Are Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach and Zone Diets Worth the Money?

Question

Are you willing to try anything to lose a few pounds? Most people are looking for that magic pill, or the one diet that will send them to weight loss land. The Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers and Zone diets are the most popular in the world. Dr. Mark Eisenberg and crew decided to find out which one was the best.

With Americans spending more than $66 billion each year on diets, Dr. Eisenberg wanted to make sure that scoured existing research to see who came out on top. Of all the studies they found, only 12 that met the criteria for being scientifically sound.

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His results might not be what you were looking for weight loss wise, but it might put some money back in your pocket. Of the 12 studies done on the four diets -- none of them lead to dramatic weight loss. Actually neither one of the diets stood head and shoulders above the rest.

The diets didn’t even result in improved health conditions like heart-disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or blood sugar levels -- they were all the same. Don’t let this discourage you though. If you are on one of these diets, find the one that best suits you and if it works continue to follow the program. What do you think? Are fad diets worth the money?

Answer 1

Love yourself regardless.

If you have time, take a **** walk everyday and eat some good food with the junk and you'll be okay.

Answer 2

My statement was a generalization and obviously did not take into account every individual's circumstance. However, people like those on The Biggest Loser, once they became motivated, were able to shed an enormous amount of weight by doing exactly what I said "stop eating to much and get moving!!" I realize that can be very difficult for some, but it is not impossible. Exercise and a good eating habits is the healthiest way to lose weight.

Answer 3

any thing that is good in life requires **** work and perseverance. sadly many people want a quick fix to everything,

Answer 4

Agreed. The amount of liposuctioning and stomach stapling and get-fit-fast diets are ridiculous. People think they will go on a diet for a bit, lose a few pounds (forget about where all that extra skin goes), and then go back to their regular diet when they've reached a target weight.

Answer 5

So are Isagenix, Thrive and like diets. All about MLM $$$

Answer 6

Only voting that because I don't know. Never tried it myself.

Answer 7

I only picked this because you put there, instead of they're. I don't care about the question at all, do what you want, eat what you want, if you're happy in your skin who cares.

Answer 8

If a person wants to lose weight, stop eating so much and get moving!!

Answer 9

Exercising makes people hungry. Many people overcompensate by eating too much after exercising, which can lead to weight gain. There is a wide variety of reasons that someone might not be able to exercise. Quite a bit of willpower is required. Unfortunately, poor health, which can be caused by obesity, can drain one of the energy to exercise. It's a vicious cycle. Many people need to take medications which make it much ****** to lose weight. Depression can also sap one of the motivation to exercise and make one eat to deal with the constant food of negativity. Depression can get worse because of negative self image, which is exacerbated by being overweight. Yet another vicious cycles. It is VERY **** for many people to just "stop eating so much and get moving!!". I don't know if you were being judgmental or attempting to motivate people. If you were attempting to motivate people, it is important to know that such simplistic cheer can make people feel guilty, and guilt just makes the problem worse. But it is kind of you to try. :)

Answer 10

I am seing a nutritionist, going to the gym and drinking a lot of water and I have lost 25 pounds in 3 months. my husband lost 30 and we are feeling very good about it. no need to complicate.

Answer 11

Being active and watching the calories from healthy food going in is the answer. It's a simple concept albeit **** with such easy access to high caloric food but that is where will power counts.

Answer 12

I can easily make my own diet for free by researching on the Internet

Answer 13

Speaking only for South Beach, which is the only one you mentioned that I have tried, the results have been fantastic - 25% weight loss, maintained over years. Body mass index has gone from over 133% to about 102%.

Answer 14

At least to me they are.

Answer 15

they are for everyone

Answer 16

I went to a club for slimming called S,A,G slim and go, I did not go for long, the girl doing the excercise was a stick an and d every one in the class told me I was ok as I was. If I want to lose weight now days Icut out sweets and cakes

Answer 17

yeah, i don;t get society's expectation for women to be sticks, its just as unhealthy as being obese. the key is to eat healthy exercise and be happy with your progress

Answer 18

ive lost nearly 4 stone since mid march by changing my eating habits and exercising more its about finding a balance that works for the individual

Answer 19

Wait... do you expect people to actually work to get healthy? No way. They want their macrobiotic fairy ********* to wave her magic wand and make them healthy tomorrow. They will go on silly liquid diets and get their stomachs stapled as many times as they need to before accepting that the only real way to getting in shape is: eat right and exercise.

Answer 20

That's fine. I am a fitness instructor and used to date a nutritionist, but hey, you heard about it from your other fat friends, so it must be true. Don't let me keep you away from yelling angrily at your cheeseburgers.

Answer 21

burning more calories then you eat will result in weigth loss. simply eat healthy, don't over eat, look up how many calories you need to maintain, to loose weight, (its free to get that information), don;t eat processed stuff.

EXERCISE! their is no magic to weight loss, it all comes down to diet and your exercise level. for me for example, if i where sedentary, I would need 2000 calories to maintain. with my exercise level, i need 2500 calories or more approx to maintain, to loose weight I need to eat a bit less then the maintain calories.

companies like herbal magic starve you, then say its the pills that make you loose weight, of course the pills are what makes them money. anyone who goes on a 900 calorie starvation diet will loose weight, but in a very unhealthy and damaging way.

if you loose 5+ lbs per week like some of these companies advertize, be cautioned, it is unhealthy and you might as well keep living your life fat. 1 maybe 2 lbs a week is a healthy weight loss. don;t expect weight loss to happen over night, have patience, work at it. nothing in life is free. life is not easy either, your weight loss will be **** work, but it will be worth it, you will be proud of yourself.

Answer 22

Must be skinny or your man will look to thinner trimmer figures come on girls lose that weight blah blah blah blah blah. Just take care of your body and you'll be fine. Unless your like super obese or have a gordy tummy there's no need.

Answer 23

No! Only a good diet, cardio and weight bearing exercises will help you lose weight. Cut out sugar and high fructose corn syrup products. Cut back on salts and fats. Use Olive and coconut oil instead. Eat a lot of vegetables. Easy on the fruit, because of sugars. Go for a run in the park!

Answer 24

fruit sugars are FINE, its the processed sugars that are bad.

Answer 25

It might be helpful to look up the basic information for free, but following any strict diet is usually not necessary.
(I never had weight problems so I don't have any personal experience to share, unfortunately.)

Answer 26

No never paid for a diet, but just looked up the basic philosophy and cooked my own food to match instead.
I think going near vegan like Clinton did after his heart problems is the healthiest.

Answer 27

Definetly not, because if you have any understanding of what your body needs how much and so on you dont need it. Unless you want to be a ****** and pay for something like that

Answer 28

Atkins works for me. I do eat some carbs but not many.

Answer 29

I'd rather eat right and exercise.

Answer 30

their is a need to take care of your body, these weight loss programs aren't though, I do not want to be with someone who doesn;t care enough to exercise and take care of their health

Answer 31

Listen Einstein, I ACTUALLY went on the "diet" as well as made a lifestyle change and look better than men half my age. Stop spouting bull because you read it in a magazine. I am LIVING proof the diet works. It's not about depravity, IT'S ABOUT CONTROL!
You DON'T make my choices, THAT"S MY JOB! Thanks for chiming in;

BUT YOU ARE WRONG!

Answer 32

If looks are your main factor in finding a woman I have no interest in people like that and neither should any girl

Answer 33

no where did I mention looks. exercise should be for health not for looks. someone who is obese shows me they do not care for their body. and shows me they they don;t want to work **** to get results.

Answer 34

Sorry I read that wrong. This job is killer on my sleep patterns.

I'm sorta the same about men but I have a very specific type of guy

With girls I'm different though theres a complex factoring that goes into it. either a girl drives me wild or does nothing for me. Those who do nothing I ****** I interact with them the way a straight girl would

Answer 35

Atkins ROCKS, but you NEED TO DRINK A TON OF WATER with it because the fat loss toxins need to be purged from your system. It takes a lot of discipline but the results are well worth it.

Answer 36

any starvation diet will make you loose weight, you don;t need to spend a dime to starve yourself

Answer 37

Atkins is not a starvation diet... Check it out.

Answer 38

It's a diet that lies about a healthy food group.

Answer 39

You need a third choice which is:

These diets were designed not for weight loss but for specific problems due to obesity, and are misused by nearly everybody.

The Atkins program, for example, was designed for people who are getting ready to undergo surgery and need to shed some fat off the lining of their internal organs. No, really.

Oh and, by the way, most people that think they are doing the Atkins diet are not actually doing it. It's a lot more complicated than just cutting out carbs. Also, just cutting out carbs doesn't mean you can eat bacon all day long.

Everybody has very different nutritional needs. Instead of reading a couple of articles online and depriving yourself of necessary nutrients, go to a nutritionist and get a personalized diet plan.

Answer 40

The only weight that most lose is the weight in their wallet.