Best Diets for Weight Loss in 2023, According to Experts
Scientists say these nutrition plans have enough evidence to believe they work in the long-term.
By Marisa Cohen
Updated: Jan 4, 2023
The Best Diets to Try in 2023
by Women’s Health US
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Going on a diet involves careful planning and plenty of research upfront. After all, you donât want to find any dietâyou want the right diet. And, if weight loss is your goal, you want to go on the best diet to lose weight that also fits within your lifestyle.
âEating a nutrient-rich diet can make us feel better and more energized, and it lets us know we are taking steps towards a healthier life,â says dietitian Amanda Beaver, R.D.N, of Houston Methodist Wellness Services. But when you start researching the best ways to lose weight, your head can start spinning with all the different âmiracleâ diets out thereâketo! paleo! 5-2 fasting! And of course each of these has an army of true believers, who post all over Instagram about how awesome they feel giving up carbs/sugar/meat/dinner. It can be impossible to know which one to try.
How to choose a new diet
Deciding on a new diet is a big deal, and it can be tricky to select the right one for you. âOne must remember that healthy weight loss is a commitment that takes time,â says Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., author of The Small Change Diet. âThere is no silver bullet. When choosing a diet, opt for one that is an all-food inclusive and not one that is about eliminating foods, especially those you love.â
Amanda Holtzer, M.S., R.D., a dietitian at Culina Health, suggests asking yourself the following question before settling on a new diet:
â Is this diet sustainable for you? âMeaning, can you do it seven days a week, forever?â she says. âBecause if not, the second you stop doing it, chances are youâll gain the weight back.â
â Is this diet overly restrictive? If youâre going to feel deprived, Holtzer says it will be tough to stick with a particular diet. âEventually, those cravings will take over,â she says. âOftentimes, this kind of situation leads to overindulgences or even binges.â
â Will you be able to live your life while on it? If you like to eat out with friends, grab ice cream on occasion, and enjoy mimosas at brunch, itâs important to consider if your diet will allow this, Holtzer says. âIf you think youâll have to put your life on hold to execute this diet properly, it ainât the one,â she says.
â Will you be adequately nourished? Holtzer says this is âthe most importantâ question to ask yourself. âAny diet that prescribes intensely low calories is not the one,â she says, citing diets that want to you to restrict yourself to 1,200 calories. âRemember, the second you stop eating that way, youâll gain the weight back,â Holtzer says.
Ultimately, Gans says, âa good fit will have many parts to it that become part of your lifestyle, not something that you will be counting the days âtil it is over.â
How long should you give a diet before trying something new?
Sure, itâs possible to choose a diet the first time that may not be right for you. So, how long should you give it? Holtzer says ânot very long.â She recommends doing daily check-ins with yourself to see how youâre feeling on a new diet. A few things to consider, per Holtzer:
How well youâve been able to stick to the diet
What you did well
What you could have improved on
Whether you feel satisfied from your meals and snacks
How much youâre thinking about food on the diet
How much the diet is impacting other areas of your life
âEven if you finish day one of a diet, and the answers to some of these questions indicate that this diet may not be right, I would say itâs time to call it,â Holtzer says. âLife is too short to be on a diet that takes away from it.â (But, she adds, if you feel like daily check-ins are too much, you can reevaluate every week.)
Gans agrees that you shouldnât stick with something that doesnât feel right. âIf you are losing one to two pounds a week, then you are on the road to success,â she says. âHowever, if you are losing weight, but feel you cannot continue for long because it is so darn hard, the time to switch is immediate.â
Overall, Gans recommends keeping this in mind: âThe best diet is the one that doesnât feel like a diet. The plan incorporates all foods groups, teaches you about portion sizes, provides healthy cooking tips, includes dining out strategies, suggest regular physical activity and adequate sleep. The best diet is actually not a diet, but a lifestyle.â
We asked a panel of dietitians to sort through some of the most buzzed-about diets, and discuss the good, the bad, and the hungry. Here are their recommendations of the top 15 to considerâand 4 to forget about.
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1
Mediterranean Diet
mediterranean diet
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This diet consistently comes out on top, and there are a few reasons for that, says Jessica Cording, R.D., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. âItâs high in fiber, which is great for improving digestion,â she says. âItâs also good for heart health and cancer risk reduction.â The Mediterranean diet is rich in healthy fats and âtends to be low in unsaturated fat,â encouraging you to fill up good, nutrient-dense foods and taking a pass on unhealthy options, Cording points out. Take a look to the most accurate Red boost reviews.
Based on the heart-healthy lifestyle of Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, Mediterranean-style diets include healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, nuts, and fish at least twice a week, plenty of beans, fruit, leafy greens, and whole grains, and even a daily glass of red wine. You can eat cheese in moderation, but limit the red meat to once or twice a week.
How it works for weight loss: Though this dietâs primary appeal is in its numerous health benefitsâit can lower your risk of both chronic disease and cognitive declineâit can also lead to weight loss if you limit your calorie intake to 1,500 a day or less. Studies have found that following either a traditional Mediterranean diet or a low-carb version of it can result in weight loss of about 5-10% of body weight over 12 months. And that weight stays offâa recent British study found that for people who had lost large amounts of weight, those who consumed a Mediterranean-style diet were twice as likely to keep it off. âThis diet is easy to maintain, because the food is delicious!â says Beaver. Try out healthy supplements like alpilean.
RELATED: Hey, Letâs Talk About Why You Want to Lose Weight
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2
DASH Diet
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The low-sodium Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet was designed as a way to help people control their blood pressure without using drugs, though a few books have used it as a basis for a weight-loss diet. DASH emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or nonfat dairy and limits saturated fat and dietary cholesterol.
How it works for weight loss: You will certainly improve your health with this diet, and if you restrict calories while following DASHâs heart-healthy rules, you can lose weight and lower your blood pressure. A recent study found of obese older adults found that those who followed the DASH diet lost weight and decreased body fat, along with many other health benefits. âDASH is one of my favorite diets,â says Meridan Zerner, R.D., a dietitian at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas. âYouâre getting the anti-inflammatory, high fiber, heart-healthy benefits, and if you use a personalized, calorie-limited plan, you can absolutely lose weight.â
3
WW (formerly Weight Watchers)
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Weight Watchers has been around so long, your Grandma probably tried it when she was trying to take off the baby weight. With the newest version, youâre assigned a Points budget based on your food and activity preferences ( (foods are given points based on calories, saturated fat, sugar, and protein)âyou can eat whatever you want within that range. You also have ZeroPoint foods (most fruits and veggies and lean proteins such as fish, tofu, beans, eggs, and chicken breast fall into this category). Memberships start at $5.29 a week for a point-tracking app and digital support; $13.83 a week gets you unlimited access to workshops and a personal coach, in addition to the app. The program can also be personalized to meet the needs of those living with different types of diabetes.
How it works for weight loss: Research has consistently found that WW is effective at safely taking off the pounds. A 2013 study found that dieters assigned to WW were more than eight times more likely to lose 10% of their body weight over 6 months than those trying to diet on their own. âThere is a lot of evidence that using a tracking app can help you lose weight,â says Zerner. She adds that even if you stop tracking every meal, it is easy to maintain weight loss once you internalize which healthy foods are low or 0 points.