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The Pros and Cons of Commercial Diets

DIR-RoundBy Brandi Koskie for DietsInReview.com

Healthy eating plans—like fit bottoms—come in all shapes and sizes. There are thousands of them. Sounds astonishing, right? At DietsinReview.com, we’ve reviewed more than 2,000 and sometimes feel like we haven’t scratched the surface. At some point they all start to look the same, but there are those that stand out and have had loyal followings for years.

woman-on-scaleWhile there are countless weight-loss success stories that cite nothing more than watching what they ate and exercising more to get them to their goal (love this!), others find that a packaged, commercial weight-loss plan is best suited for them, especially in the beginning when they’re trying to get healthy and aren’t sure where to start. If you’ve thought about joining one of these, be sure to shop around. Healthy eating plans are like anything else—they are not a universal fit, and you ultimately want to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

Here are a few things to consider about three plans that stand out as the popular kids so far in 2011.

Weight Watchers

Just shy of a 50th anniversary, Weight Watchers is often considered one of the most flexible and practical weight-loss plans on the market. You’ll rarely find a “best of” list where they aren’t holding the top position. Join online, in weekly meetings, through corporate wellness programs, or follow a library of books published by the brand.

Pros

  • Suitable for men and women
  • PointsPlus Program allows complete flexibility in eating choices, no restrictions
  • Supports at least moderate exercise but is not a cornerstone of the plan
  • Healthy eating habits are practical and manageable long-term
  • Reasonably affordable

Cons

  • Tracking PointsPlus could be time consuming
  • Online program eliminates social support of meetings
  • Men’s program not available in meetings, only online
  • Not a structured format

Jenny Craig

Another veteran of the weight-loss market, with 28 years of experience helping men and women lose weight, Jenny Craig is a go-to for celebrities in need of slimming down. The Jenny Craig program is based on meal delivery, meaning they ship pre-portioned meals to your home and offers one-on-one counseling in person or via phone.

Pros

  • Personalized meal plans
  • Serves dietary needs of diabetics, vegetarians, Kosher
  • Wide variety of foods available for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
  • Personalized fitness plan
  • Counselor support maintains accountability

Cons

  • Shelf-stable, not fresh, foods
  • Incur additional cost by supplementing fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains
  • May be cost prohibitive
  • Not sustainable on a long-term basis

South Beach Diet

The low-carb craze seemed to have died down when the last of the Y2K bottled-water stock piles were drank, but the South Beach Diet continues to be a sought-after plan for weight-loss. Unlike other popular low-carb diets, this actually eliminates heart-damaging saturated fats and teaches healthful eating in moderation. For no more than the cost of the book, or for a low membership fee for access to the online program, South Beach Diet is very accessible.

Pros

  • Supports clean eating, void of processed foods, saturated fat, and refined sugars
  • Continual research that was most recently updated in 2008
  • Created by a medical doctor who specializes in cardiac health
  • Maintenance plan is available
  • Supports a fitness regimen

Cons

  • South Beach Diet-branded foods are not much better than other processed foods
  • Does not support vegetarian-dietary needs
  • Restrictive nature of removing carbs, including fresh fruit, may not be sustainable
  • Much debate over the validity of low-carb diets

 

While the FBGs always say “diet is a four-letter word,” these healthy eating plans can be good for the right person in the right situation. Tell us, have you tried one of these diets? Did you like it? Have success? Stick with it for the long-term?

FTC disclosure: We often receive products from companies to review. All thoughts and opinions are always entirely our own. Unless otherwise stated, we have received no compensation for our review and the content is purely editorial. Affiliate links may be included. If you purchase something through one of those links we may receive a small commission. Thanks for your support!

Comments

8 Comments
  1. South Beach was terrible! I hated it. I had my first (and last!) kidney stone after “phase 1” was completed.

    Weight Watchers is amazing! I loved that program, and stopped paying for it but still do something simular. It helped me to lose 50 pounds in 2010, and about 70 pounds over all. I still have about 10 pounds left to lose, and though I’m not on WW anymore, I follow the basic principles still.

  2. Stephanie says:

    I am a Weight Watchers disciple. I am celebrating my 14th anniversary of being at goal with them this month after losing 26 pounds.

  3. Whitney says:

    I started WW as my first ever New Years Resolution, and I LOVE IT. I was 285 pounds, with a 9-5 desk job. Since I’ve joined, I’ve lost 50 pounds, and I’m on a safe and healthy track to lose a total of 140, literally half my body mass. I never feel deprived or hungry, and although I only do online, I feel support from community message boards. My boyfriend by proxy has even lost 20 lbs because we cook at home. I never knew or could cook before, and WW recipes are easy to follow and delicious. I actually get excited playing with my points and planning out meals for a week. And with the new PointsPlus, most fruit and veggies are free. So if I feel like mindless snacking, hello strawberries, grapes, blueberries, mango, you get the idea. I decided on WW because it’s the most sustainable plan, and I plan on being a member for life.

  4. lori gonzalez says:

    I lost 30 lbs on weight watchers. I loved the support found at the meetings and the flexability of it too. I don’t, however, agree with the whole “goal weight” idea. I believe in a healthy range which sometimes flucuates more than they allow for, and how does one go about picking a number they want to see on the scale that doesn’t take body composition into account?

  5. BklynHeart says:

    I am a Weight Watchers Lifetime Member of a scant 2 weeks; between June 2009 and June 2011, I have lost 175 pounds through their at work program. Having never been a healthy weight in my life, I can truly say I have never felt better! I think everyone should be a WW ( to lose or to maintain!) but I admit I may be biased! :). Between flexibility, not feeling deprived, and the support structure (Meetings! Online community!) I just think it is so comprehensive and gets you where you need to be if you let it.

  6. LeslieG says:

    One more con of the Weight Watchers plan. Because you track using their PointsPlus system, you don’t really learn how to monitor your own intake of protein versus carbs versus fats. When I switched to a system that let me track my own calories/fat/protein/carbs, I was amazed to discover my protein intake was about half of what was recommended. As soon as I upped my protein, I felt much less hunger and weight loss got easier. Yes, I know, Points Plus incorporates protein, but I wasn’t really learning about it for myself. If you like to know what’s going on with your own body, WW just doesn’t let you.

  7. sharon says:

    Nice review! truly to go on a diet bringing so much confusion to us, a lot of things to consider, and we must be very strict in disciplining our body. Better to believe that to have a healthy living, always balance your diet.

  8. Shanee says:

    Now that you now the pros and cons, it’s really up to you whether to adhere to a certain diet or not. Just stay focused on achieving good health.

Comments are closed.