The 10 Best Diet Plans for Weight Loss

Losing weight has been my goal since I had my daughter.....9 ½ years ago! I find it hard to begin exercise programs, and when I do, I don't stick with them for long. In honor of the New Year, I have compiled a list of ten exercise programs that may help you (and I) achieve our dreams of shedding that extra weight that we have been carrying for way too long. I recommend incorporating some kind of activity three times a week. If it's too cold to take a walk outside, go to the mall and walk, walk, walk! Wear comfortable shoes and most importantly leave your credit cards and any cash over $20 at home! We don't need to develop a spending habit in addition to our eating habits. Another easy way to stay active is to put on music videos or dance music and dance around for twenty to thirty minutes. Remember to drink lots of water and take breaks if you need to (I do!).

1. If you're like me and you've been eating everything and anything without regard to nutritional content, you will want to begin dieting by implementing some sort of Cleansing Diet. The theory of this diet, is that you are carrying around excess pound in the form of hardened fecal matter, not to mention, your colon could use a good cleansing from all the unhealthy foods you may be putting in there. This diet consists of a fast of only broths, juices (except for citrus), and water for three to seven days. The downside is that you will feel weaker and slightly dizzy. This is why you only do this diet when you are off from work &/or school. The benefits are that in most cases your tummy is slightly flattened due to a decrease in bloating, you are no longer carry around as many toxins in your bloodstream, and it improves your hair, nails, and complexion. Also, this is a good way to transition from eating unhealthy to incorporating healthier eating habits. Three to seven days will give you a chance to get rid of those cravings for chips, sweets, and caffeine.

2. The Lunchbox Diet is the new diet by personal trainer Simon Lovell. It has been featured in Elle magazine and is slowly becoming the new diet of 2009. By grazing out of a lunchbox filled with 60% vegetables, 30% lean proteins, and 10% dressing throughout the day, you keep your metabolism up, curb cravings, and it keeps you from running to the snack machine for a Debbie cake during high intensity work days. His 10-page ebook will be available in paperback on January 5th, 2009. You can preorder now by clicking here.

3. The Engine 2 Diet is a vegetarian diet perfect for anyone who wants to lose weight. This diet originated when a firefighter tested his cholesterol found it was an extremely high 300. This forced him and his fellow firefighters to change their high meat and fried food diets, or risk eventual heart attacks. Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan That Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds

by Rip Esselstyn, will be published in February 2009 and will be available for under $20.

4. The Biggest Loser television show is extremely motivational and shows real life people following this diet plan:

Breakfast: 1 fruit, 2 grains, 1 dairy

Morning Snack: 1 protein, 1 fruit

Lunch: 2 proteins, 2 vegetable, 1 grain, 1 sauce

Afternoon: Snack 1 vegetable, 1 Sauce

Dinner: 2 proteins, 2 vegetables, 1 grain, 1 sauce

Evening Snack: 1 fruit, 1 dairy

I like this diet, because it's self explanatory and easy to substitute. There is so much choice in this diet plan. For instance, two proteins gives you the option of hamburger meat, chicken, fish, lamb, pork, tuna, or steak. Try to buy lean meats if that option is available at your local grocery store.

5. Based on the theory (fact?) that we all cheat at some point when dieting, The Cheater's Diet allows you to take time off every week to eat whatever you want. I know you're thinking, so what's the point of dieting in the first place? First of all, when you diet all the time, your body's metabolism adjusts since you are no longer consuming as many calories. By 'flooding' your body with some extra calories every one in awhile, it is less likely that your metabolism will drop. Second of all, these 36 free hours of eating, does not mean for you to pile on the calories. It means you can have something that is off limits during the week such as a slice of pizza for lunch and maybe ice cream later on.

The only rule is not to eat anything that will trigger a binge. If you're a McDonald's junkie, don't have a Big Mac during your free time. You could just as easily eat pasta or a club sandwich and feel like your splurging a little. Then again, if you're a pasta freak and didn't really frequent fast food, have a little fast food. It all needs to be individualized. Stay away from French fries! They are so addicting!

6. It is possible that you are eating foods contrary to your natural biological ability to digest them. Based on Peter D'Adamo's best-seller, Eat Right 4 Your Type, the Blood Type Diet works biochemically in accordance with your blood type. A friend of mine used to feel weak all the time and after reading this book, cut out all wheat products and saw noticeable improvement in her energy level.

Having type A blood which seems to derive from ancestors who were cultivator and gatherers instead of the hunters of type O, I notice I feel better when I eat more vegetable than meats. Eating too many meats makes me feel sick to my stomach. If you don't know your blood type you can order it Here for $9.95.

7. Calorie counting is another favorite diet plan of mine. This diet plan makes so much sense to me: If I consume less than 1600 calories, I lose weight; If I consume more calories, I gain weight. You can calculate how many calories you need to maintain your weight by clicking Here. Once you've determined this number, count the calories of everything you consume for a couple of days to get an accurate picture of your current eating habits. A Food Diary is recommended before starting any diet plan since so many of us don't realize how much we are eating. After you do this, then you will see where you need to cut back.

For instance, while one whole egg, scrambled, only has 102 calories, egg beaters only has 30 calories per serving. I like the egg beaters with cheese which is only 35 calories per serving. Surprisingly, they don't taste any different to me and keep in the refrigerator for almost a month. The most ideal place to reduce your calories is sodas and sweets. Have a diet soda instead: 0 calories as opposed to 150 calories in a 12oz Coca-Cola.

You can still have your sweets in this diet plan by pinching calories in other areas and consuming low-calorie sweets. I really like the 100 calorie packs that Nabisco, Keebler, Hostess, and other companies have put out. Note also that calories for vegetables range from 5 to 50 calories per half cup. Remember to spritz vegetables with olive oil spray instead of piling on the butter so that calories are kept to a minimum.

8. For those who have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or family history of heart disease, then you should really try a Low Fat diet. Even if you're not even trying to lose that much weight, this is a great way to reduce the risks of heart disease. I like this diet because there are so many tasty low-fat choices in the supermarket now. For instance, I buy low-fat mayonnaise, low-fat jello, low-fat cheese, and 2% milk and it really helps me to feel better about what I am eating.

The only thing that could make this diet not work would be if you began to consume low-fat foods, while continuing your intake of junk food and sodas. Eat low fat desserts instead, just remember to consume in moderation. Get rid of all lard and butters and start using olive oil. It is a little expensive, but I find coupons for olive oil in the Sunday paper. Try to cut out all fried foods and instead bake, steam, or boil your meats and vegetables.

9. Yes, I'm finally going to address it: Low Carb diets. These diets bother me a bit because of the high amount of animal fats consumed by eating a lot of meats. There are good fats, and there are bad fats; animal fat is a bad fat. It raises cholesterol and can build up in your arteries eventually blocking or reducing blood flow. For instance, your allowed to eat bacon in this diet, but bacon has serious consequence for people who are high risk for heart disease. Please choose healthy lean meats if you are going to do this diet. That being said, I think Robert Atkins is really on to something here, and many many people who don't live active lifestyles have lost weight on this program. I also think this may be a good diet for diabetic prone people, as carbohydrates turn into sugar, which turns into fat if we don't use that sugar for energy.

10. The last diet is easy to do and very practical for those who consume a lot of fast food. It's called the Fast Food Diet and is tailored to work around your current eating habits instead of radically changing them. You can still eat fast food, but try to avoid fried foods and educate yourself regarding the fat and calorie content. Many fast food restaurants publish their nutritional values online. This diet also recommends that you eat fast food only when you have too and that you try to bring a sandwich or lean cuisine to work on other days.