With so many diet plans and books on the market how do you choose which one to follow? Which diets will work for you? In this review I will give a brief review of some of the most popular diets on the market today. After reading the review you will be able to decide which plans are appropriate for you.

The following is an excerpt from Knowledge and Nonsense and also appeared in Planet Muscle.

Atkins’ New Diet Revolution

Robert C. Atkins is the founder of Atkins’ New Diet Revolution. Atkins is also the founder and former director of the Atkins Complimentary Medicine in New York City.

The diet is a low carb high fat diet with no restrictions on fat intake. The diet begins with an induction phase (ranging from 2-36 weeks) limiting carb intake to only 20 g/d. The consumption of fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables, and dairy other than cheese, cream or butter are prohibited in this phase of the diet. There are two phases following the induction phase where daily carb intake is increased in weekly increments of 5gms & 10gms. Then comes the maintenance phase.

Proponents of high-fat, low-CHO diets dismiss the notion that caloric intake is important to either weight gain or weight loss (this is a ridiculous statement). They claim that “most overweight individuals do not overeat” (if you believe this you need a brain transplant), even as they suggest that high-CHO meals leave individuals less satisfied than meals that contain adequate fat, resulting in increased hunger and increased food intake. With respect to weight loss, Atkins claims that on a low CHO diet there are “metabolic advantages that will allow overweight individuals to eat as many calories as they were eating before starting the diet yet still lose pounds and inches”. Furthermore, proponents contend overproduction of insulin, driven by high CHO intake, is the cause of the metabolic imbalance that underlies obesity (the over exaggeration of insulin’s role in obesity is commonly promoted by many of today’s most popular nutrition gurus, needless to say this issue has been blown out of proportion and is only one factor in weight gain).

Studies cited by Atkins to support his contentions were of limited duration, conducted on a small number of people, lacked adequate controls, and used ill-defined diets. Some of these, as well as other studies actually refute the contention that low-CHO diets, in the absence of energy restriction, provide a metabolic advantage. Early studies on a limited number of obese men and women indicate individuals consuming low-CHO diets reduce overall caloric intake and lose weight. High protein in combination with low calcium intake could be detrimental to bone health. Another important consideration is the water loss that occurs with the Atkins plan. In the early stages of the diet you can expect a substantial loss in water (due to glycogen depletion, for every gram of glycogen you store you also store 2.8 – 3.5 gms of water). Believing there are some magical metabolic advantages to this diet is a fallacy and not supported by Primary Scientific data. Numerous studies have indicated a big reduction of calories (below maintenance requirements) when following low carb diets.

The newest version of the diet promotes the intake of high-fiber foods; which is a good thing. The diet also made many people realize dietary fat is not the sole reason people are fat.

In conclusion, if you can stick to the food recommendations and function well while following a ketogenic diet the Atkins diet may be for you. Athletes using the Atkins’ diet should be highly cautious as performance may suffer (primarily this occurs in glycolytic athletes, yet not always). Any diet that results in weight loss generally enhances health markers. If you are following the Atkins plan and are not dropping weight pay close attention to lipid levels. Numerous studies have shown that in absence of weight loss ketogenic diets may be detrimental to blood lipids levels, while ketogenic diets that result in weight loss are good for blood lipid levels. If you are gaining weight (yes it is possible) reduce calories further or try something different.

South Beach Diet

Arthur Agatston, MD, created this diet. His specialty is heart imaging and he is an associate professor of medicine at the Miami School of Medicine.

The first phase of the diet includes a 14-day initiation to “rid yourself of your sugar addiction”. Consumption of fruit, bread, pasta, baked goods, dessert and alcohol are prohibited in the initiation phase. In the second phase lower GI-fruit and lower GI-starches are permitted. Once target weight is reached you go into the maintenance phase. If weight gain occurs while in the maintenance phase repeat phase one.

The diet relies too much on the glycemic index of foods in an attempt to control obesity. When you look at the studies comparing low-GI diets to high-GI diets there appears to be little difference in weight loss assuming the calories are the same. The satiating affects of single meal low-GI foods compared to high-GI meals are indecisive. There is a wide individual variance factor when considering a food’s affects on appetite. Also remember the glycemic index of a food changes when eaten with other foods, and when you eat that food in a non-fasted state (you are still absorbing nutrients from other meals). David Jenkins originally created the glycemic index to help diabetics modulate blood sugar levels.

The diet allows a good balance of foods (good nutritional profile) once you get pass the initiation phase. The plan is relatively easy to follow for most people once they pass the initiation phase (no counting carbs, weighing food, or measuring food). .

Expect a substantial amount of weight loss in the initiation phase (generally creates big calorie deficit, and significant water losses) with weight loss slowing thereafter. Even though lower GI-fruits and starches are non-calorie dense you can eat too much of these foods; therefore decreasing the diet’s effects on weight loss.