MANILA, Philippines?Every year, new studies come out and new diet books are published as answers to dieters? failure in the past. Which diets really work? Do diets even work?

It was recently found out in the journal of American Psychologist that diets don?t work. The review of 31 long-term studies followed people on a range of diets between two and five years and the majority of people even regained more weight than when they started.

However, an understanding of how a particular diet works might help you devise your own eating plan to suit your lifestyle so you can keep your weight off long-term. According to studies, weight maintainers who made the decision to lose weight devised their personal eating plans to fit their lives.

New ways to lose weight

Here are some of the latest diets for 2008 which focus more on a holistic approach to achieve weight loss.

The All-New Atkins advantage by Dr. Stuart Trager and Colette Heimowitz. This improved diet provides a step-by-step 12-week program based on Atkins high-protein, high-fat, low-carb nutritional approach, an easy-to-follow exercise program, plus tips on motivation for long-term maintenance.

It?s a good thing that the improved Atkins diet gives importance to an active lifestyle. However, you should lose weight, at the same time increase energy level while reducing health risks long-term. This is not recommended for exercisers and people with health problems.

Too much protein can make you susceptible to a kidney disease, too much fat can increase your risk of cancer and heart disease, and too much carbs will make you gain weight.

It?s hard to stick to this type of diet, especially for Filipinos who are always exposed to carbs while at work, at home and at socials. Consider your environment and make your diet realistic. Always focus on portion and quality control.

Spectrum Diet
by Dean Ornish
This is a lifestyle and diet program that focuses on individualized approach to achieve one?s goals in relation to weight and health. It also promotes exercise and stress management. It encourages one to eat natural and unprocessed foods. With this diet, you are allowed to occasionally indulge, but just to a certain extent.

Foods are grouped and ranked from the healthiest to the least healthy.
Group 1: Fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nonfat dairy, egg whites, soy products
Group 2: Avocados, seeds, nuts, canned vegetables, low-fat dairy, decaffeinated beverages
Group 3: Seafood, refined carbohydrates, concentrated sweets, oils higher in saturated fats, margarine
Group 4: High-fat animal products, whole-fat dairy, mayonnaise, pastries
Group 5: Red meat, egg yolks, fried foods, hot dogs, organ meats, butter, cream, tropical oils

The program is flexible since it caters to the needs of each individual. Choices of food and amount can always be readjusted. It also educates one about healthy and balanced eating by choosing foods high in fiber and whole grains, low in fat, low in cholesterol and moderate on refined carbs.

Ornish?s approach can educate every individual to stay away from diet mentality. It also addresses the most important concerns like the environment and stress that might affect weight loss goals.

Slim for Life
by Dr. Gillian McKeith

This diet program has a 28-day plan to establish an improved eating pattern for long-term weight management. It includes suggested foods to eat during the program. It requires one to complete a one-week food diary so eating patterns and habits can be analyzed. By the end of the first week, the goal is to cut out salty foods, sweets and refined carbs and eat more raw fruits and vegetables. Exercise is incorporated in the program.

The program?s inclusion of behavior modification educates one to analyze behavior chain patterns. Being aware of one?s habit and learning how to break it is the key to long-term weight management. Aside from that, it increases one?s knowledge about the most important things needed to know in nutrition for weight loss.

GenoType Diet
by Dr. Peter D?Adamo

This new diet promotes healthy eating based on your body type to solve the common problem body?s resistance to weight loss. The six identified Genotypes are the Hunter, the Gatherer, the Teacher, the Explorer, the Warrior, and the Nomad. There are rules like what and what not to eat for each particular Genotype. A Hunter should eat more meat and a gatherer should eat more green vegetables.

This is a food-specific diet just like D?Adamo?s ?Eat Right 4 Your Type? diet where blood type is the basis to determine which foods should one be eating. These types of diet can make one lose weight if religiously followed since it also promotes portion control. But many are now aware that food restriction does not work. It?s hard to stick to a strict diet because sooner or later, stronger urges for our old favorite foods return and weight regain follows.

It?s still best to eat a combination of everything so you won?t miss the essential nutrients needed to survive and to stay healthy and strong. Calorie intake will depend on your daily activities, current weight and weight management goals.

E-mail the author at mitchfelipe@gmail.com