Optimal Dietary Plan for the Year: Expert Opinions
Key Takeaways:
- The Mediterranean, DASH, and Flexitarian diets top the rankings due to their focus on plant-based foods, lean proteins and healthy fats. The Mediterranean diet in particular is associated with increased life expectancy and lower risk of chronic illnesses.
- For those focused on weight loss, WW (Weight Watchers), Volumetrics, the Flexitarian diet, Jenny Craig, and the Vegan diet scored high. For rapid weight-loss, the HMR program, Atkins diet, Keto diet, Optavia, and WW (Weight Watchers) are considered top-rated.
- Expert nutritionist Samantha Heller advises a less on weight loss and more on adopting an overall healthier lifestyle including dietary habits, regular physical exercise, adequate rest, and effective stress management.
- As per the expert panel, lifestyle diets, such as the Mayo Clinic diet and MIND diet, were deemed healthier and more sustainable compared to weight-loss focused plans like the Ketogenic or Atkins diets.
- The success of a diet is very individualized and the best fit for one may not be the best for another. The aim should be to find a diet plan that not only suits the individual but also helps maintain lifelong healthy eating habits.
Every new year brings with it a resurgence of resolutions to improve personal health and wellness, often involving changes in dietary habits. However, among countless diet fads and advice, what’s the most effective approach to kickstart weight loss?
The Superior Diet: The Mediterranean Plan
The Mediterranean diet tops the chart as the most effective overall diet for healthy eating, as per an annual review. Right after the Mediterranean plan, on the list of Best Diets for the year, the DASH (Dietary Approaches for Stopping Hypertension) diet comes in second, with the Flexitarian plan following close behind as the third. The common thread between these three diets is a primary focus on plant-based foods, including vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, paired with lean protein sources and healthy fats.
Samantha Heller, a well-known nutritionist commented: “I hope these rankings help guide individuals towards healthier habits.”
Heller wishes, however, for less focus on dieting and weight loss, and more on adopting an overall healthier lifestyle. This encompasses not just dietary habits, but regular physical exercise, adequate rest, and effective stress management—all crucial components of an improved quality of life.
The top three diets share content similarities, offering a great start to healthier eating habits. The Mediterranean diet, specifically, is associated with increased life expectancy and a lower risk of chronic illnesses, and ranks high in various criteria, such as Easiness to Follow, Best Diets for Healthy Eating, Best Diets for Diabetes, and Best Diets for Hearth Health.
Top Plans for Weight Loss
If weight loss is a target for you, here are some plans that scored high in the weight-loss regime:
- WW (Weight Watchers)
- Volumetrics
- Flexitarian diet (tied)
- Jenny Craig (tied)
- Vegan diet (tied)
Fast Weight-Loss Plans
If you’re eager to shed pounds swiftly, consider the following top-rated rapid weight-loss plans:
- HMR program
- Atkins diet (tied)
- Keto diet (tied)
- Optavia (tied)
- WW (Weight Watchers) (tied)
Heller notes that many turn to fast weight-loss plans for motivation, but they don’t necessarily assist in establishing healthy eating habits for the long term.
“Such diets often fail to teach you how to handle holidays, stressful days, or special occasions, and don’t provide life strategies,” she stated.
It seems that the easiest diets to follow include the Mediterranean diet, Flexitarian diet, and WW (Weight Watchers).
41 diet plans were reviewed by a panel of nutritional experts who, like Heller, stressed the significance of balanced, sustainable diets that aren’t excessively restrictive. Diets like this can inspire lifelong positive eating habits.
Lifestyle Diets Vs. Weight-Loss Plans
Lifestyle diets, like the Mayo Clinic diet and MIND diet, were concluded by the panel to be healthier and more sustainable compared to weight-loss focused plans such as the Ketogenic or Atkins diets.
Though the popular Keto diet scored high for rapid weight loss, overall, it ranked quite low on the list — tying at number 38. Other diets trailing behind in the rankings included the Dukan diet, Body Reset Diet, and Whole30 diet.
“Diets which don’t differentiate between healthy and unhealthy fats may, over time, be detrimental approaches to weight loss,” suggested Heller.
However, the diet which tops the ranking list isn’t necessarily the best diet for every individual. “Choosing a diet is a very individual thing,” noted Heller. Ideally, you should find a diet plan that not only suits you but also trains you to maintain lifelong healthy eating.
Further Reading
Get more detailed information about the ranking of diets on U.S. News & World Report’s best diet rankings.
