zone performing at an
average of 5% weight loss. Health risk factors related to
obesity were an entirely different matter; however. In terms of
heart disease risk, Weight Watchers participants decreased their
risk by 15%, while other diet plans hovered in the 12% range.
The Ornish diet plan participants, who showed a higher overall
weight loss, showed a lower decrease in risk of heart disease,
at just 7%.
Overall; however, researchers concluded that in the end, there
is no one magic diet. If you're planning to resolve to lose
weight in the New Year, your best strategy is still the same
regardless of which diet plan you ultimately choose. Eat
sensibly, cut back on portions, drink plenty of water,
participate in a moderate exercise routine and find a diet buddy
to support you in your weight loss goals.