Losing Weight: A Diet That Works
Dr. David Marks
Jan 5, 2005, 16:13

A new study tried to find out which diet works the best.

It compares fout of the more popular: ATKINS, ORNISH, WEIGHT WATCHERS and ZONE.

Study participants who completed a year on the given diet weighed in.

ATKINS came in last with users of the low carb plan, losing just over four and a half pounds.

People on the calorie counting WEIGHT WATCHERS lost just over six and a half.

Those on ZONE lost just over seven pounds... and it was a similar result for patients on the low fat ORNISH diet.

The numbers don't surprise experts like dietician Cathy Nonas... who says the difference in weight lost from one plan to another wasn't that significant.

Most americans know how to gain weight and lose weight," says Nonas. "But they don't know how to maintain it. Which may be the hardest past of a diet: ACTUALLY STICKING WITH IT.

So when researchers looked at which plan was the easiest to stay with, the ranking list changed.

People who stuck with ORNISH lost the most weight. But only half of those who tried it were able to stay on it.

The ATKINS diet had a similar result.

Study participants seemed to have an easier time with WEIGHT WATCHERS and ZONE. Sixty-five percent were still on the diets after a year..

So in the end, researchers weren;t able to determine whict diet works the best.

What they did find is poeple can lose weight on any of these diets.

"As long as you find one that is safe for you and that you can adhere to by all means go after it," says Nonas.

But before you start one of these diets, talk to your doctor to make sure it's the right one for you.

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