We all know that the path to weight loss depends upon healthy eating and regular exercise. Yet for those of us who need more guidance, which diet is most effective when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off? A new study may have the answer.
With rates of obesity at an all-time high, it's no surprise that the weight loss industry is a lucrative (like $2.5 billion lucrative) one that can cost individual users upwards of $50 a month. It's also a competitive one, with no fewer than 32 major "diet" plans out there to choose from.
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But not all diet plans are created equal.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that only two commercial plans will help you successfully keep off the pounds at the 12-month mark—Weight Watchers (WW), and Jenny Craig.
While Craig showed a 4.9% greater weight loss, WW showed a 2.6% greater weight loss than the control group, which relied solely on printed material or behavioural counselling.
Although those in other low-calorie plans—such Medifast and OPTIFAST—enjoyed similar loss in the short range, participants were likely to pile back on the weight after a year.
The bottom line to shrinking your waistline: most diet plans out there will help you lose weight. But if you want to keep it off for good, it may be worth investing in one of the above plans.
Spill it: Have you had any success with either of these plans?
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