best diet programs

With all the misinformation that is out there in regards to which diets work and which diets don’t, you could literally lose weight just trying to sift through it all. You’ve likely seen all the claims, heard all the “testimonies’” and maybe even tried some or all of the so called top diets in the industry. But what has your success level been?

If you are like most would be dieters you are probably feeling very dejected and really have no clue as to where you should be looking. Well wonder no more as it is ConsumersCompare.org to the rescue. Our trusted and knowledgeable staff has spent the better part of 9 months looking at various diet data, laboratory results, and even conducting our own personal testing.

The end result is a true top five list that will showcase the best diet plans that the industry has to offer. Some of the names you will instantly recognize, but you will likely be in for a surprise as well with other names. Just keep in mind that a household name does not make or break a diet and had no bearing on our top five list.

In order to be certain that you have the cream of the crop when it comes to diet programs, all of the top five contenders in our top five list have detailed profiles that follow. These profiles go well beyond the scope of what you can read online and actually give you a snapshot of what the diet is like.

Each finalist will also have a rating list that include scores that go from 1 to 5 in several areas including the basis of the diet, if it is what it claims to be, how safe it is to be on the diet, and what it is like to actually be on the diet. This was done by having at least 20 of our expert staff members try out these diets and give their honest and unbiased opinions using the rating system mentioned. The ratings are then averaged out and decimal numbers are rounded up or down to the next higher or lower number (example: 3.57 = 3.6 and 3.53 = 3.5) to achieve the final score.

Of course, when we set out to accomplish such a complete list of diets we did so with great care. So, the numbers you see might have different meanings according to what they are referring to. Therefore, we compiled a list of five specifics that each diet was rated for. These include:

• WEIGHT LOSS Short-Term: Probability of WEIGHT LOSS during the first year of diet program. 5=tremendously effective, 4=very effective, 3=somewhat effective, 2=modestly effective, 1=unproductive.
• WEIGHT LOSS Long-Term: Probability of WEIGHT LOSS ongoing after first year (based on available findings). 5=tremendously effective, 4=very effective, 3=somewhat effective, 2=modestly effective, 1=unproductive.
• Ease of Fulfillment: Based on adjustment to the diet (including any special requirements), taste, fullness, and overall satisfaction. 5=tremendously easy, 4=very easy, 3=somewhat easy, 2=hard, 1=tremendously hard.
• Overall Nutrition: Using the Guidelines for Americans 2010 as a benchmark, how well the diet conforms to Federal dietary rules and regulations. 5=tremendously complete, 4=very complete, 3=somewhat complete, 2=modestly complete, 1=incomplete.
• Overall Health Safety: Factors include basic nutrition problems, RAPID WEIGHT LOSS, starvation and/or malnourishment, trouble for certain portions of the population and/or those with preexisting conditions. 5=tremendously safe, 4=very safe, 3=somewhat safe, 2=modestly safe, 1=unsafe.

While we were as thorough as possible with our scoring there were certain factors that we didn’t assign a score to. We did not want to assign scores to the cost of the program. What you feel is the right amount to spend on a diet is completely up to you. However, we have included costs based on what was available to allow you to make your own comparisons.

We also didn’t rate exercise. Some of the diets mentioned talk about exercise and others don’t. Again, we do include what each diet has to say about exercise, but we do not assign a number rating to it.

ConsumersCompare.org worked many long hours to bring you this list. We hope you will find in it the exact diet you have been looking for. While you may have tried one or more of these and not succeeded, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t another one on this list that will fit you like a glove.

Weight Loss Exercise

A lot of us live our lives like penned animals. Built to move, too often we put ourselves in a cage. We have bodies designed for racing across the savannas, but we live a lifestyle designed for migrating from the bed to the breakfast table; to the car seat; to the office chair; to the restaurant booth; to the living room couch and back to the bed.

It was not always this way. Not long ago in the United States, a man who worked on a farm did the equivalent of 15 miles of jogging every day; and his wife did the equivalent of 7 miles of jogging.

Today, our daily obligations of work and home keep us tied to our chairs, and if we want exercise, we have to seek it out.

In fact, health experts insist that obesity problem is probably caused at least as much by lack of physical activity as by eating too much. Hence, it is important that people need to move around.

However, that does not mean that a lap or two around the old high school track will offset a daily dose of donuts. Exercise alone is not very efficient, experts say. They contend that if you just exercise and do not change your diet, you may be able to prevent weight gain or even lose a few pounds for a while.

Nevertheless, it is not something that you are likely to sustain unless exercise is part of an overall program. The more regularly you exercise, the easier it is to maintain your weight. Here is what to do every day to make sure that you get the exercise you need.



1. Get quality Zzzs.

Make sure that you get adequate sleep. Good sleep habits are conducive to exercise, experts point out. If you feel worn out during the day, you are less likely to get much physical activity during the day.

In addition, there is evidence that people who are tired tend to eat more, using food as a substance for the rest they need.

2. Walk the walk.

It is probably the easiest exercise program of all. In fact, it may be all you ever have to do, according to some professional advices of some health experts.

Gradually build up to at least 30 minutes of brisk walking five times a week. Brisk walks themselves have health and psychological benefits that are well worth the while.

3. Walk the treadmill.

When the weather is bad, you might not feel like going outdoors. But if you have a treadmill in the television room, you can catch up on your favorite shows while you are doing your daily good turn for your weight-maintenance plan.

Most of us watch television anyway, and indoor exercise equipment enables anyone to turn a sedentary activity into a healthy walk.

4. Seize the time.

Excuses aside, lack of time is certainly a limiting factor in most lifestyles. That is why health experts suggest a basic guideline for incorporating exercise into your schedule.

Get as much exercise as you can that feels good without letting it interfere with your work or family life. If you need to, remind yourself that you are preventing many health problems when you prevent weight gain; and keeping your health is a gift to your family as well as yourself.

How Crowdsourcing Can Help You Lose Weight

Fabulous news if you practically live on social media

Having strong support is one of the keys to reaching a goal—and that's definitely true when it comes to dieting. Thing is, your weight-loss support network may not have to help you out face-to-face. And in fact, the feedback doesn't even need to come from people you've met in real life. That's the takeaway of a new study published in the Journal of the American Informatics Association, which found that nutrition info crowd-sourced from app users was just as sound as info that came from nutrition experts.

In the past few years, there's been a surge in smartphone apps that allow users to upload a photo of a meal and ask other users to weigh in on how healthy it is—so researchers decided to investigate just how accurate this crowdsourced food feedback is. Using an app called Eatery, they took a look at 450 photos of foods and/or drinks that had been previously uploaded by 333 users in the U.S. and Europe. The app lets users rate the items in the photos on a sliding scale from "fit" (healthy) to "fat" (unhealthy). Three researchers with nutrition backgrounds also rated the food and drinks in the photos, basing their ratings on the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines. The result: The crowdsourced nutritional ratings and expert ratings showed strong similarities. "The findings suggest that a large group of untrained peers can provide feedback comparable to trained raters who are familiar with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines using a basic rating scale," the researchers wrote in the study.

It's encouraging to know that when it comes to diet advice, your social network might just have your back. Still, you'll want to be careful when consulting non-experts for health-related advice. One of the reasons the crowdsourced info in the study may have turned out to be more or less accurate is that a large pool of app users were rating each food on a scale that wasn't super-specific—but in real life, if you ask two friends more concrete weight-loss questions, your odds of getting an accurate and reliable answer might be significantly lower. If you're looking for more guidance on how to drop pounds in a healthy way, definitely feel free to consult people you know—but you should also keep an eye on our weight-loss channel.

The 5 Saltiest Cheeses (and 5 Lower-Sodium Cheeses You Should Eat Instead)

Some are actually saltier than salt water!

Trying to shake your salt habit? You might want to raid your cheese drawer, suggests a new study in BJM Open.

For the study, Consensus Action on Salt and Health, a U.K. group that works to get food manufacturers to lower their products’ sodium content, examined 612 samples of 23 types of cheese and ranked them by their sodium content.

The five saltiest: halloumi, imported blue, feta, processed cheeses (likestring cheese), and Edam. So how salty is salty? Well, it turns out, halloumi, blue, and feta pack more salt than seawater!

"One of the basic ingredients in cheese is salt," says Rene Ficek, R.D., lead nutrition expert at Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating. "It stops bacteria from growing inside cheese, controls moisture, improves texture, and enhances taste. Most importantly, salt is added for safety reasons as it acts as a natural preservative."

Hence why cheese accounts for about eight percent of the sodium in the average American's diet, she says. Ounce per ounce, your average cheese packs as much sodium as a salt-filled bag of potato chips.

MORE: 5 Foods That Have More Sodium Than a Bag of Chips

Still, that doesn't mean you should swear off cheese entirely. "Cheese provides important nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and protein," says Ficek. Plus, one British Journal of Nutrition study linked snacking on cheese to increased satiety and eating fewer total calories throughout the day.

MORE: 5 Ways Eating Cheese Can Help You Lose Weight

Just opt for naturally low-sodium blends, suggests Ficek. Wensleydale, Emmental, mozzarella, cream cheese, and cottage cheese were found to be the lowest-sodium cheeses in the current study. And while the study didn't examine them, Swiss, Monterey Jack, ricotta, and Parmesan are also good low-sodium options, says Ficek. (Maybe those cheeses aren't big in Britain?)

When it comes to browsing the dairy section, low-sodium shouldn't be the be-all and end-all. Ficek says that, while many manufacturers offer reduced-sodium cheeses, they often use artificial ingredients as well as more fat to make up for a lack of salty flavor—so keep sodium in mind when cheese shopping, but just as one factor to consider when determining a product's overall healthfulness.

5 Healthy 'Stuffed' Recipes You HAVE to Try

Dinner just got way more exciting.

You're probably familiar with the concept of stuffed mushrooms, but they're not the only food that makes a perfect serving vessel. Turning an avocado or a sweet potato into a boat filled with healthy grains, fruits, and veggies is a surprisingly simple party trick. Let five of our favorite food bloggers show you how it's done.

Twice-Baked Zucchini Boats
These zucchini boats get baked once with rice-veggie filling—and then again with a sprinkle of cheese on the top. Yum!

Get the recipe at Chelsea’s Messy Apron.

Black Bean Salad-Stuffed Avocado
It's onions, cilantro, tomatoes, black beans, and mango. Inside an avocado. Mind blown!

Get the recipe at Burlap and Crystal.

Cucumber Boats
If you're looking for a snack, we highly recommend cucumbers stuffed with fun toppings. These are made with a diced cucumber, feta, dill, salt, and pepper filling.

Get the recipe at Bite Delite.

Loaded Black Bean Sweet Potato Boats
With avocado crema, fresh salsa, and Manchego cheese, these are like a party in your mouth.

Get the recipe at The Minimalist Baker.

Avocado and Egg Spaghetti Squash Boats
Super-healthy avocado and egg make the perfect topping for spaghetti squash. What a great dinner, right?

Get the recipe at ifoodreal.

14 Foods You Should NEVER Eat

Put these on your do-not-buy list.

This article was written by Leah Zerbe and Emily Main and repurposed with permission from Rodale News.

What's the one food you refuse to eat? Peas? Tofu? Liver and onions? Whatever it is, it's probably because you don't like the way it tastes, not necessarily because it contains ingredients suspected of causing cancer or because it was picked by farmers wearing Hazmat suits. Yet, there are still a lot of those foods on store shelves, and food-industry insiders—who know what goes on behind the scenes—refuse to eat them.

We polled some of those insiders—people who know the business and work daily to evict pesticides, genetically modified organisms, animal cruelty, social injustice, and unhealthy foods from the food supply—to find out what they know about the dark side of "convenience" foods. Take note so you can avoid the worst of what grocery stores have to offer.

Swordfish
The expert: Philip Landrigan, M.D., professor of pediatrics and professor and chair of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine

The problem: One of Dr. Landrigan's number one warnings to women pregnant or looking to become pregnant? "Make avoiding mercury in fish a priority," he says. Swordfish is notoriously high in the heavy metal, a potent neurotoxin that can damage developing children and even trigger heart attacks in adults. Aside from obvious health concerns, swordfish is often overfished and some of the gear commonly used to wrangle in swordfish often kills turtles, seabirds, and sharks.

The solution: For a healthy omega-3 brain boost, look for fish that are low in contaminants and have stable populations, such as wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Atlantic mackerel, or pole- or troll-caught Pacific albacore tuna. Got a more adventurous palate? Try snakehead fish to satisfy your fish craving and improve the environment. The invasive species lives on land and water, where it wipes out important frogs, birds, and other critters. Snakehead fish is popping up on some restaurant menus, and the taste and texture is about identical to swordfish.

Nonorganic Strawberries
The expert: Robert Kenner, director of Food Inc. and founder ofFixFood.org

The problem: While filming Food Inc., Kenner says he wanted to film strawberry farmers applying pesticides to their fields. "The workers wear these suits to protect themselves from the dozens and dozens of known dangerous pesticides applied to strawberries," he says. "When I saw this, I thought to myself, 'If this is how berries are grown, I don't really want to eat them anymore.' I haven't been able to eat a nonorganic strawberry ever since." Unfortunately, for the food-concerned public, he wasn't able to get the shot of these farmers. "I guess they didn't think it looked too appetizing."

The solution: Opt for organic! The Environmental Working Group, which analyzes U.S. Department of Agriculture pesticide-residue data, has found 13 different pesticide residues on chemically grown strawberries.

Diet Soda
The expert: Isaac Eliaz, M.D., integrative health expert and founder of the Amitabha Medical Clinic and Healing Center in Sebastopol, California

The problem: Eliaz stays away from any diet soda or foods, sugar-free candies, and gum containing artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame K, and neotame, among others. "The safety data on these sweeteners is shrouded in controversy and conflicts of interest with the manufacturers of these chemical compounds," warns Eliaz. "Independent research strongly suggests that when metabolized in the body, these sweeteners can cause health-related issues and problems related to metabolism and weight gain, neurological diseases, joint pain, digestive problems, headaches, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, chemical toxicity, and cancer, among others."

The solution: If you're craving a soda but want to avoid the shady sweeteners, fake food dyes, and preservatives found in popular brands, try a bottle of Steaz zero-calorie green tea soda or Bionade, a fermented soda that's majorly popular in Europe.

Canned Tomatoes
The expert: Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences at the University of Missouri

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A (BPA) a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Studies show that the BPA in most people's bodies exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 micrograms of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Eden Organic and Bionaturae. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, such as Trader Joe's and Pomi.

Artificial Sweeteners
The expert: Maria Rodale, CEO of Rodale Inc. and author of Organic Manifesto

The problem: Ironically, there's a lot of evidence that suggest using artificial sweeteners, which have zero calories, is just as bad for your waistline as using regular, high-calorie sugar. For instance, research from the University of Texas has found that mice fed the artificial sweetener aspartame had higher blood sugar levels (which can cause you to overeat) than mice on an aspartame-free diet. Not only are they bad for your health, scientists have detected artificial sweeteners in treated wastewater, posing unknown risks to fish and other marine life. Plus, as Rodale says, "They're unnatural, nonorganic, taste horrible, and lead to all sorts of bad health consequences, false expectations, and short-term strategic thinking."

The solution: Refined white sugar isn't any healthier, but you can replace it with small amounts of nutritional sweeteners, including honey, blackstrap molasses, and maple syrup, all of which have high levels of vitamins and minerals.

Butter-Flavored Microwave Popcorn
The expert: Alexandra Scranton, director of science and research at Women's Voices for the Earth, a nonprofit that advocates for environmental health issues that directly affect women

The problem: Diacetyl, a chemical used in butter flavoring, is used in a lot of fake butter flavorings, despite the fact that the chemical is so harmful to factory workers that it's known to cause an occupational disease called "popcorn lung," says Scranton. After news of the chemical got out to the popcorn-eating public, companies started replacing diacetyl with another additive—which can actually turn into diacetyl under certain conditions, she says. Neither chemical is disclosed on microwave-popcorn bags because the exact formulations of flavorings are considered trade secrets. "It's a classic example of the need for better chemical regulation and improved transparency on the chemicals used in our food and other household products," she says.

The solution: Make your own popcorn using real butter. Pop it on the stovetop in a pot, or go an easier route: Put a small handful of kernels into a brown paper lunch bag, and stick the bag in the microwave. The kernels will pop just like those fake-butter-flavored kernels in standard microwave popcorn bags. When they're done, pour some melted organic butter over them. "Makes pretty good popcorn at a fraction of the cost," says Scranton.

White Chocolate
The expert: Drew Ramsey, M.D., assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and co-author of The Happiness Diet

The problem: The right kind of chocolate serves not only as a sweet treat but a brain-boosting superfood, too. The problem is, white chocolate's health profile is blank. "The data on the health benefits of cacao is pretty awesome," says Ramsey. "Much of this is due to a set of amazing phytonutrients that can increase blood flow to the brain, protect blood vessels, and boost mood and focus. White chocolate is missing all this goodness."

The solution: Indulging in a chocolate treat? Look for organic versions or spring for dark chocolate instead.

Click HERE to see seven more foods you should NEVER eat from Rodale News!

5 Weight-Loss Strategies You Should Absolutely Avoid

These no-good strategies will backfire on you.

This article was written by Jenny Sugar and repurposed with permission from Fitness Moving.

When you're trying to shed pounds, it's important to steer clear of the quick fixes and focus instead on healthy weight-loss strategies. It's not always easy to decide which diet tips you should follow, though, so we've rounded up five common weight-loss techniques you should avoid.

Cutting Entire Food Groups
Giving up entire food groups can lead to a nutritional deficiency—not to mention trigger major cravings for whatever food has been cut. Rather than, say, eliminating all carbohydrates, focus on whole grains and remember to watch out for portion control. Usually it's the extra servings that add to your waistline, not the pasta itself. Keep your pasta calories in check with these tricks, or make these low-carb veggie noodles.

Doing Cardio Workouts All the Time
If you live on the treadmill but never lift a dumbbell, you're missing out on one of the most important pieces of the fitness puzzle. Not only does weight training prevent injury by strengthening the joints, it also builds muscle mass and increases metabolic rate. Bonus: Thanks to a revved-up metabolism, you'll keep burning calories long after you've slipped off your sneakers. New to lifting weights? These tips for starting strength training will help you out.

Exercising on an Empty Stomach
If you regularly exercise without eating first, you should reconsider. When you work out on hungry, research shows that the calories burned come from muscle, not fat. It's important to fuel your body before exercising because you’ll avoid losing muscle and have more energy to push yourself through your workout. Here are some suggestions for easily digestible snacks to eat right before your sweat session.

Missing Out on Sleep
Making time for your workouts can mean less time for sleep, but it's important to get enough snooze time if you're trying to lose weight. You need extra energy to keep up with your exercise routine. Plus, skimping on sleep can affect your body's ability to control appetite. Too little sleep increases ghrelin—an appetite-stimulating hormone—so if you don't get enough shuteye, you may be tempted to overindulge. If shuteye tends to elude you, try these tips for falling asleep faster.

Skipping Meals
Cutting calories is key to weight loss, but missing out on entire meals can wreak havoc on your metabolism. When you wait too long to eat, your body reacts by slowing down your metabolism, which delays your weight-loss efforts. If your schedule is the issue and you're simply too busy to sit down and eat a full meal, store small snacks in your purse to eat throughout the day so that you can keep your metabolism moving. Check out our suggestions for healthy store-bought snacks for when you're on the go.