Weight loss systems promise results

Do they really follow through?

By: Erin Edwards

Posted: 10/28/08

Most everyone has been in the predicament: If only I could lose a couple of pounds, I would fit in this or that. No matter the situation, at one point in time, we have all wanted to get our bodies into that pair of skinny jeans.

However, with all of the fad diets and trends, it's almost impossible to determine which one is the right for you. From Weight Watchers to South Beach, Atkins and even a vinegar diet, literally hundreds of diets are out there that promise results. But which one is the right one? The East Carolinian took a look at what each plan guarantees and what they can do for your body.

Atkins Nutritional Approach

Created by Dr. Robert Atkins in 1972, the Atkins Diet is a mixture of low carbohydrate eating and a four-phase regime: induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance.

The induction phase is designed to put the body in a state of ketosis, with only 20 net grams of carbohydrates allowed per day. While followers are allowed to eat meats, fish, eggs and salads, they are prohibited from alcohol intake. The induction phase is seen as one of the most significant phases, with many reporting weight loss of around five to 10 pounds per week.

The ongoing phase sees a small increase in carbohydrate intake at around five per week. It is also during this time that followers learn how food groups can affect craving control. It is suggested that more vegetables are added to the diet, along with a "ladder" of foods that should be eaten in the order in which they are written.

Carbohydrate intake is, once again, increased during the pre-maintenance phase with the intention of learning the maximum amount of carbs that can be eaten without gaining weight. Habits are later maintained during the lifetime maintenance phase.

The Atkins diet received heavy popularity in the early 2000s, with approximately one in 11 Americans using the diet. The food industry even felt the effects, with sales in certain foods plummeting. However, the diet was quickly blacklisted upon reports that Dr. Atkins had substantial heart problems, a result of his own diet. While these rumors were quickly dispelled, users of the diet were not convinced, and the Atkins Nutritional company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2005.

Atkins also endured medical controversy. While many of the studies were new and not always conclusive, some discovered that a low carbohydrate diet can be responsible for various metabolic and emotional side effects. However, another study found that women who adapted to the diet had a slightly less risk of developing coronary heart disease. Possible benefits for individuals with diabetes and cancer were also discovered.

South Beach Diet

Created by cardiologist Arthur Agatson, the South Beach diet is designed to help followers distinguish between good carbohydrates and good fats.

Like the Atkins diet, South Beach is emphasized in phases.

Phase 1 typically last for two weeks, with dieters able to eat lean cuts of meat, fat-free cheese and plenty of vegetables while avoiding fruits, dairy and alcohol. With three meals a day and snacks, phase I is used to help figure out when hunger is satisfied while losing cravings for starches and sugars.

Once phase I is finished, phase II gradually begins. The prohibited foods in phase I are returned, but in smaller amounts, in order to continue emphasis on foods with a low glycemic index.

Phase III is soon achieved once a desired weight is accomplished. Like Atkins, phase III is a maintenance phase, in which followers are to distinguish good carbs--high in fiber or high in good fats, and good fats--polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Overall, South Beach stresses to dieters the importance to eat until they are satisfied. No calories are counted and it is recommended that users eat six meals a day. Studies have shown favorable results using the South Beach Diet, however the first two weeks of rapid weight loss are countered by small weight loss in the weeks following. The restriction of daily servings of both fruits and vegetables, along with dairy and whole-grain foods can cause the body to lose many important vitamins.

Weight Watchers

Founded in 1963, Weight Watchers is an international weight-loss program that operates in over 30 countries. Two plans are offered to followers: the "Flex Plan," which focuses on a "point" system of allotted foods throughout the day, and the "Core Plan," similar to the South Beach Diet, in which followers are to eat until they are satisfied.

Unlike South Beach and Atkins, Weight Watchers members are encouraged to attend weekly meetings, where they are to weigh in and discuss different strategies and key points to losing weight. An online version is also available for those who don't want attend meetings. Membership fees are included, in which members can pay by the week or the month.

In a report published by CBS, half of dieters who reached their goal weight through the Weight Watchers program were at least five percent lighter after five years. Experts concluded that while this might not seem like much, maintaining this loss is considered a "health benefit."

Jenny Craig

Infused with numerous celebrity endorsements, Jenny Craig has made a name as one of the largest weight management programs in the world. The company was founded in 1983 and has since established over 550 centers across the United States since then.

Jenny Craig combines nutrition and simple activity in order to get members to reach a predetermined weight. Using prepackaged foods and some store bought necessities in the early stages, customers are soon transferred to regular meals once they have reached the halfway mark of their goal weight.

The program is overseen by health and nutrition specialists and each member is assigned their own personal consultant. Like Weight Watchers, members can physically weigh in and meet with consultants to discuss personal goals and assess the previous week's eating and exercise habits.

Also, membership fees are collected (around $50 a month) along with the cost of food, which can cost around $14 a day.

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the Jenny Craig program offers food that is not that much different from foods Americans have in their own home. With an overall menu that has a substantial high fat count, clients that wish to opt for lower-calorie foods, simply are not given any form of alternative.

While each dietary program has its own pros and cons, the overall decision is left up to the person who desires to lose the weight. Consumer reports have positive and negative comments about all of the programs and countless research has been done about all of the aforementioned plans.

However, it is important to remember that healthy eating, combined with exercise is vital not only to weight loss, but to maintaining a healthy lifestyle that will better your health in the future.

This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com.