Choosing the best diet or eating plan for you can feel like rocket science. Net carbs, nutrient density, acid-forming foods, inflammation-promoting hormones: What does it all mean? Weight loss or overall health? What’s most important? Celebrity endorser or nutrition expert: Who do you believe?
Finding the best diet that works for you is important. You’re making a major commitment of time, effort, willpower and in some cases, money. But where do you begin? Below, experts walk you through the process of picking the diet that best meets your unique goals and needs.
[READ: Top Healthy Habits for Weight Loss, According to Dietitians]
Determining Personal Goals and Health Needs
It’s tempting to dive right in and get started on the latest diet trend. But assessing your individual goals and any specific health concerns is an important step in the process of choosing the right diet for your health and lifestyle.
Here are three steps to consider before getting started:
— Do a self-inventory
— Define your goals
— Set realistic expectations
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1. Do a self-inventory
“Selecting the right diet starts with you,” says Valerie Agyeman, a women’s health dietitian and founder of Flourish Heights, a nutrition practice aimed at empowering women to thrive in health and have a better relationship with food and their body. “One of the first things to consider is to take a look at all the past diets you have tried, if any, and ask yourself what didn’t work along with reflecting how it made you feel, both physically and mentally.”
Take your present eating habits into account, says Maxine Smith, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition. Which positive habits do you already have and wish to continue? Which dietary changes are realistic to make with your available resources and lifestyle?
“The right diet for you will include a wide variety of foods, with an emphasis on whole or minimally processed foods, and fit into your schedule and lifestyle,” adds Carrie Dennett, a Pacific Northwest-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition by Carrie.
2. Define your goals
Starting a diet can be driven by a range of motivating factors. Ask yourself: Why do I want to start a diet? Consider the following diet motivators:
— Weight loss and/or weight management
— To make more eco-friendly dietary choices
— Disease prevention or management
— Mental health and well-being
— Improved overall health
Being clear about your goals can help you align your values with a particular diet, Smith says.
[READ: Using Food As Medicine]
3. Set realistic expectations
Change won’t happen overnight, and your diet is only one component of a balanced and sustainable approach to long-term lifestyle changes. Setting realistic expectations allows for gradual adaptation to new dietary habits, whereas rapid and drastic changes may be difficult to sustain and could have adverse effects as a result.
“Consider which diet you can be most consistent with,” Smith says. “While aiming for perfection is a recipe for doom, consistency is very important for success.”
For instance, a flexitarian or Mediterranean diet is appropriate if diabetes prevention or management is a key goal. Similarly, the DASH diet, which stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension, is a proven heart-healthy option.
“Even when there is a specific, research-backed diet for a certain health condition, the diet is generally used as part of an overall treatment plan, not as a substitute for medical care,” Dennett explains.
Bottom line: If you’re considering an elimination diet like GAPS to improve a digestive disorder or the AIP diet, which is the autoimmune protocol diet, to ease symptoms of an autoimmune condition, don’t expect a miracle cure. In addition, make sure a diet isn’t ill-advised for any medical condition you might have. For instance, the keto diet is not recommended for people with liver disease.
[Read: What Is a High-Fiber Diet?]
Diet Options to Consider
When you think about a diet, you likely picture weight loss as the driving factor. The weight-loss industry is a major driver of diet trends. Because there’s a constant demand for a quick fix or effective way to lose weight, new diets are continually introduced, often promising quick and easy results. However, sifting through what seems like hundreds of options can be overwhelming, and finding a diet that’s right for you is about much more than weight loss.
Not sure where to start? U.S. News Best Diets offers in-depth profiles of well-known eating plans and diets and ranks them across various factors based on the input of a panel of nationally recognized experts in nutrition, obesity, food psychology and chronic disease management.
Depending on your personal health goals, here’s a starting point to help find the best diet for you:
— Well-balanced diets for overall health
— Sustainable weight-loss diets
— Structured diet programs
— Diets for disease management or improvement
1. Well-balanced diets for overall health
U.S. News’ Best Diets Overall rankings rates diets across a range of criteria, including:
— Nutritional completeness
— Health risks and benefits
— Long-term sustainability
— Evidence-based effectiveness
The common thread among good diets? They’re all about balance. They encourage the consumption of whole, minimally processed foods, which includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and healthy fats. And they emphasize limiting added sugars and salt, as well as consuming alcohol in moderation. And they allow flexibility so that families can eat together or or you can go out to dinner without worrying about whether there will be something you can eat
2. Sustainable weight-loss diets
Looking to drop the pounds and keep it off? U.S. News’ Best Weight-Loss Diets may be a good starting point.
Successful long-term weight loss programs incorporate behavioral and lifestyle changes that come with weight loss, like incorporating physical activity. Other key aspects shared among successful weight-loss programs are an emphasis on nutrient-dense foods, practicing portion control, flexibility that allows for customization and a support system to help individuals stay motivated and accountable.
3. Structured diet programs
Maybe you lead a busy life and don’t have time to think about meal planning or want extra guidance for recipes or choosing the right foods to eat. Enter U.S. News’ Best Diet Programs, which evaluates structured commercial programs. These programs, like WeightWatchers and Noom, have a membership fee and offer support, like weight-loss apps,meal tracking, coaching, free recipes and social media groups. Some also offer premade meals and meal replacements.
Choosing between a do-it-yourself diet and a structured diet program depends on your individual needs and preferences. Here are reasons why some may choose a diet program:
— Structured plan and guidance
— Convenient, especially for those with busy schedules
— Available support systems, like coaching or online support groups
— Accessible educational materials, recipes and resources
— Easy to get started
4. Diets for disease management or improvement
If you’re looking to lower your risk factors for diabetes, it may be important to pinpoint a high-quality, evidence-based diabetes diet that can help manage blood sugar levels and control your weight. Maybe you want to lower your risk factors for hypertension — starting on a heart-healthy diet that will help you control blood pressure and/or reduce cholesterol is key.
Ultimately, if you’re considering a diet to manage or improve disease, it’s essential to approach the decision with careful consideration and guidance from a health care professional.
Evaluating Diet Plans
Just because a diet tops the list doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best diet for you. There are several factors you should take into account when choosing a diet:
— Educate yourself
— Consider your personal preferences
— Watch out for red flags
— Weigh the cost of the diet
— Look for evidence of lasting results
— Evaluate potential barriers
— Factor in exercise
— Build a support network
1. Educate yourself
Once you’ve narrowed down possible choices, really dig into what each diet offers. You’ll want to understand each diet’s premise — for instance, eating like a cavemen for the paleo diet — and variations. You need to think about:
— How a diet works
— What you can and cannot eat
— Anticipated costs
— Evidence-based results
— Health-related attributes or hazards
— Available support and resources
2. Consider your personal preferences
It may seem obvious, but if you don’t like the food, the less likely you are to stick with any diet.
“With my past clients, being denied their favorite foods only triggered cravings and binges, which created unhealthy eating patterns,” Agyeman says. “Healthy eating should be simple. Add a variety of foods to your current eating routine. Add more vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and lean protein. They are rich in essential nutrients that will have long-lasting positive effects on your health and well-being. Make sure to include your favorite foods too.”
“A diet that doesn’t exclude entire food groups and isn’t extremely low-fat or low-carb is likely to be accommodating for preferences in terms of what tastes good and makes us feel good, as well as adaptable to a variety of traditional cultural food patterns,” Dennett says.
3. Watch out for red flags
“Diets that eliminate major food groups are a red flag,” Agyeman says. “Diets that do that can be harmful, especially when you have not consulted with your health care provider. Very restrictive diets can lead to fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, significant weight changes and disordered eating patterns.”
Quick fixes are red flags too, Smith says. “If it sounds too good to be true, be wary,” she advises. “For example, diets that promise more than a 1-to-2-pound weight loss per week may not be legitimate, sustainable or healthy.”
A list of required vitamins and supplements may also be a red flag.
“In general, a healthy, well-balanced diet doesn’t require these,” Smith says.
4. Calculate whether diet costs fit into your budget
If you can’t afford to follow a diet, it won’t work.
“Diets that only allow organic food and include a number of trendy ‘superfoods‘ can be expensive, as can diets with strict lists of ‘allowed’ foods that make it impossible to grocery shop based on what’s in season or on sale,” Dennett says. “Generally, the more varied a diet, the more options for putting together pleasing, nutritious meals on a budget.”
Dig into diet websites for sample menus, recipes and grocery lists, Smith advises: “Beware of those that call for complex dishes with many ingredients, expensive ingredients such as rare herbs and spices, brand-name or organic foods that don’t offer a more budget-friendly option (such as) dried herbs or generic brands.”
When considering overall costs of a diet, keep an eye out for several hidden cost factors that can contribute to its overall expense, including:
— Specialized or organic foods, such as grass-fed meats
— Required meal replacement products, like shakes or bars
— Nutritional supplements, like protein powder or vitamins and minerals
— Specialty ingredients
Before blindly jumping into costly investments for a new dietary plan, think about the many cost-effective ways to prioritize nutritious foods, such as buying frozen vegetables or in-season food products.
5. Look for evidence of lasting results
Are you attracted to hot new diets or tried-and-true plans?
“Fad diets can be very harmful for a number of reasons,” Agyeman says. “They may lack the essential nutrients your body needs for optimal health. Plus, most of them teach you nothing about healthy eating — and when the diet is completed, you will most likely head right back to unhealthy eating patterns and weight gain, if weight loss was your main goal.”
“Most of the time, it does make more sense to choose healthy, established diets,” Smith says. “This type of plan has been backed by research, has been established as being safe and effective and is supported by medical institutions, has shown positive results and effects over a lengthy period of time and for many people.”
For instance, the DASH diet is backed by decades of rigorous research showing multiple benefits for lowering blood pressure and preventing heart disease. Plant-based diets and semi-vegetarian diets are supported by numerous studies on weight loss. It’s also worth checking whether a touted study was conducted independently or was industry-run and funded.
One possible plus for emerging, popular diets: “These diets may offer hope to those who are ‘burned out’ on other eating plans,” Smith says. “Trying something new can be motivating and may incorporate newer science to favorably alter metabolism. However, because these are newer diets, they carry more risks as long-term implications may not be known. It is important to discuss these with your doctor before jumping on the bandwagon.”
6. Be honest about potential barriers
Every diet journey includes some hurdles, but you can smooth the way by choosing wisely. Again, “Is it budget-friendly?” is a good question, Agyeman says. “Does it fit into your eating style? If not, you probably won’t last. For example, does it require special prep? For those with a family, is it family-friendly? Big drastic changes are really hard to follow through.”
“Many people overestimate their resources,” Smith notes. “When motivation is at its peak, one may climb the highest mountain, but motivation wanes — and competing interests disrupt the best intentions. Before jumping into a diet, it is important to consider the specific challenges and obstacles that you will encounter along the way.”
7. Factor in exercise
Exercise is important for overall health and plays a role in maintaining a healthy weight. Check whether diet requirements might conflict with your exercise goals and needs.
It’s important to talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program, particularly if you’ve been sedentary or have any chronic medical conditions.
8. Get support in advance
If you thrive on group support, make sure the diet you choose offers plenty of it.
“Don’t be a ‘lone ranger,'” Smith advises. “Support and accountability are essentials of behavior change. Those that have walked your road before you can offer wisdom. Realizing that others share your same challenges can be comforting. Ideas can be shared, hope offered. Temptations to revert back to old habits can be strong: Having an ‘accountability buddy‘ — who is truly concerned about your best interests — is invaluable.”
Plenty of informal support is available online for popular diets like keto and paleo. A common thread among diet plans, such as Nutrisystem, is strong, ongoing support networks.
Consult With a Health Care Professional
If you’re considering making changes to your dietary habits and lifestyle, reach out to a registered dietitian for one-on-one advice.
“It’s always better to choose a diet that supports health and that you will also be happy following for the long term,” Dennett says. “That mean it suits your palate and your budget and helps you feel good on a daily basis. Any diet that is weight loss-focused is likely to be too restrictive to be sustainable for the long-term.”
“Although everyone wants to lose unwanted weight quickly, taking it slow — at a rate of no more than 0.5 to 2 pounds a week — is the healthy way to go,” Smith says. Weight loss is not always advisable, she adds: “In some cases, weight loss may be contraindicated, for example for those who are pregnant or have an eating disorder.”
Choosing a diet can be complex, so it never hurts to call in an expert. “Consult with a dietitian to help you find an eating plan that works for you and your family’s nutritional and health needs,” Agyeman says. “Dietitians provide individualized food and nutrition advice while helping people prevent or manage disease through diet and lifestyle.”
More from U.S. News
The Best Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Healthy Carbs to Eat on a Diet
14 Things You Shouldn’t Say to Someone Who’s Trying to Lose Weight
How to Choose a Diet That’s Best for You originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 12/16/24: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
