South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is a low-GI diet originally developed for heart patients in the US. There’s no calorie counting and no limits on portions. You're encouraged to eat three meals and two snacks a day and follow an exercise plan. People who have more than 10lb to lose start with phase one. This is a two-week quick weight loss regime where you eat lean protein, including meat, fish and poultry, as well as some low-GI vegetables and unsaturated fats. Low-GI carbs are re-introduced during phases two and three, which encourage gradual and sustainable weight loss.

Pros:

If you can avoid phase one and start on phase two, there are fewer dietary restrictions in the rest of the plan than some other popular diets. After phase one, the diet broadly follows the basic principles of healthy eating. No major food groups are eliminated and plenty of fruit, veg and low-GI carbs are recommended.

Cons:

The severe dietary restrictions of phase one may leave you feeling weak and missing out on some vitamins, minerals and fibre. You may initially experience side effects such as bad breath, a dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and constipation.

BDA verdict:

The first two weeks are the most difficult to get through. We’re concerned that this diet promises such a large weight loss, up to 13lb, in the first two weeks. This, though, won't be all fat. Some of the weight loss will include water and carbs – both of which will be replaced when you begin eating more normally. Once you get past the initial phase, the diet follows the basic principles of healthy eating and should provide the nutrients you need to stay healthy. 

2.    Slimming World diet 

Slimming World’s weight loss plan encourages you to swap high-fat foods for low-fat foods that are naturally filling. You choose your food from a list of low-fat foods they call "Free Foods"', such as fruit, vegetables, pasta, potatoes, rice, lean meat, fish and eggs, which you can eat in unlimited amounts. There’s no calorie counting, no foods are banned and you’re still allowed the occasional treat. You can get support from fellow slimmers at weekly group meetings and follow an exercise plan to become gradually more active. The plan is designed to help you lose about 1lb to 2lb a week.

Pros:

No foods are banned so meals offer balance and variety and are family-friendly. The portion size from each food group will vary depending which plan you follow. The "Body Magic" booklet they provide gives ideas to help you raise your activity levels. Meeting as a group can provide valuable support.

Cons:

Slimming World doesn’t educate you about calories. Without having learned about calories and portion sizes, you may struggle to keep the weight off in the long term when you come off the programme.

BDA verdict:

The group meetings encourage members to share successes, ideas and recipes with each other but they may not appeal to everyone. While the meal plans may lack some flexibility, they are generally balanced. However, without learning about calories and portion sizes, you may struggle to make healthy choices once you’ve left the programme.

Slim-Fast diet 

The Slim-Fast diet is a low-calorie meal replacement plan for people with a BMI of 25 and over. It uses Slim-Fast’s range of products. The plan recommends three snacks a day from an extensive list, including crisps and chocolate, two meal replacement shakes or bars and one regular meal, taken from a list of recipes on the Slim-Fast website. You can stay on the diet for as long as you want depending on your weight loss goal. Once reached, you’re advised to have one meal replacement shake a day, up to two low-fat snacks and two healthy meals. The plan is designed to help you lose about 1lb to 2lb a week and you can follow the diet for as long as you want.

Pros:

Meal replacement diets can be effective at helping some people to lose weight and keep it off. The plan is convenient as the products take the guesswork out of portion control and calorie-counting. No foods are forbidden although you are encouraged to eat lean protein, fruit and vegetables.

Cons:

On their own, meal replacement diets do little to educate people about their eating habits and change their behaviour. There’s a risk of putting the weight back on again once you stop using the products. You may find it hard to get your 5 A DAY of fruit and veg without careful planning.

BDA verdict:

If you don’t like the taste of the meal replacement products, you won't stay with the plan. The Slim-Fast plan can be useful to kickstart your weight loss regime, but it’s important that you make full use of the online support to learn about the principles of healthy eating and how to manage everyday food and drink.