The Weight Loss Plans to Try, and the Fad Diets to Skip, if You Want to See Results

But even among these few approaches, there are an overwhelming number of different programs available, and finding the right one can prove challenging. After all, there’s no one-size-fits-all plan that’s perfect for everyone.

Before choosing a health or weight loss approach, it’s important to do some self-evaluation by asking yourself some questions.

What Can You Live With in the Long Term?

When it comes to choosing a diet that will provide lasting results, sustainability is the name of the game.

If the diet is a quick fix rather than one that promotes lasting lifestyle changes, this could pose a problem. In particular, extreme diets that promise big weight loss up front aren’t always sustainable — and you may end up overeating or even binge eating if you feel deprived. “Consider if the diet’s habits are ones you can continue throughout your lifetime, not just 21 or 30 days,” says Angie Asche, RDN, a sports dietitian in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Which Diet Program Is Best for Your Overall Health?

Some diet plans, such as the MIND diet and the DASH diet, are meant to focus on certain areas of health, and weight loss may be a side effect. Others are created with weight loss as a primary goal. No matter which you choose, it’s important to remember that everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for you, and vice versa.

Keep in mind that pregnancy is not a time for weight loss. Speak with your doctor before making any changes to your diet if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Is the Diet Approach Safe for You to Follow?

Make sure the diet you choose has been studied extensively for safety (this article provides information on whether that’s the case for the diet you’re considering) — and discuss any changes with your physician or registered dietitian before beginning a new diet. If you don’t have a dietitian, find one in your area on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website. And do a self-check to ensure the diet fits with your values and preferences.

“Don’t like eating meat?” asks Ginger Hultin, RDN, who’s in private practice in Seattle and is a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Then don’t be paleo! Travel a lot and rely on eating out? The DASH diet may end in frustration for you.” The bottom line: The diet you choose needs to be safe and effective, while taking into account your lifestyle.

To help assist your diet choice process, here are the most popular diets today and their pros and cons. Read on to see which plan is best for you — along with which ones to avoid.

Ketogenic Diet (Keto)

These symptoms are a common part of the so-called “keto flu,” which happens as your body adjusts to burning fat rather than carbs for fuel, experts say.

Pro tip: If you’re planning on doing the diet, check out a complete keto food list and read up on the healthiest fats for keto diet followers.

Paleo Diet

Atkins Diet

This low-carb, high-protein diet has been around for decades. In fact, some say the keto diet is the new Atkins, though these popular low-carb plans are markedly different.

DASH Diet

“This is a great way of eating that I highly recommend to many clients, and I even model in my own life,” says Elizabeth Shaw, RDN, who is in private practice in San Diego and is the coauthor of Fertility Foods Cookbook. “Since the premise of the diet is designed to help people who have high blood pressure, low-sodium foods are recommended. But considering that most Americans exceed their daily sodium levels anyway, it’s not surprising that dietitians recommend this style of eating for treating many different conditions, such as heart disease and obesity.”

MIND Diet

Low-Carb Diet

South Beach Diet

Like other low-carb diets, the South Beach Diet isn’t appropriate for children or for pregnant or lactating women.

Intermittent Fasting

There are many ways to do intermittent fasting — ranging from fasting for a number of hours each day up to an entire 24-hour fasting period one or two times a week. “If you’re trying to kick a habit like eating late into the night, then stopping eating earlier in the evening and fasting overnight could be beneficial for you,” says Hultin. “There are many types of intermittent fasting, so ensuring you pick one that works for you and your lifestyle is important.”

“Intermittent fasting can be really challenging if you have an ever-changing schedule,” adds Hultin. “If you’re traveling and crossing time zones, it could be very difficult to follow. It might be best for people with more stability in their lives.” Intermittent fasting isn’t safe for people with type 2 diabetes, children, pregnant or lactating women, or anyone with a history of disordered eating.

Dubrow Diet (16:8 Diet)

This eating plan takes a whole-foods approach, and calls for avoiding processed and packaged foods, along with sources of refined carbs and desserts in general. One downside is that the plan limits nutritious complex carbs.

WW (Formerly Weight Watchers)

In September 2018, Weight Watchers International announced that it would be changing its name to WW, in what many outlets dubbed a rebranding effort. Their goal: to make the eating and lifestyle approach about wellness rather than only weight loss.

With Oprah as one of its most notable proponents, this eating plan has been around for years. Jean Nidetch founded the organization in the early 1960s, according to the WW website. It’s gone through many iterations, its most recent version being WW PersonalPoints. On this plan, you’ll take a personal assessment, which takes several lifestyle factors into account in order to give you a holistic, all-over approach to weight loss and your PersonalPoints.

Plant-Based Diet

Vegan and Vegetarian Diets

Pescatarian Diet

Flexitarian Diet

You can think of the flexitarian diet as a plan for part-time vegetarians. With this approach, plant proteins, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruits and veggies will be staples, with the occasional meat dish thrown in.

Because the diet isn’t as restrictive as a traditional vegan or vegetarian diet, it may be simpler to stick with — hence its No. 2 ranking in U.S. News & World Report’s Easiest Diets to Follow category. Because you’ll be eating meat some of the time, you may also be at a lower risk of the aforementioned nutrient deficiencies that vegetarians and vegans may face.

While there isn’t a wealth of research on this eating approach, U.S. News points out that, because of the focus on plants, those who follow the flexitarian diet tend to weigh less than meat eaters and have a lower risk of certain conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is meant to reflect the eating pattern of people living in the Mediterranean. So, think plenty of vegetables, fruits, olive oil, fish, nuts, beans, legumes, and only a moderate amount of red wine and dairy. “Diets such as the Mediterranean diet are sustainable, have been shown to improve health, and aren’t restrictive or short-term,” says Asche.

Whole30 Diet

This popular diet program is fairly restrictive — and for the first 30 days, dieters must cut out grains, legumes, most dairy, added sugar, and alcohol without any slip-ups, according to the Whole30 website. The aim is to “reset” your body and adopt dietary habits that result in weight loss. Cutting out added sugar and alcohol has merit, but all the restrictions prove challenging and could lead to nutrient deficiencies and disordered eating.

Mayo Clinic Diet

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Though not always followed for weight loss per se, an anti-inflammatory diet is rich in whole foods (including fresh fruits and veggies), and low in packaged, processed ones (like french fries and pastries), so there is a chance you will still shed pounds with this approach.

Adopting this diet is relatively simple. It isn’t focused on counting calories or carbs, and it doesn’t require any specific protocol. Instead, it’s more about the quality of what is on your plate. “The anti-inflammatory diet focuses on foods with nutrients that can calm systemic inflammation in the body, such as herbs, spices, tea, and cocoa. Another benefit of this diet is that it can be very flavorful because of the focus on seasonings,” adds Hultin, who also wrote Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep.

Low-FODMAP Diet

Intuitive Eating

Unlike commercial diet plans, intuitive eating doesn’t require you to buy packaged food from a specific brand. And unlike fad diets, it doesn’t ask you to count macronutrients or calories.

Instead, this approach lets you eat everything and requires regularly checking in with your body to know when you’re full. It sounds simple, but it can be a sustainable way to approach nutritious eating, for weight loss or otherwise, say Evelyn Tribole, RDN, a private practitioner in Newport Beach, California, and Elyse Resch, RDN, who coined the term “intuitive eating” in 1995.

(Tribole and Resch coauthored the groundbreaking book Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works, and their more recent book, The Intuitive Eating Workbook: Ten Principles for Nourishing a Healthy Relationship With Food.)

Satiating Diet

Similar to intuitive eating, the satiating diet isn’t strict — the main thing it calls for is eating whole foods, like apples, oatmeal, peppers, and salad. The idea is that these fiber-, protein-, and fat-rich foods promote a feeling of fullness, so you’re less likely to overeat.

Volumetrics Diet

The veteran nutrition researcher Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, created Volumetrics, an eating approach that closely resembles the satiating diet. Dr. Rolls, who is currently the director of the Laboratory of Human Ingestive Behavior at Penn State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, argues that prioritizing whole, energy-dense foods, including beans, whole grains, lean meats, and fresh fruits and veggies, can help with weight management.

Nutrisystem Diet

If you don’t want to commit to counting calories, monitoring macronutrients, or meal planning, the Nutrisystem diet may be a good option. While on this eating plan, you’ll sign up to receive premade, low-calorie meals delivered to your home, as outlined on its website. (Nutrisystem foods are also available on Amazon.)

With Nutrisystem, each meal has a fixed amount of calories based on your age, sex, and any dietary requirements you may have. Generally speaking, the macronutrient composition of your meals will be high in protein, with moderate amounts of carbohydrates and fat.

The key factor for weight loss on this diet is your calorie deficit: Nutrisystem meals are designed to provide you with 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, allowing you to lose weight while staying nourished.

Also, the cost of Nutrisystem meals for one person per month works out to about $300 minimum, and you’ll want to supplement them with fresh fruits and veggies, nutrient-rich carbohydrates, and what the plan calls “extras” or “free foods” (such as condiments or add-ons) to make your plate more palatable. Lastly, the bulk of your diet will consist of prepackaged foods, which may not appeal to you if you usually prepare and enjoy fresh foods.

SlimFast Diet

As the name implies, the SlimFast diet claims you can lose weight — fast — by limiting your food intake to SlimFast-brand shakes for breakfast and lunch, a low-calorie meal (500 to 600 calories) of your choice for dinner, and three 100-calorie snacks per day. (Amazon, Walmart, and Target have SlimFast shakes and bars available for sale.)

While that may sound complicated, the weight loss mechanics of this diet are simple: Per the SlimFast website, you’ll limit your daily caloric intake to 1,200 calories for women or 1,600 calories for men, which will put you on track to lose a moderate amount of weight initially. Over time, your rate of weight loss will likely slow as your body adjusts to your new routine. Once you’ve hit your goal weight, you can replace one of your daily shakes with a second “sensible” meal of your choice.

The SlimFast diet comes in several categories, depending on your dietary needs, including SlimFast Keto and SlimFast Diabetic Weight Loss. You’re likely to lose weight following this diet, but the plan’s reliance on shakes may feel unappealing or repetitive. Also, the shakes and snacks are highly processed — meaning you’ll need to balance your diet with nutritious, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to lose weight healthily.

Nordic Diet

This diet focuses on the traditional diet of people who live in Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Overall, this eating pattern is whole food–focused, plant-based, and features lots of seafood; it also emphasizes the sustainability of one’s food choices.

In general, this diet requires you to make most of your food at home and forgo processed foods, both drastic changes that can be a barrier for some people.

Blue Zones Diet

Whole Foods Diet

Nope, this isn’t a reference to eating all of your food from the grocery chain Whole Foods. Rather, the diet is a call to prioritize whole foods in their least processed form (like fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean meats, nuts, and seeds), while avoiding ultra-processed ones.

The whole foods diet is more of a guideline than a diet with set rules. The diet has no formal definition and there’s limited data on how it’s practiced, so it’s open to interpretation for each person doing it (which can be a major plus, as it’s relatively easy to follow).

Those with a history of disordered eating may want to avoid this plan, as it can become easy to overly fixate on clean eating and the ingredients in each meal.

Elimination or Exclusion Diet

The food elimination diet is a two-phase eating plan. In phase one, you’ll stop eating certain foods or food groups for a specific time period; in phase two, you’ll slowly reintroduce them into your diet one by one and watch for symptoms to reappear.

Popular elimination or exclusion diets include the low-FODMAP diet, gluten-free diet, lactose-free diet, and more. Doing an elimination diet can be challenging, and it’s important to connect with a knowledgeable registered dietitian who can help guide you through it.

HMR Diet

HMR stands for Health Management Resources, and it’s a diet that’s been around for more than three decades, according to the diet’s website.

Ranked as the ninth best fast weight loss diet by U.S. News & World Report, the HMR diet is a low-calorie diet that relies on food replacements via portion-controlled shakes and entrées from HMR, plus fruits and vegetables.

The purpose of the diet is to promote fast weight loss. After you have lost the weight, you enter the maintenance phase, which helps you slowly move from meal replacements to cooking and purchasing your own food. There is limited research regarding the HMR diet’s efficacy, plus you have to take into account the cost of the meal replacements, as well as supplemental fruits and vegetables.

If you have a preexisting medical condition, talk to your doctor before starting a low-calorie diet like the HMR diet.

Asian Diet

There isn’t an official “Asian diet,” but this eating plan is based on the traditional diets of people living in Asian countries. Overall, this diet emphasizes plant-based foods and minimizes dairy and red meat. Specifically, it emphasizes rice, noodles, fruits, vegetables, legumes, soy, nuts, seeds, and tea. You can also consume alcohol occasionally. Making these overarching changes to your diet can help improve your health.

Ornish Diet

The Ornish diet is an eating plan that focuses on sustainable, long-term lifestyle changes. On this plan, you’ll prioritize plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and low-fat or nonfat dairy products, per the program’s website. It’s a low-fat diet, meaning fat should make up only 10 percent of your daily calorie consumption; you’ll avoid saturated fats in favor of healthy fats like those found in fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. You’re also encouraged to implement healthy lifestyle changes, like managing stress with meditation or yoga and adding a half-hour of daily exercise to your routine.

U.S. News & World Report consistently lists the Ornish diet among the most nutritious eating plans for heart health, and it notes its potential for weight loss, thanks to its focus on whole and plant-based foods.

Optavia Diet

The Optavia diet, formerly known as the MediFast, is a commercial eating plan that comes with prepackaged meals. There are three plans designed to aid weight loss or maintenance, per the Optavia website. Proponents say that the Optimal 5&1 Plan can lead to a 12-pound weight loss in 12 weeks, but there is no rigorous research on the Optavia diet.

Also, some registered dietitians argue that the eating approach doesn’t teach people how to change their eating and lifestyle habits for the long haul.

Climatarian Diet

Jenny Craig Diet

The Jenny Craig diet is a weight loss program that requires you to purchase food from a specific meal plan, which includes prepared meals, snacks, bars, or shakes. (Packaged Jenny Craig foods are available on the brand’s website and Amazon.)

Green Mediterranean Diet

Longevity Diet

The longevity diet, developed by the director of the USC Longevity Institute, Valter Longo, PhD, promotes whole-grain carbohydrates and plant-based proteins and fats, as well as limits eating hours to 12 per day and fasting for longer durations intermittently.

“The research conducted by people like Dr. Longo and the Blue Zones Project provides compelling evidence for the effectiveness of longevity diets,” says Hultin. She’s on board with the diet’s call to eat more plant-based foods, but she encourages talking to a registered dietitian first before fasting.

Vegetarian Keto Diet

The keto diet, which is a high-fat, low-carb plan, is known for being pro fatty meats (bacon!), but a vegetarian keto diet turns that on its head. On a vegetarian keto diet, you focus on plant foods higher in healthy fats, like chia seeds, avocado, olive oil, and nuts, as well as cheese and eggs.

For vegetarians who rely on a lot of high-carb foods like pasta and crackers, transforming their diet in this way could lead to weight loss, though it can feel very restrictive and put you at risk of nutrient deficiencies.

Keto and Intermittent Fasting

However, you should talk to your healthcare provider before combining these approaches, especially if you have diabetes and the timing of your food matters for blood sugar control and medication schedules.

TLC Diet

Raw Vegan Diet

Military Diet

The military diet claims that you can lose up to 10 pounds in one week — a loss that can be dangerously fast. The fad military diet consists of low-calorie, odd food pairings such as bun-less hot dogs with bananas, carrots, and broccoli, per the military diet’s website. But dietitians are skeptical.

Although potentially less harmful than some of the other fad diets out there (new and old), this type of eating plan may promote binge eating or other patterns of disordered eating.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Proponents of this increasingly popular diet approach believe that consuming apple cider vinegar — essentially fermented apple cider — will help with both weight loss and blood sugar control.

Cabbage Soup Diet

There’s no research to support the purported benefits of a cabbage soup diet. It revolves around eating plain cabbage soup three times daily, plus other foods on certain days. For example, on the first day, you can eat fruit (except for bananas), and on the second day, you can have nonstarchy vegetables but no fruit.

The claim? You’ll lose 10 pounds in just seven days, proponents say. While it’s true that you might be successful in losing weight, it likely won’t last. Once you return to your normal eating habits, you’ll likely put the weight back on — and then some.

Dukan Diet

French doctor Pierre Dukan, MD, created this high-protein diet, whose proponents boast that it can lead you to lose 10 pounds within the first week of the plan.

The Dukan diet consists of four phases, each with a rigid set of rules. The first phase, the “Attack Phase,” for instance, allows you to eat nothing but protein sources, such as beef, chicken, eggs, and liver. Once you reach the last phase, you’re supposed to eat three tablespoons of oat bran daily and consume pure protein one day a week, as noted by the Dukan diet’s Instagram page.

The diet may promote nutritional deficiencies, and people with kidney problems should avoid it due to its high protein. Additionally, there is no evidence to support its long-term efficacy.

HCG Diet

Cleanses and Detoxes

Ranging from just-juice to just-tea cleanses, these typically short-term plans can be dangerous. “Detoxes and cleanses are usually low in calories, protein, and fiber, all nutrients that our bodies need to function,” says Alissa Rumsey, RDN, who is in private practice in New York City. “These plans leave you feeling hungry and cranky, causing a rebound food binge once you stop the detox.”

Alkaline Diet

“The alkaline diet often has a focus on eating lots of fresh produce and unprocessed foods, which could be a good thing,” says Hultin. “However, keep in mind that this is not an evidence-based therapeutic diet. When people take it too far — for instance, drinking baking soda — or become too restrictive or obsessive over food choices, it can definitely turn negative.”

The diet may be low in certain nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D, so your doctor or a registered dietitian may recommend supplementation.

Blood Type Diet

It’s no surprise that this diet, also called the Eat Right 4 Your Type diet, focuses on an eating style based on your blood type. The diet claims to promote better digestion and absorption of foods, but there’s no scientific evidence to support this.

The diet doesn’t account for chronic health conditions — and you might develop nutritional deficiencies based on its restrictive nature. One benefit: “The blood type diet gets people to dump processed junky food,” says Robin Foroutan, RDN, an integrative dietitian in New York City and a spokesperson for the AND.

CICO Diet

Bottom line: Be sure to consult your doctor before trying the CICO diet.

Body Reset Diet

Similar to the CICO diet, Body Reset has gained popularity on social media, but there is no definitive research that suggests that the approach is safe and effective. Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak created the plan, which is essentially a three-phase liquid diet consisting of smoothies and moderate exercise. While U.S. News notes that you may lose weight on this diet, it may be tough to stick with and isn’t safe for people with diabetes or heart disease.

Carnivore Diet

If you like eating meat and want to lose weight, you might be tempted to try the carnivore diet, a recent extreme diet fad that proponents have made some pretty outrageous claims about. One: that eating nothing but meat can cure you of autoimmune diseases. The problem is that there’s no good research to support that notion, or any other health claim.

Regardless of the potential benefits, this restrictive approach is definitely one you’ll want to ask your doctor about before you even consider diving in.

Boiled Egg Diet

The premise of the boiled egg diet is eating eggs every day. So, if you like eggs, this eating plan might be for you. There are many versions, according to The Boiled Egg Diet: The Easy, Fast Way to Weight Loss! by Arielle Chandler, but one of the most popular versions involves eating at least two to three boiled eggs per day.

Because you’re not allowed to much besides boiled eggs, this diet isn’t sustainable or sensible for long-term health and weight loss, registered dietitians say.

Lectin-Free Diet

Steven Gundry, MD, author of The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in “Healthy” Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain, popularized the lectin-free diet. Lectins are found in nightshades (tomatoes, peppers), legumes and beans, seeds, and nuts. Dr. Gundry and his followers argue that lectins can increase inflammation, cause gastrointestinal issues, and contribute to weight gain.

Candida Diet

Body Type Diet

Body type diet advocates believe that knowing your body type can help you determine the best diet and exercise plan for optimal health and weight. There are three so-called body types: ectomorphs, or lean and lanky people; mesomorphs, or those with a muscular, hourglass frame; and endomorphs, or people who are often described as curvy or stocky. The book Just Your Type: The Ultimate Guide to Eating and Training Right for Your Body Type suggests specific eating and fitness regimens for each type.

Yet the premise of eating based on your body shape or where you carry fat lacks rigorous research, so keep this major limitation in mind if you want to try the approach, and be sure to work with your healthcare team if you choose to follow it.

Golo Diet

The Golo diet may lead to some initial weight loss, but that’s likely because it restricts your caloric intake — plus, it’s unclear whether weight loss results from Release, the patented plant-based supplement that Golo sells on its website.

Yet there isn’t enough peer-reviewed, controlled research available on the Golo diet or its Release supplement to prove that they can lead to weight loss. (On its website, Golo lists four studies that indicate that the diet may lead to weight loss, but these studies were relatively weak because they didn’t include a control group — and because they were all conducted by Golo, there is a high potential for bias in the study results.)

In general, be cautious of any diet that includes a “magic pill.”

Mayr Method

The Mayr method attracted attention after actor Rebel Wilson credited it with her 2020 weight loss. To follow this eating plan, you’ll need to sign up for a stay at one of the VivaMayr luxury resorts, where coaches will prescribe you a “cure” based on four pillars: medicine, nutrition, exercise, and awareness.

This holistic approach to weight loss may combine treatments such as oxygen therapy, nutritional consultation, aqua cycling, and personal training, but individual treatments will vary depending on your choice of plan, as outlined on the VivaMayr website.

That said, this is not a feasible weight loss plan for most people, mainly because you will need to travel to a Mayr clinic get treated, which can be costly and time-consuming. Moreover, while you’re likely to make progress on such an immersive retreat, it may be difficult to sustain your weight loss once the retreat has ended and you return to your normal routine.

Lastly, many of the reported therapies used on these retreats, including laxatives, are not a safe way to lose weight, some experts warn. Plus, there is no scientific evidence that this diet is effective.

Sirtfood Diet

The Sirtfood diet became popular in 2020 after singer Adele posted a photo of her dramatic weight loss on Instagram, and the media, including People, reported that she transformed her body on it.

In the first phase, you’ll focus on limiting yourself to one meal a day, and drinking plenty of green juice (the Sirtfood-recommended juice blends several ingredients, including kale, ginger, and matcha). After a few days, you’ll move up to two meals per day, along with two servings of green juice. In phase two, you’ll spend two weeks eating three Sirtfood-centric meals, along with one green juice a day.

Once your three weeks are up, you’re encouraged to continue eating sirtuin-rich foods and drinking green juice, but you can gradually reincorporate other approved foods into your diet as well.

And while proponents of this diet tout sirtuins as being key to weight loss, there isn’t sufficient research to back their claims. You can enjoy many of the purported benefits of the Sirtfood diet by simply eating more plant-based and antioxidant-rich foods.

Watermelon Diet

Plus, there is no research to suggest that this diet is effective, healthy, or safe. Overall, watermelon is a nutritious and delicious fruit to add to your diet — but you should eat a balanced diet to maintain overall health.

Warrior Diet

The warrior diet has been around for more than 20 years and is a type of intermittent fasting. The crux is that followers eat in patterns that follow how our ancestors supposedly ate.

On the warrior diet, you are limited to eating during a brief period of the day; some proponents encourage fasting for up to 20 hours a day, leaving you a four-hour window to eat one main meal. In the evening, you eat your one meal without any restrictions. As for the other food you’ll eat during your window, the diet focuses on raw vegetables and fruit, small amounts of protein, and beverages (water, natural juices, coffee, and tea).

There is also an exercise element to the diet that’s important. On the warrior diet, you are encouraged to exercise during the day (focusing particularly on strength training).

Galveston Diet

Created by Mary Claire Haver, MD, the Galveston diet is geared toward improving menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and brain fog, aiding weight loss efforts, and helping women feel better overall. On this eating plan, you’ll avoid inflammatory foods (sugar, processed grains, fried foods, lunch meats, and diet sodas), practice intermittent fasting (eating within a window of eight hours and fasting for 16 hours), and decrease carbohydrate intake, while increasing sources of healthy fats, according to the diet’s website.

The overall basics of the diet — eating whole foods, exercising, and avoiding processed fare — are sound. Unfortunately, there is no evidence via clinical studies that the Galveston diet eases menopausal symptoms or causes weight loss. Plus, the program can be costly, which is a barrier for some people.

OMAD Diet

OMAD stands for “one meal a day.” The rules are straightforward: Eat your daily calories and nutrients at one meal each day, and fast (don’t eat) for the remainder of the day.

Eating one meal for an entire day will naturally decrease your calorie intake, which can lead to weight loss. However, OMAD is an extreme version of an intermittent fasting diet, which can lead to overeating and discomfort during your one meal.

This diet is also not suitable for children, women who are pregnant or nursing, or people who have a history of disordered eating. If you’re on medication that needs to be taken with food, consult with your doctor before trying OMAD, and avoid it if you have diabetes and are taking insulin.

Lion Diet

Unfortunately, there is absolutely no scientific backing for this diet. “The lion diet is highly restrictive and lacks vital nutrients for health, making it neither safe nor healthy,” says Hultin.

Klinio Diet

The Klinio diet is a weight loss diet geared toward people with diabetes. It can also be used to manage blood sugar. However, the diet is subscription-based, and the company sells a fiber-based supplement, all of which can be cost-prohibitive. While certain features of the app-based program, such as food logging and glucometer syncing, can be helpful, you don’t need this specific app to do those things. There is also a lack of research on the effectiveness and safety of this diet.

• When choosing a diet, remember that everybody is different and what works for some people may not be right for you.
• Focus on finding a diet that’s sustainable and aligns with your health, lifestyle, and dietary preferences in the long term, rather than looking for a quick fix.
• Before starting a new diet regimen, consult your doctor or dietitian to ensure that it’s right for you. Some people with diabetes or other underlying health conditions may not be suited for a fasting or low-calorie diet, for instance.
• What’s most important is choosing a diet that’s balanced, offers a variety of whole, mostly plant-based foods, and helps keep you full and nourished.

Additional reporting by Bonnie Taub-Dix, Sheryl Huggins Salomon, Katie Robinson, Melinda Carstensen, and Laura McArdle.