2010 Weight Loss Plans

2010 was the year to get healthy. Going green, eating locally, organic food, recycling, gardening and eating your own food, the list goes on and on. This was a wonderful thing for so many people. But it was also a temporary thing for many people once they realized that their life of processed foods and milkshakes was a distant memory.

Watching my friends and family try different things, a few things came to mind. First, a temporary diet never works. But nobody listens when I offer this advice! I shall let the evidence of their year speak for itself. I chose 5 people (whom shall remain nameless to protect my well being) and their chosen diets (which shall be disclosed). Let's see what worked and what did NOT work for 2010.

1. Juicing your foods. Yeah, this seemed like a great idea to Montel. So people started to follow suit. Remember when you tried it way back when with Jack Lalanne and it didn't work for you? It is probably not going to work now either. On the scale of 1 to 10, this method is given a 4. It can work if it is adhered to, like any other diet. But there not a single person that I have yet to meet that chooses to drink their food every day for the rest of their lives.

2. South Beach Diet. This is a great diet that can really work if you work it. You have to eat 5 full meals a day and not graze or snack on anything. There are carbohydrates that are good for you and you can learn which ones to avoid. On the scale of 1 to 10, I give this method a 6. If followed and adopted as a new lifestyle, this diet will work and create a thinner and healthier you!

3. Weight Watchers. This is a program that has been in existence for ages. You can attend meetings to weigh in and discuss your progress with others also trying to lose weight. There are no special meal packages that have to be purchased, and you can measure food that is sold at every store. This makes it convenient and easy for almost anyone. The downside is that you can use all of your points on a Snickers bar if you so choose. This makes eating junk food justifiable, though it makes each person accountable for their choices. On the scale of 1 to 10 I give this method a 6. If you can really stick to your allowed calories for the day and not go over your points, you can lose weight and keep it off. However, the education and skills required for success are lacking details and clarity.

4. Jenny Craig. All of those celebrities look so great after eating this pre-packaged and delivered food for months and months. But there is a lot to think about here. On average, for 1 person, this will run about $400 a month. You do not eat other foods and this limits not only your kitchen and entertaining at home, but one's eating out habits. On a scale of 1 to 10 I give this a 2. If you are single and eat at home every night, this may work temporarily. If you have a family and a life, it is not likely that this will work.

5. The Mayo Clinic Diet. A new book that came out in 2010 revealing habits that work and habits that do not work for everyone. Included is a journal and guide to follow for 10 weeks. If you are under the impression that after these 10 weeks you can put the book down and go back to what was not working before, you will gain the weight back. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this a 9. This is a book about health and lifestyle changes. It is dependent on nothing besides getting and staying healthy. You do not have to go to meetings, pay for pre-packaged foods, or drink your dinner.

With these plans in mind, you can research them or others and decide what will fit into your life, what will work for you, and what you are willing to sacrifice in the name of healthy living.