The Top 10 Diet Plans for 2009!

This guide is provided as a resource in hopes of helping you decide which path is correct for you. Personally I define diet as the process of choosing how to eat, a way of life, not something one does to just lose weight. Dieting is a never ending cycle when looked at from the perspective of losing those unwanted inches, the belief system that is developed from this process is debilitating. With that said, what is provided here are the resources to help you move beyond just losing weight to creating a healthier life over all so that you will not ever have to "diet" again. Remember it takes time to lose weight, to develop change for the better. Bad habits come quicker than healthy habits, but they both take time to develop. The same energy you put into honing either type of habit is the same, as is the thought process, it just seems more difficult.

Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.

This is a lifetime plan, a way of life, not a "lose the weight" diet. The Atkins Nutritional Approach™ is designed to reduce the carbohydrates that are not beneficial in a healthy diet. This is a scientifically designed approach to learning how to eat balanced and nutritional foods, this one requires a commitment to change not only the way you eat, but the way you view food. There is a wealth of support at the website, including a community so that no one has to travel the path alone.

Weight Watchers

This is another lifestyle change; the website is filled with information, community involvement and operates on a point system. The Weight Watchers' brand food can be found in your local stores, if not check out the site and find the store locator. Their program is not free, it is fee based. Attend meetings, meet with others who are seeking to lose weight and change the way they live, develop a support system.

South Beach Diet

This program offers three stages to the plan, beginning with the kick start weight loss and elimination of cravings, to the maintenance for a lifestyle change. As with the previous two diet plans there are books and foods available for purchase. The website contains much of the same information, including recipes, support options, and other tools.

The Zone Diet

This is a way of life that supports not only the long-term loss of fat, but helps build muscles, increase health and immunity. The site hosts a variety of informational resources, supplements, books, fitness information, and a community where there is ongoing support with others who are working on the same goals. Membership to this site is free.

Jenny Craig

We have all seen the celeb's on television talking about doing Jenny Craig, each with their own targets and visions for themselves. This program targets a way of life, learning how to see self in a healthier way and how to develop a healthy style of eating to be the healthiest one can be. Visit the website, look over the food plans, and decide if this is the right one for you. There is a community of like-minded individuals and there are counselors who work with you every step of the way.

Nutrisystem

The Nutrisystem program offers four plans, including one for vegetarians to enroll in. They will deliver the food to your door, men and women will want to take a look at this program. There is a community here as well where you can share and receive support from others. Again this program is designed to help you learn how to change your lifestyle and become the healthiest you can.

Eat Right 4 Your Type

This lifestyle plan is designed according to blood type, with each of the four basic blood types there are specific body differences. The purpose of this plan is to help you to learn which foods are the most beneficial; the information covers the differences in body types based upon the blood type. As with all these programs there is a community of like-minded individuals to join and discuss the success and not so successful days.

The Genotype Diet

An evolution of the Eat Right 4 Your Type diet, this one targets you genotype and is a bit more detailed in the information. The genotypes are explained as well as the way they ate, and how you can make adjustments to meet your ancestors to maintain health and vitality. There is a way to know your genotype and by visiting the site you will discover it.

Body Building for You

This is one of those plans where you not only learn to eat healthier and make the change for life, but you also learn how to build lean muscle and create a toned body. The link is to the Acai berry information, rather than pulling up the advertised gimmicks for this fruit as a diet food, I included this instead. The information is real, unbiased and offers the history as well as the nutritional information about this fruit. Some terrific information!

Gastric Banding

This is listed last because I am not a great fan of surgery as a fix for poor eating habits. I do not mean poor in the sense of an insult, only learned behaviors in regards to poor habits. However, it has its pros as well as cons, hence it is here. The benefits to gastric banding is that it shrinks up the stomach faster and can make the person feel full, thus cutting back on the amount of food eaten. This is, to me, only a temporary solution and needs to be used with a good food plan to promote lifestyle change. I say that because I know a couple of women who use the band alone and they suffer hernias, as well as some other complications. The site listed is only one of thousands, so read the information, get informed.

As with all of the above, if you have health issues be sure you stay in touch with your doctor, do not use any of these as a substitute for medical supervision or assist. Obesity is a problem in this country, the statistics are staggering. Take it from me, walk more, stretch more, even if you are couch or bed ridden there are exercises to do in order to facilitate healing and muscle development for the body, heart and lungs. Simply stretching is a good one, it helps keep the kinks from pestering you.