Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Weight Loss Programs

Weight Loss Programs: Advantages and Criticisms

Pritikin Principle Diet, Sugar Busters Diet, DASH Diet, Protein Power Diet, Warriors Diet, Volumetrics Diet, Akins Diet, Exchange Plans Diet, Pritikin Diet, Vegan Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, Beverley Hills Diet, Zone Diet, Macrobiotic Diet, Herbalife Diet, Sugar Busters Diet, South Beach Diet, Nutrisystem Diet… are some of the Weight Loss Programs that are being offered to people who want to lose weight. This not even a complete list. There are a host of other diet programs promising a new you after a specific time period.

Each of these Weight Loss Programs offers something different to consumers. Some may be similar in their basic principles, but each of them has unique qualities that other diet programs do not have. One thing good about this proliferation of diet programs in the country is the fact that consumers are given more freedom to choose what they want depending on the lifestyle that they lead, their budget and of course their eating habits.

Some Weight Loss Programs , for instance, will literally starve you to death during the first few weeks. For people who also work, this type of diet is disastrous because it might affect the way you perform at work. There are also programs that are mightily expensive because meals are especially prepared for the clients. If there are budget constraints, this type of Weight Loss Programs is not for you.

It is important that you consider all these aspects before availing of any program. Better yet, see a doctor for an expert’s opinion on what kind of Weight Loss Programs is good for you. Below are some of the diet programs in the market. Take a look and read on their advantages and disadvantages.

In Weight Watchers, people under the program will have to abide by a 10 point calorie counting so as to lose a prescribed weight. To achieve this, every food imaginable are given ratings as to how much calories meals contain. It also features monthly meetings and support groups that help each other cope with the system.

So far, the method has proven to be effective. Weight watchers is one of the most successful Weight Loss Programs in the country. One disadvantage of this diet program is the fact that counting calories every time you eat can be such a drag. Other misgivings that members undergoing the diet program is the fact that some members may not find monthly meetings and the weigh-ins amusing.

Atkins diet on the other hand started as a diet for people who are suffering from hypertension. Developed by Dr. Robert Atkins, it is characterized by a four-phase diet that is low in carbohydrates and high in protein.

One advantage of this is the fact that fats are indeed burned and water content is reduced. One health hazard that practitioners of the program should watch out for is the initial decrease in the level energy because of the less carbohydrate intake. The protein diet can also bring much stress in the liver.

Pritikin diet is another Weight Loss Programs that has enjoyed large following in the United States. Started in 1976, the diet is characterized by what is called the Caloric Density Solution, which is a low fat diet that is especially designed for people who have heart ailments and hypertension.

This Weight Loss Programs is purely low in fat, low in cholesterol. What is good about this diet is the fact that it incorporates the exercise into the program. One criticism about this program is the fact that it is so simple and basic that anyone can do the diet even without enrolling into the program.