Not all popular weight loss diets are totally risk-free. The Zone Diet popularized by biochemist Barry Sears advocates consuming calories from carbohydrates, protein and fat within a balanced ratio of 40:30:30, respectively. On one hand, there is certainly some sense in what Sears says, as he suggests chicken and turkey over fattier bacon and pepperoni, in addition to vegetable and fruit carbohydrates over potatoes and other starches.

Individuals like this weight loss program because they understand portion size and don't have to count calories, they can apply this to their vegetarian diet, they take in more complex carbs, and they exercise and eat healthier omega 3 fatty acids. However, there are a few constraints -- no caffeine and only one glass of wine per day is permitted for alcohol. Critics of this diet say it may not be healthy to increase protein to 30% (past the standard 15-20%) because the kidneys can become taxed. Also, there isn't any scientific evidence to support Sears' theories, beyond his own research. Additionally, significantly lowering caloric intake below 1,200 just isn't nutritionally sound, experts say.

The Mediterranean Diet isn't like other weight reduction diets in that it's according to what individuals residing in the Mediterranean naturally eat, as opposed to concentrating on countless restrictions. You probably know this, the American diet is packed with fried foods, greasy foods, salt and sugar. In comparison, the Mediterranean people take in more fish, red wine, grains, vegetables and olive oils to live longer and healthier lives. Workouts are a vital part of this diet also. Using this method of eating encourages eating natural weight loss foods with relatively low saturated fat, refined carbohydrate intake and higher fiber and mono-unsaturated fat. Within the Lyon Heart Diet Study, people who had suffered previous heart attacks found that increasing vitamin C rich fruits by 20% and minimizing processed/red meat lowered mortality by 70%.

Another study published inside the British Medical Journal (5/29/08) found that the Cretan, Italian and Greek diets lowered the risk of diabetes by 83%. Cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's are other diseases that see a large reduction when this far superior diet is adopted. There are no real negatives to this diet except that its flexibility might not have enough order for everyone. If you need assistance, you may want to get one of the books with Mediterranean meal plans to relieve any confusion. Also, for anyone who is particularly active, you should be sure to add more complex carbohydrates and protein to your weight loss diets.