Before we get into this topic at all, let's be very clear about one thing - there is no BEST diet for everyone. The actual diet (food choices) may work, but that doesn't mean you're going to follow it. There has to be a fit between the diet plan and your likes/dislikes and lifestyle. For example, the South Beach diet would be great for someone who likes all of the foods the suggest and enjoys the food preparation process. This particular plan involves a significant amount of cooking or preparation. If you're the kind of person that is always on the go or who hates cooking, you're probably not going to stay on this program for very long, no matter how well-intentioned you may be. And, there's nothing wrong with that. What works for you may not work for someone else.
If you're the kind of person who thrives on being told exactly what to eat and when to eat it, you probably want diet that is set up for you. All you have to do is eat what's on the plan. This takes a certain kind of person with discipline and the ability to follow directions. There are a lot of people who can lose weight like this. There are also a lot of people who will fail miserably on a program like this. Those people need choices, variety and the ability to go off-course once in a while.
You need to know yourself and how you work best. Before you start a program, get an idea of what kinds of foods are included and how the plan is set up. If you are a vegetarian or just don't like meat, there's no reason for you to even attempt the Atkins Diet - it's not going to work. Atkins is basically all proteins and fats, so you have to consume plenty of meat.
You should also take a look at your psychological/emotional situation. Are you the kind of person that suffers from depression or has deep seated issues surrounding food? Do you use food to comfort yourself? Do you lie about what you eat? Are you an unconscious eater who can down a bag of chips watching TV and not even know what happened? If you find yourself dealing with issues like this, you're going to need a program that addresses the emotional and psychological side of eating. You've probably tried to lose weight before and know exactly what you're supposed to do, but for some reason, you just can't stay on the right path. Without addressing some underlying issues, you're probably going to struggle with your weight for a long time. But, a program that tackles these issues may be exactly what you need to make a big change in your life. Many programs don't get into this, so it would be an exercise in futility to choose one of those. Those issues MUST be dealt with if you expect to have long-term weight loss success.
Exercise is another area that needs to be addressed. If you're the kind of person who absolutely dreads the thought of exercising, you probably won't enjoy a program like the Jillian Michaels plan that is full of activity. If you think you can handle some exercise, you'll probably want to pick a program with a moderate amount of activity. Who knows, you might even start to enjoy it as you lose weight and improve your level of fitness.
Again, pick a program that you think seems realistic for your lifestyle. The worst thing you can do is select a program you know in your heart is going to be very difficult for you to follow long-term. That will end up bad because you'll keep getting off your plan, which means it won't work as well, which will probably lead to frustration. As soon as you feel frustrated, you'll probably feel like you're a failure, which will eventually lead to a relapse of your old behaviors.
So, the key to choosing a diet is to investigate enough to figure out if it's going to be realistic for you. The purpose of this site is to give you objective reviews of different programs so you know what you're getting into ahead of time. The more you know going it, the better your chances are of having success with a weight loss program.
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