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The most healthy weight-loss diets tend to:
- Focus on balanced nutrition.
- Be maintainable over time.
- Decrease the total calories eaten.
- Involve increased exercise.
Research shows that although some diets do work, the effect tends not to last and most people regain much of the weight they lost whilst dieting.
The key factors
Studies of people who have lost at least 13kg and kept it off for over a year point to ongoing lifestyle changes as the key factor for long term success.
Other important points about sustaining weight loss from this research:
- You don't have to follow a formal diet to lose weight (but it does help for some people).
- Restriction of calorie intake is needed. Different types of food restriction may be used (e.g. concentrating on lowering fat, or on purely calorie counting). This needs to continue once target weight loss is achieved.
- Eat a healthy breakfast every morning.
- Exercise regularly and vigorously for an hour a day on most days of the week.
- Continue exercising after the weight loss phase has ended (walking being the most popular exercise).
- Monitor your weight regularly.
Dietary supplements
There is no consensus that taking dietary supplements helps in losing weight and maintaining weight loss.
Some popular diets
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Weight Watchers
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Uses a points system for food. Gives choice but achieves calorie restriction. Support groups and food journaling provided.
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Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution
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Concentrates on low carbohydrate eating rather than fat restriction. |
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The South Beach Diet
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Avoid high-glycemic index foods. This is felt to help the body's insulin system work more effectively. Wide range of healthy food allowed. |
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The Zone
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Eat a precise ratio of carbohydrates to fat to protein to maximise weight loss and health. |
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Dr Ornish: Eat More Weigh Less
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Very low fat, high complex carbohydrate diet, avoiding all meat, nuts, oils and alcohol. |
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Jenny Craig
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Nutritionally balanced food to buy with support to make lifestyle changes. |
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