Weight Loss Plans for Women That Work

Weight loss is not simply about looking good, it is also about being healthy. Between work and raising a family, many women find they have gotten away from weight management habits and have gained excess pounds. Maintaining a healthy weight has been proven to reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Several weight loss programs are available to help you choose from when you decide it is time to get down to a healthy weight range.

Flat Belly Diet

The editors of “Prevention Magazine” developed the Flat Belly Diet, which uses many traditional Mediterranean foods as its base. The foundation of daily eating includes servings of monounsaturated fats with every meal. Allowable oils include canola, safflower, peanut , sunflower and olive. In addition to cooking with the allowable oils, you can eat them by including a handful of various nuts into each meal. Peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds and walnuts are just a few examples of how you can incorporate monounsaturated oils with each sitting. To follow this diet, you must limit calorie intake to 1,600 each day and spread those calories over three nutritionally balanced meals and small snacks.

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers uses a point exchange system. In this system, participants are allowed a predetermined number of fat, carbohydrate, fruit, vegetable and protein exchanges each day. Once they have consumed that number through meals and snacks, they stop eating for the day. The number of allowable exchanges for each person is determined by a formula that takes into consideration your current weight, height and weight loss goal. The goal is to spread your points throughout the day by making wise food choices. Weight Watchers differs from many other diet programs, in that it packages and sells its brand name foods to dieters who do not want to choose what to eat and what to cook. In 2010, you could order the meal plans and have them delivered to your home. Weight Watchers meetings encourage support and guidance for participants as well as accountability.

Cabbage Soup Diet

The Cabbage Soup Diet is not meant to be followed long term, but for seven days. Proponents claim you will lose weight quickly during that week and jump start your long-term diet changes. At every meal, you eat a bowl of the cabbage soup and add fruits, vegetables, brown rice or lean fish, depending on which day you are in. The diet soup recipe is two green peppers, two cans diced tomatoes, six large green onions, half-head of cabbage, celery to taste, 48 oz. tomato juice, one envelope of onion soup mix and, if you desire some meat flavor, you can add two bouillon cubes of your choice. Combine it all in a pan and simmer for an hour.

Grapefruit Diet

The Grapefruit Diet is successful, say those who follow it. The grapefruit is a simple carbohydrate, free of refined sugars. It also provides Vitamin C and fiber. Because the Grapefruit Diet eliminates many essential nutrients, it should only be followed for 12 days on and then 12 days off. It is similar to the Mayo Clinic diet used to speed weight loss leading up to surgery. Each meal is regulated and includes a half grapefruit. Meals include meats and vegetables, of which you are told to eat as much as you wish. The diet forbids breads and refined sugars for the 12 days you are on it.