Diet Plan Comparisons

We have taken the three most popular diets (South Beach Diet, Atkins Diet, and Zone Diet), and compared them to one another so that you can easily review them.

Both the South Beach and Atkins Diet have been accused of being trendy, but the South Beach Diet is significantly less dangerous than the Atkins diet, as it doesn’t completely restrict carbs or fat, but reduces both.  Both these diets require you to diet in multiple “phases.”  They both start out with an aggressive, 2-week phase that forces you to develop highly regimented eating habits.  During this phase, you will lose weight quickly.  When you move into subsequent phases, eating restrictions ease up and you will lose weight more slowly.  You will remain in the most lax final/maintenance stage for the rest of your life if you want to keep the weight off.  

Zone Diet is safer than Atkins Diet, but its effectiveness is not as well-documented.  You will lose weight quickly if you stick to the Atkins diet.  Your weight loss may be more gradual with the Zone diet, but, since you don’t have to completely cut-off carb intake, Zone Diet is better for your long-term health.  Zone Diet also purports to be better for athletes/sports-minded individuals.

Zone Diet and South Beach Diet are both diets that stress balance and the reduction of carbs and fats rather than their complete omission from your diet.  South Beach Diet is a more aggressive diet and will probably cause you to lose weight faster.  Furthermore, since the South Beach diet was founded by a cardiologist, it’s long-term effect on your health (heart and otherwise) is more favorable.