How To Lose Weight? 12 Most Popular Diets Review-Benefits & Drawbacks

Now a days there are so many weight loss diets out there on internet and we get confused which program is good to follow. Some focus on reducing your appetite, while others focus on restricting calories, carbs or fat. Since all of them claim to be "the best" diet, it can be hard to know which ones are worth trying.

The truth is that no one diet is best for everyone, and what works for you may not work for someone else.

This article reviews the 12 most popular weight loss diets and the science behind them.

1. The Paleo Diet

The paleo diet runs on the same foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors supposedly ate like fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, and nuts - the way humans were genetically designed to eat before agriculture developed.

The theory is that most modern diseases can be linked to the Western diet. Anything that comes in a box, jar, or bag should be avoided on the paleo diet. 

That means no grains, dairy, added salt, or legumes (including peanuts, beans, lentils, and soybeans).

How it works: The paleo diet emphasizes whole foods, lean protein, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, while avoiding processed foods, sugar, dairy and grains. 

Some more flexible versions of the paleo diet also allow for dairy like cheese and butter, as well as tubers like potatoes and sweet potatoes. 

Paleo eaters obtained about 35% of their calories from fats, 35% from carbohydrates, and 30% from protein.

Results: Several studies have shown that the paleo diet can lead to significant weight loss and reduced waist size. 

In studies, paleo dieters have also been shown to automatically eat much fewer carbs, more protein and 300–900 fewer calories per day.

Other benefits: The diet seems effective at reducing risk factors for heart disease, such as cholesterol, blood sugar, blood triglycerides and blood pressure.

Drawbacks: The paleo diet eliminates whole grains, legumes and dairy. Therefore, it unnecessarily eliminates several healthy and nutritious food groups.

Conclusion:
The paleo diet is based on eating whole foods and avoiding grains and dairy. 

It has several health benefits, including weight loss. 

Paleo is a lifestyle, just as it was thousands of years ago. 

You don't just stop it if and when you start feeling better or reach your goal weight—you stick it out for life long.

2. The Vegan Diet

A vegan diet is part of a lifestyle that excludes the consumption or use of any products made from animals. 

Vegans do not eat animal products, including honey, eggs, gelatin, or dairy. They will not use clothes, soaps, or other products that are animal-sourced in any way.

A vegan diet can be a highly nutritious choice, as it is low in saturated fat and rich in nutrients. 

However, starting out on an animal-free diet without proper planning can lead to some health risks. 

All protein, vitamins, and minerals must come from non-animal sources, so food choice and preparation are important. 

If you're serious about being vegan, checking food labels and verifying ingredients is a must. 

Just because a food product is not glaringly non-vegan doesn't mean that it's suitable for a vegan diet.

How it works: Veganism is the strictest form of vegetarianism. 

In addition to eliminating meat, it eliminates dairy, eggs and animal-derived products, such as gelatin, honey, albumin, whey, casein and some forms of vitamin D3.

Results: A vegan diet seems to be very effective at helping people lose weight, often without counting calories. 

This may be explained by its very low fat and high fiber content, which makes you feel fuller for longer. 

Vegan diets have consistently been linked with lower body weight and body mass index (BMI), compared to other diets.

One study showed that a vegan diet helped participants lose 4 kg more than a control diet over 18 weeks. 

The vegan group was allowed to eat until fullness, but the control group had to restrict calories.

However, vegan diets are not more effective for weight loss than other diets when matched for calories.

Other benefits: Plant-based diets have been linked with a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and premature death. 

Limiting processed meat may also reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dying from heart disease or cancer.

Drawbacks: Vegan diets eliminate animal foods completely, so they may be low in several nutrients. This includes vitamin B12, vitamin D, iodine, iron, calcium, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids.

Conclusion:
Vegan diets exclude all animal products and animal-derived ingredients. They may cause weight loss due to lower calorie intake and may also reduce the risk of several diseases.

3. Ketogenic or Low-Carb Diets

The keto diet, which has been thrust into the spotlight in the last few years, is a diet in which the body relies on the lack of carbohydrates in order to send the body into ketosis. 

Long story short, The primary aim of the diet is to force the body to use more fats for fuel, instead of using carbs as a main source of energy, which often results in weight loss for anyone following the diet.

There are several types of low-carb diets, but all of them involve limiting carb intake to 20–150 grams of net carbs per day.

How it works: Low-carb diets are based on eating unlimited amounts of protein and fat, while severely limiting your carb intake. 

When carb intake is very low, fatty acids are moved into the blood and transported to the liver, where some of them are turned into ketones. 

The body can then use fatty acids and ketones in the absence of carbs as its primary energy source.

Results: Numerous studies show keto or low-carb diets are extremely helpful for weight loss, especially in overweight and obese individuals. 

These diets seem to be very effective at reducing dangerous belly fat, which can become lodged around your organs.

People on very low-carb diets commonly reach a state called ketosis. 

Many studies have found that ketogenic diets lead to more than twice the weight loss of a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet.

Other benefits: Low-carb diets tend to reduce your appetite and make you feel less hungry, leading to an automatic reduction in calorie intake.

Furthermore, low-carb diets may benefit many major disease risk factors, such as blood triglycerides, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, insulin levels and blood pressure.

Drawbacks: Low-carb diets do not suit everyone. Some may feel great on them, while others will feel miserable. 

Some people may experience an increase in LDL, the "bad" cholesterol. 

In extremely rare cases, very low-carb diets can cause a serious condition called ketoacidosis. 

This condition seems to be more common in lactating women and can be fatal if left untreated. 

However, low-carb diets are safe for the majority of people.

Conclusion:
Keto or Low-carb diets severely limit the intake of carbs and push the body to use fat for fuel. 

They are extremely helpful with weight loss and are linked with many other benefits for overall health.

4. The Dukan Diet

The Dukan diet is a high-protein, low-carb weight loss diet. It's a low-calorie diet and can be split into four phases - two weight loss phases and two maintenance phases. 

How long you stay in each phase depends on how much weight you need to lose. Each phase has its own dietary pattern.

How it works: The weight loss phases are primarily based on eating unlimited high-protein foods and mandatory oat bran. 

The other phases involve adding non-starchy vegetables at first, then some carbs and fat. Later on, there will be fewer and fewer "pure protein days" to maintain your new weight.

Results: One study showed that women following the Dukan diet ate about 1000 calories and 100 grams of protein per day and lost an average of 15 kg in 8–10 weeks. 

Also, many other studies have shown that high-protein, low-carb diets can have major weight loss benefits. 

These include a higher metabolic rate, a decrease in the hunger hormone ghrelin and an increase in the fullness hormones GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide 1), PYY (Pancreatic polypeptide) and CCK (Cholecystokinin).

Drawbacks: There is very little quality research available on the Dukan diet. 

The Dukan diet limits both fat and carbs - a strategy not based on science. 

On the contrary, consuming fat as part of a high-protein diet seems to increase metabolic rate, compared with both low-carb and low-fat diets.

Also, fast weight loss achieved by severe calorie restriction tends to cause significant muscle loss along with the fat loss. 

The loss of muscle mass and severe calorie restriction may also cause the body to conserve energy, making it very easy to regain the weight after losing it.

Conclusion:
The Dukan diet has not been tested in quality human studies. 

The diet may cause weight loss, but it also may slow down your metabolism and make you lose muscle mass along with fat mass. 

If you are over 50 or have a condition like diabetes or need to lose a lot of weight then talk to your doctor first.

5. The Ultra Low-Fat Diet

An ultra low-fat, or very low-fat diet, is a diet that contains 10% or less calories from fat. It also tends to be low in protein (10%) and very high in carbs (80%).

The way this diet is defined, is that fat is supposed to be around 30% of calories. 

Many scientists and doctors who study low-fat diets claim that it needs to be around 10% fat in order to work. 

As with low-carb diets, the difference between 30% and 10% can be massive.

How it works: Ultra low-fat diets are mostly plant-based. They limit the intake of animal products, such as eggs, meat and full-fat dairy. 

They also tend to limit high-fat plant foods that are generally perceived as healthy, including extra virgin olive oil, nuts and avocados.

Results: This diet has been shown to be very successful for weight loss among obese individuals. 

In one study, data from 106 massively obese individuals lost an average of 63 kg on an ultra low-fat diet termed the rice diet. 

Another 8-week study with a diet containing 7–14% fat showed an average weight loss of 6 kg.

Other benefits: Studies have shown that ultra low-fat diets can improve several risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and markers of inflammation. 

This high-carb, low-fat diet can also lead to significant improvements in type 2 diabetics. 

It may slow the progression of multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that affects the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves in the eyes.

Drawbacks: The fat restriction may cause problems in the long-term, as fat has many important roles in the body. 

These include helping build cell membranes and hormones and helping the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins. 

This low-fat diet limits the intake of many healthy foods, lacks variety and is extremely hard to stick to.

Conclusion:
An ultra low-fat diet contains less than 10% of its calories from fat. 

It can cause significant weight loss and may also have impressive benefits for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

6. The Atkins Diet

The aim of the Atkins diet is to lose weight by avoiding carbohydrates and controlling insulin levels. Dieters can eat as much fat and protein as they want.

In the early 1970s, an American cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins has created this diet plan. It has evolved over time and now encourages people to eat more high-fiber vegetables and do more exercise.

How it works: When a person is on the Atkins Diet, their body's metabolism switches from burning glucose as fuel to burning its own stored body fat. 

This switching is called ketosis. If there is no glucose in the body, ketosis will occur. During ketosis, the body will transfer some of the fat stores in fat cells to the blood to be used as energy.

The Atkins diet is split into four phases. 

• It starts with an induction phase, during which you eat under 20 grams of carbs per day for two weeks. Carbohydrates come mainly from salad and vegetables, which are low in starch. The dieter eats high-fat, high-protein food with low-carbohydrate vegetables, such as leafy greens. 
• In phase 2 of person has to balance the carbs where nutrient-dense and fiber rich foods are added as additional sources of carbohydrates. These include nuts, low-carb vegetables and small amounts of fruit.These are added gradually like 25 grams is added during the first week of phase 2 and then 30 grams during the second week, and each subsequent week until the person stops losing weight. When the person stops losing weight, they reduce their daily intake of carbs by 5 g until they slowly start to lose weight again. 
• During phase 3 person will do fine tune or follow pre-maintenance diet where they will increase their carbohydrate intake by 10 g each week until they begin to lose weight very slowly. 
• At last phase person has to follow lifetime maintenance of the diet where they starts adding a wider range of carbohydrate sources, while carefully monitoring their weight to ensure it does not go up.

Other benefits: The Atkins diet aims to help prevent health conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. 

However, losing weight on many diets can achieve this. A person who continues with the Atkins diet will probably lose weight, but most people do not continue long-term.

Drawbacks: As restricting carbohydrates causes a person's body to use up fat rather than glucose for energy, a buildup of ketones can result. 

This can lead to nausea, headache, mental fatigue, constipation and bad breath. 

People who use diuretics, insulin, or oral diabetes drugs should not follow the Atkins diet. It is not suitable for people with kidney disease. 

Pregnant or breast - feeding women should not engage in this diet.

Conclusion:
The Atkins diet is a low-carb weight loss diet. It's effective for weight loss but also has benefits for many other risk factors for disease.

7. The HCG Diet

The HCG diet is an extreme weight loss diet claiming to cause very fast weight loss of up to 1–2 lbs (0.45–1 kg) per day.

Its proponents claim it will boost metabolism and help you lose large amounts of fat, all without ever being hungry.

HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone that's present at high levels during early pregnancy. 

It tells a woman's body it's pregnant and maintains the production of hormones that are important for fetal development. It has also been used to treat fertility issues.

How it works: The diet is split into three phases. 

• The first phase lasts two days. This is when you begin taking HCG supplements.
• The second phase is the weight loss phase, during which you follow an ultra low-calorie diet of only 500 calories per day, along with HCG supplement drops, pellets, injections or sprays. The weight loss phase is prescribed for 3–6 weeks at a time.
• The third phase is when you stop taking HCG and slowly increase your food intake.

Results: The HCG diet does cause weight loss, but multiple studies have concluded that the weight loss is due to the ultra low-calorie diet alone — not the HCG hormone. 

They also found that the HCG hormone did not significantly reduce hunger.

Other benefits: Aside from weight loss, there are no documented benefits of the HCG diet.

Drawbacks: This diet may cause muscle loss, which results in a reduced ability to burn calories. 

Such severe calorie restriction further reduces the number of calories the body burns. This is because the body thinks it's starving and therefore attempts to preserve energy.

In addition, most HCG products on the market are scams and don't contain any HCG. 

Only injections are able to raise blood levels of the hormone. 

The diet has many side effects, including headaches, fatigue and depression. 

There is also one report of a woman developing blood clots, most likely caused by the diet.

The FDA does not approve this diet, labeling it dangerous, illegal and fraudulent.

Conclusion:
The HCG diet is a fast weight loss diet. It's not based on any scientific evidence and may reduce metabolic rate and cause muscle loss, headaches, fatigue and depression.

8. The Zone Diet

The Zone diet involves reducing intake of carbohydrates to ensure healthy insulin levels, and consuming plenty of omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols. 

The goal of this diet is to reduce inflammation. The zone diet is a low-glycemic load diet on which you limit carbs to 35–45% of daily calories and protein and fat to 30% each.

The glycemic load (GL) of a food is an estimate of how much a food will raise your blood glucose levels after eating it. 

It takes into account how many carbs are in the food and how much that amount will raise your blood glucose levels.

How it works: The Zone diet recommends balancing each meal with one-third protein, two-thirds colorful fruits and veggies and a dash of fat, namely monounsaturated oil such as olive oil, avocado or almonds.

It also says to limit the intake of high-GL carbs, such as bananas, rice and potatoes. In the Zone diet, calorie intake does not have to go down, but what the person is eating has to change.

Results: Studies on the effects of a low-glycemic load diet on weight loss are rather inconsistent. 

Some studies say the diet promotes weight loss and reduces appetite, while others only show a small weight loss, compared to other weight loss diets.

Other benefits: The greatest benefit of this diet is a reduction in risk factors for heart disease, such as reduced cholesterol and triglycerides. 

In One study showed that the Zone diet may improve blood sugar control, reduce waist circumference and reduce systemic inflammation in overweight or obese individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Drawbacks: There are not many issues with this diet. The only thing to criticize is that it limits the consumption of some healthy carb sources, such as bananas and potatoes.

Conclusion:
The Zone diet is a low-glycemic load diet. Studies on its weight loss benefits are inconsistent, but the diet improves many important health markers and reduces the risk of heart disease.

9. Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. 

Rather than restricting the foods you eat, it states when you should eat them. Therefore, it can be seen as more of an eating pattern than a diet. 

Common intermittent fasting methods involve daily 16 hour fasts, or fasting for 24 hours, twice per week.

Intermittent fasting has been very popular for many years and several different methods have been used.

The most popular ways to do intermittent fasting are:

• The 16/8 method: Involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, for example from 1 pm to 9 pm. subsequently fasting for the remaining 16 hours of the day.
• The eat-stop-eat method: Involves 24-hour fasts once or twice per week on non-consecutive days, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day.
• The 5:2 diet: On two non-consecutive days of the week, you restrict your intake to 500–600 calories. On the five remaining days, you eat like normal.
• The warrior diet: Eat small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and one huge meal at night, basically fasting during the day and feasting at night within a 4-hour window.

How it works: Intermittent fasting is commonly used for weight loss because it leads to relatively easy calorie restriction. 

It can make you eat fewer calories overall, as long as you don't overcompensate by eating much more during the eating periods.

Results: Intermittent fasting is generally very successful for weight loss. It has been shown to cause weight loss of 3–8% over a period of 3–24 weeks, which is a lot compared to most weight loss studies.

In addition to causing less muscle loss than standard calorie restriction, it may increase your metabolic rate by 3.6–14% in the short-term.

Other benefits: Intermittent fasting may reduce markers of inflammation, cholesterol levels, blood triglycerides and blood sugar levels. 

It has been linked to increased levels of human growth hormone, improved insulin sensitivity, improved cellular repair and altered gene expressions.

Many studies also suggest that it may help new brain cells grow, lengthen lifespan and protect against Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

Drawbacks: Although intermittent fasting is safe for well-nourished and healthy people, it does not suit everyone. Some studies have shown it's not as beneficial for women as it is for men.

In addition, some people should avoid fasting. This includes those sensitive to drops in blood sugar levels, pregnant women, breastfeeding moms, teenagers, children and people who are malnourished, underweight or nutrient deficient.

Conclusion:
Intermittent fasting can have many benefits for your body and brain. It can cause weight loss, and may protect against type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. It may also help you live longer.

10. The Military Diet

The military diet called as 3-day diet, is a weight loss diet that can help you lose up to 4.5 kg in a week. 

The military diet plan involves a 3-day meal plan followed by 4 days off, and the weekly cycle is repeated again and again until you reach your goal weight.

Proponents of the diet claim that it was designed by nutritionists in the US military in order to get soldiers into top shape quickly. 

But the truth is that the diet isn't affiliated with any military or governmental institution.

The military diet goes by several other names as well, including the navy diet, the army diet and even the ice cream diet.

How it works: 
The 3-day military diet is actually split into 2 phases over a 7-day period. 

For the first 3 days, you must follow a set low-calorie meal plan for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

There are no snacks between meals. Total calorie intake during this phase is roughly 1100–1400 calories per day.

For the remaining 4 days of the week, you are encouraged to eat healthy and continue to keep your calorie intake under 1500 per day.

Results: It is possible to lose 4.5 kg in a week. Theoretically, this rate of weight loss is possible for overweight people who severely restrict calories. 

However, most of the weight loss will be due to loss of water, not fat. Water weight drops rapidly as the body's glycogen stores decline, which happens when you restrict carbs and calories.

Drawbacks: The military diet is likely safe for the average person because it's too short to do lasting harm. 

This diet probably won't help you keep the weight off for very long because it doesn't help you change your habits.

However, if you were to follow this diet for months at a time, the strict limit on calories could put you at risk of nutrient deficiencies, while you do not regularly eat vegetables and other quality foods on your days off.

Conclusion: If you want to lose a few pounds quickly, then the military diet can help. 

If you're serious about losing weight and keeping it off, then there are many weight loss methods that are much better than the military diet.

11. A High-Protein Diet

A high-protein diet is easy to follow and can be customized according to your own food preferences and health-related goals. 

Protein serves a number of important functions in your body. It is made up of individual amino acids, including many that your body cannot create on its own.

Protein is the main component of your muscles, bones, skin and hair. These tissues are continuously repaired and replaced with new protein. 

Some proteins help deliver important molecules where they're needed. For example, the protein hemoglobin carries oxygen to your body's cells.

How it works: Eating more protein may help suppress your hunger and appetite for hours after eating. Protein increases production of hormones like PYY and GLP-1, both of which help you feel full and satisfied. 

In addition, it helps reduce levels of ghrelin, also known as the "hunger hormone".

Results: A higher protein intake may increase the number of calories you burn. 

Protein digestion appears to boost metabolic rate by an impressive 20–35%, compared to a 5–15% increase for digesting carbs or fat. 

And protein's ability to suppress appetite, promote fullness and increase metabolism can help you lose weight.

Other benefits: Research suggests a high protein intake can help build muscle, protect against bone and muscle loss during aging and improve wound healing. 

In one study, older women with the highest intake of animal protein experienced a whopping 69% reduced risk of hip fracture.

Drawbacks: High-protein diets are safe and healthy for most people, but they may cause problems in individuals with certain diseases or health conditions.

Conclusion: A higher protein intake is linked to beneficial effects on appetite, weight, body composition, aging and overall health. 

To reap maximum benefits from a high-protein diet, spread your protein intake throughout the day, choose high-quality sources and balance your intake with healthy fats and carbs.

12. The GM Diet Plan

The GM diet, also known as the General Motors diet, is a plan that promises to help you lose up to 7 kg in just one week. Each day of the GM diet permits you to eat different foods or food groups.

Proponents claim it can help you detoxify, burn more fat, improve your digestion as many of the foods are low in calories, such as fruits and vegetables. 

The plan also states that many of the foods in the diet are "negative-calorie foods" meaning they provide fewer calories than they take to digest.

How it works: The GM diet is divided into seven days, with different rules that apply to each day.

It recommends that you drink 8–12 glasses of water each day to stay hydrated throughout the diet.

Each day of the GM diet has specific rules on which foods are permitted. Fruits, vegetables, meat and milk are the main foods allowed.

There are a few additional rules to this diet, such as avoiding beans, sweeteners and high-calorie beverages. You're also advised to follow a low-carb, high-protein diet after the GM plan.

Results: The GM Diet promote weight loss by creating a calorie deficit, which is when you consume fewer calories than you burn throughout the day.

Other benefits: The GM diet is somewhat flexible on the foods you can choose. It encourages you to eat more fruits and vegetables, while limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol.

Drawbacks: The biggest drawback of the GM diet is that there is no research that evaluates how well it works. Besides anecdotal evidence, there is nothing to actually back up the claims of the diet.

The diet is also not well-balanced and may lead to feelings of deprivation and hunger on some days, due to the varying amounts of macronutrients it provides.

On top of these issues, the diet is lacking in many other essential nutrients and may only lead to temporary weight loss.

Conclusion: Many people seek out "quick fixes" to lose weight fast. 

Unfortunately, it's just not possible to accomplish long-term, lasting weight loss in only one week. 

In short, it's not backed by research, it lacks essential nutrients and it won't lead to lasting weight loss.

At last after writing about all the diet, I would like to recommend that there is no such thing as a "best" weight loss diet. 

Instead of engaging in endless cycles of yo-yo dieting and losing weight only to regain it, try incorporating a healthy diet with the help of your personal wellness coach into your everyday life. 

Your coach is the best person to design your personalised diet plan, which you can actually stick to it for long-term.