Pros & Cons Of Popular Diets

Some health and fitness experts comment about the following diets:

Jenny Craig (ready-made meals and snacks without thinking)
Pros - A balanced, calorie-controlled diet with weekly consultations in-person or by phone.
Cons - The meals can get expensive and repetitive. You might learn a bit about portion control, but not how to count calories on your own.

The Zone (one gram of fat, two of protein, three of carbs)
Pros - These are generally healthy, balanced meals promoting fat loss and reducing cholesterol
Cons - Grain-based carbs are lumped in with fruits and veggies, and delivered meals can get expensive.

Weight Watchers (based on a points system)
Pros - Information-driven discussions, weigh-ins, food tracking journals, online options, and meetings for support. people can stay on it for years and keep lean.
Cons - You have to pay for meetings, tools cost extra, and even though all foods have points they don't necessarily have nutritional value.

Mediterranean Diet (olive oil, veggies, even red wine)
Pros - Linked to several health benefits like a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, home cooking makes it relatively inexpensive, and flavorful foods will keep you from feeling deprived.
Cons - you can overdo calories and fats if you're not careful.

South Beach Diet (a strict, three-phase program)
Pros - A diet that most can follow if they stick to the rules.
Cons - The diet is too restrictive and unhealthy in the first two phases and lacks essential nutrients. Don't start this diet if you're not going to finish.

Atkins (Increase proteins, limit carbs)
Pros - A quick shed of pounds can be encouraging, but it's water weight first.
Cons - Long-term health effects of excess protein include high cholesterol, kidney abnormalities and possibly even cancer risks