People who want to lose weight are often looking for the best weight loss diet. This is the diet that would give the largest weight loss within the shortest amount of time. It is also the program that allows you to keep the weight off. What is the best weight loss diet?

Research on the Effectiveness of Different Weight Loss Diets

A study was published in the 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. It compared how people lost weight when on the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers and Zone Diets. The researchers concluded that there was only a modest reduction in weight for the popular weight loss diets. The participants loss an average of 2 – 3 kgs after a year.

Another study was published in the 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. This time, the study compared the effects of the Atkins, Ornish, Zone and LEARN weight loss diets. After 12 months, average weight reduction among participants of these popular weight loss diets were as follows;

• Atkins diet – 4.7 kg.
• Zone diet – 1.6 kg
• LEARN diet – 2.6 kg
• Ornish diet – 2.2 kg

The authors of the study concluded that weight reduction was not statistically different among the different weight loss diets. As such there was no clear winner, when these weight loss diets were compared neck to neck.

What Makes Weight Loss Diets Work

A study was published in the 2008 issue of the International Journal of Obesity. The study investigated how the extent of compliance to a particular program affected the level of weight reduction. Participants were asked to go on the Atkins, Zone and Ornish weight loss diets. Regardless of the type of program, 12-month weight change was greatest in participants who had the highest level of compliance. What it means is that it was compliance to a program and not the type of program that influenced the amount of weight reduction. Sticking to any program is more important than which weight loss program you are sticking to.

Moderate Caloric Reduction

A study was published in the 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Investigators looked into the effects of low-calorie diets and their effectiveness in losing weight. The researchers found that the more severe the calorie reduction, the lower was the compliance to the diet. The researchers concluded that weight loss diets should consider moderate caloric restriction on a person’s daily calorie requirements.

Exercise with Dietary Restrictions is the Best Weight Loss Diet

A study published in the 2006 issue of the Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers looked at the effects of resistance training on maintaining lean body mass while trying to lose weight. Lean body mass is everything that makes up your body except your fat stores. It was observed that people who tried to lose weight often lost lean body mass. This resulted in a decline in their metabolic rate. Your metabolic rate is the amount of energy required to sustain your life. A sluggish metabolic rate after weight loss is one of the primary reasons for weight regain.

The study stated that the advantages of strength training helps in decreasing percentage body fat and sustaining lean body mass. Latest research suggests that adding exercise programs to dietary restriction can promote more favourable changes in body composition than diet or physical activity on its own.

The Best Weight Loss Diet

Research shows that the best weight loss diet is one to which you can stick to. There is no real significant difference in weight loss that can be obtained from any of the popular weight loss diets. The secret is to stick to a weight loss diet long enough to get the results.  In other words, the higher and longer your level of compliance to any weight loss program, the greater your weight loss.

Research also shows that the level of compliance is generally higher for diets with moderate calorie reductions. People who went on severe calorie reductions generally had lower compliance. Lower compliance essentially meant lesser weight loss. Research also showed that incorporating resistance training into a weight loss program helped prevent the loss of lean body mass. Loss of lean body mass resulted in a sluggish metabolism that caused weight regain.

As such, the best weight loss diet is one that you could stick to. It should have moderate calorie reduction and resistance training.