Weight Loss: What Works, What Doesn't, a Review of Diet Plans

You've tried so many diets you don't want to think about attempting another one. There are just too many of them to choose from. Having gone from a size 16 to a size 7, I offer you the knowledge I gained without the pain I suffered in the process. Before going any further you should know that you must add exercise to any program you choose. It can be as simple as walking on a daily basis or as complex as hiring a trainer, it's up to you, but you must burn more calories than you take in. You should also inform your doctor of any diet plan you attempt so he can watch for any fundamental changes in your health. That being said, I have personally tried all of the diets and programs in this article and present my opinions on the successes or failures of each.

The Grapefruit Diet: I ate nothing but grapefruit and water for 2 meals a day for two excruciating weeks with a small dinner consisting of 4 oz. protein and another grapefruit. The first few days weren't too bad, I really like grapefruit. Then it became pure drudgery to swallow them. I lost a few pounds, nothing to brag about and those pounds came back as soon as I returned to a normal diet. Additionally, my face broke out from too much acid. I do not recommend this diet at all.

Molasses Diet: This is one to run from. Essentially, it is supposed to detox your body - flush it completely out. A mixture of molasses, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and water is ingested every 1-2 hours a day for 10 days. This is more of a fast than a diet but it will jump start the weight loss process. This is not a very pleasant way to lose weight or too fast. It is however a great way to cleanse the body. You can achieve the same effect by purchasing a cleansing program at your local pharmacy or health food store and avoid the nasty taste of this drink.

Nutrisystem: Probably one of the most advertised diet plans on the market today. Nutrisystem provides planned meals which cuts out all calorie counting; all you have do is eat your daily meals and snacks according to your plan and exercise. The foods are not terrible but neither are they that great either. They do tend to get boring quickly unless you do a lot of spicing up and creating with them. The drawbacks are that the plan is very expensive and you still have to add milk, vegetables and other items to complete the meals. This diet will help you lose the weight; however, any diet based on the Glycemic Index will help you lose weight. For success this diet is above average if you can 1) stand to keep eating the food, and 2) can afford the expense.

The Atkins Plan: At first, this sounds like a good idea, and for some people it may work. Give up carbohydrates and then work the good ones back into your diet slowly. However, my experience was that I suffered low blood sugars. My body could not hold its blood sugar level on protein alone and I would become very dizzy. I can't say whether or not you lose weight because I was not able to go further than two days on this plan. I would advise, as with any diet, to make sure your physician is aware of your diet plans.

The Cabbage Soup Diet: This one is actually not that bad. You make a big stockpot of cabbage soup using a given recipe. Each day on the diet you eat a different food or combination of foods and all the cabbage soup you want. If you like cabbage soup it is an easy diet to follow. My experience has been to drop 7-10 pounds in a 14 day period (2 cycles of the 7 day plan). The secret is to of course keep the weight off by going from this diet to sensible eating; otherwise you gain it all right back. You can find the details and recipe for the diet by Goggling "cabbage soup diet" or visiting www.aboutcabbagesoupdiet.com. Overall, I like this plan.

Weight Watchers: Weight Watchers is one of the oldest, most successful diet plans around. It is now even easier to use due to the Internet. www.weightwatchers.com offers community groups, recipes, points plans and plenty of support. I found the point plan to work very well, however, I am not one who likes to share stories and count everything I eat or drink. If you don't mind counting points and you like talking with others online, Weight Watchers is the perfect plan. You can choose what to eat without having to spend a fortune and you can add in items you like just by counting the points. For example, eat fewer points at lunch so you can have a bigger dinner. Weight Watchers worked for me very well, I just didn't like counting everything I ate so I gave it up.

Appetite Suppressants: There are many appetite suppressants available both prescription and non-prescription. They all have their pros and cons. I have tried many over the counter and prescription and tend to stick to the prescription medications.

My experience has been wonderful under a doctor's care using Phentermine (Adipex). It is only available with a prescription and should not be ordered online through foreign pharmacies because you have no way of knowing if you are getting the actual medication. Phentermine works in two ways; it increases your metabolism and curbs your appetite.

You can obtain Phentermine through your family doctor if he is willing to go down that avenue with you, some doctors are not. You can also go to a Bariatric doctor who specializes in weight loss. I have tried both and I prefer my family doctor. Not only does he know my medical history completely, he is concerned about my total health, not just the weight loss. Phentermine helped me to lose over 50 pounds in 6 months, I didn't feel sickly; I didn't count calories or points; I didn't spend a lot of money on specialty foods and I wasn't hungry. The only expense was the medication because insurance doesn't cover weight loss medication.

Over the counter appetite suppressants can be helpful in a weight loss program. Those with Hoodia in them tend to work better than some of the other products. As with any medication, do your research and ask your doctor before adding supplements that may not mix with other medications you are taking.

High protein shakes: There are many clinics and online programs that offer a diet consisting of a combination of appetite suppressant, high-protein shakes and soups as meal replacements and one small evening meal. These plans do work and they work quickly. The drawback is that when you return your body to solid foods it is a struggle not to gain weight. This plan conditions your body to a liquid diet with very little solids or carbohydrates. Adding them back in can cause you to actually gain more than you lost. If this program works for you, there are online websites that offer the shakes and soups, it just takes a little research to find them.

My quest for, and eventual success in, weight loss has taught me several things. There is not an easy, fast solution for losing weight. You must exercise and burn more calories than you are consuming. For me, an appetite suppressant under the care of my doctor led to me successfully losing my weight. Keeping it off is a matter of lifestyle changes. You can lose weight you have to decide to and stick to your decision.