The marketing adage "Sex Sells" never grows old, as it would attract young and old, men and women, and this diet plan is no exception. The Ultimate Sex Diet prescribes that you should take regular sexual activity to shed unwanted pounds. By regular, it means you should have sex with your partner three to fives times a week and at least once or more during the weekend.

The gist

Even though author Kerry McCloskey does not have the expertise in diet and nutrition, her extensive research about the connection of sexual activity and weight loss has made her a household name among couples wanting to strike two birds with one stone: losing weight and rekindling their intimacy. According to her, it all began after getting frustrated on one diet after another until she noticed she was shedding off pounds after rounds of intense lovemaking with her future husband. She lost 23 pounds and was able to maintain the weight ever since, and it also launched her career in modeling and television.

According to McCloskey, studies have shown that people who engage in plenty of sexual activity experience many health benefits such as a healthy heart, healthy immune system, decreased depression, and yes, weight loss. In fact, this diet is recommended by a number of sexologists, calling it " a solid scientific plan guaranteed to improve your fitness and give you the sexiest, most romantic relationship ever."

Now, what about the diet part? You could still enjoy your food as much as you enjoy the "sexercise" part. For instance, you should eat in a calm and inviting atmosphere, chew the food slowly, and do not forget to lick your lips after each bit, making love to your food as if it were your first time. It is also important to control your portions. There are a few restrictions in the Ultimate Sex Diet, such as the consumption of bread and pasta, while everything else can be enjoyed in moderation and choosing foods that are low in fat and sugar while high in fiber and protein.

Advantages and disadvantages

Come on, what's disadvantageous about sex? The Ultimate Sex Diet has supported doctors' advice to have an active sexual activity (of course, with a regular partner like your spouse or boyfriend) to boost your "happy hormones" and eventually lose weight along with other health benefits. However, it may comes as a concern that the author is no expert in diet and nutrition, and that the book can be quite a pain in your pocket.

Dr. Phil McGraw’s revolutionary diet book entitled The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom is a book that has given many millions of Americans a new lease on life by changing the way they decide to look at food and the reasons behind why they eat the way they eat.

It is a book that reiterates certain truths about food and how to lose weight but it also provides new approaches to the age-old problem of losing weight effectively and successfully keeping it off.

The philosophy behind Dr. Phil McGraw’s method of losing weight is that it requires the participant to face his own personal truth with regard to how a person views his weight and what it means to him.

The method employs several lifestyle changes that will definitely require sound changes in the eating and thinking habits of those who truly desire to lose weight. This particular method of dieting that Dr. Phil endorses is one that is sustainable in the long run and deviates from the normal quick fixes that one would find in dietary pills.

As mentioned earlier, the weight loss suggestions here are not new weight loss discoveries but they are just coupled with the psychological approach to why some people take in only a certain amount of food and when they need to eat them.

The weight loss program that is described here is indeed a timeless adage that says the same old truth with just a different approach to it by educating people in the ways of how the mind plays a great role in overeating. Some issues discussed are eating out of boredom or stress, proper food selections, changing one’s environment and assembling a support circle. 

One of this diet's most astounding features is that it encourages the reader to eat healthy without compromising the taste of the food that they have always grown to know and love.

Such objective will be met by maintaining a high-response food which will eventually let the body know that it is already full without compromising the taste and the flavor of the dishes that are all-time favorites. Coupled with this is regular and daily exercise which will definitely

The plan recommends supplementation that involves exercise. This is one of the most important things that a serious dieter should consider. The implementation of eating less calories than you burn and eating right with having regular exercise is a great way to be able to lose weight effectively.

This particular implementation consists of having prolonged exercise which is supposed to be at least 30 minutes of exercise. The more the person exercises, the more weight he or she will be able to lose.

Essentially, the diet is designed for you to be able to combine the realization that you need to change the way you look at your diet and how it means to you and then taking concrete action steps in order to address your problems regarding your weight.

A woman's body undergoes a lot of changes during pregnancy. As part of those changes, should she also have to change the way she consumes food? Does she really have to "eat for two people"? And how are you supposed to lose all the "pregnancy weight" after giving birth? These questions are what Eileen Behan, a registered dietician and mother of two, hopes to answer through her book The Pregnancy Diet.

What is The Pregnancy Diet?

The Pregnancy Diet is not about taking a diet while pregnant, but rather a guide on eating healthily during the crucial nine months in order to stay on track with your weight. It features what a pregnant woman should and should not eat, such as staying away from sushi and stacking your supply of folic acid. The book also includes weekly weight goals for single and twin birth, as well as recipes, snack ideas, exercise programs, and nutritional guidelines for special cases like gestational diabetes, bed rests, et cetera.

Foods to avoid during pregnancy

This nutritional program intends to keep pregnant women on track with the weight gain and avoiding going overboard. It also serves to alleviate many of the fears women have about gaining weight during the nine months by explaining how the body needs to prepare before giving birth. For one, "eating for two" would give pregnant women a hard time shedding the extra weight off once the baby is born. Instead, The Pregnancy Diet focuses on proportioned and nutritionally-sound meals and snacks during all three trimesters of pregnancy.

Strength and flexibility

Just as important is maintaining a regular exercise routine for a healthy pregnancy, which the book provides through information on which exercises are safe to do during this phase and how much of it should a pregnant woman get.

Although The Pregnancy Diet provides an in-depth information in keeping a pregnant woman's health in check, it offers very few new information. You can also found these in other pregnancy books. The recipe section is also quite inaccurate. But overall, this book can be a great help for every pregnant woman, guiding her through every month and trimester and even months after giving birth.

Ever wondered if your body can undergo an extreme makeover without the help of liposuction and slimming supplements? The Ultimate New York Body Plan provides just that: a two-week blitz program of dieting and exercising that produces fast results. The program was created by David Kirsch, a wellness enthusiast who also owns the Madison Square Club, a fitness venue that prides itself of several top celebrity clients such as Heidi Klum, Jamie King, and Liv Tyler.

Before doing the 14-day plan, your are provided with a pre-plan to prepare you for the full Ultimate New York program, since it focuses a lot on exercise. The fitness plan is customizable according to your fitness level, using the online Exercise Tool to journal your progress. Meanwhile, there are certain food restrictions such as avoiding alcohol, bread, and fruit, but the diet part of the program provides recipes on their website that do not starve you, nor force you to give up flavor.

However, the Ultimate New York Body Plan does have its share of small hindrances. For one, joining the online program costs $16 a month, although you can also get into the program by buying the book version. The program also promotes the use of costly protein shakes, but that can be avoided although the muscle you gain would become minimal.

The Ultimate New York Body Plan provides you with a well-rounded fitness and nutrition plan that requires dedication and hard work. Its roster of celebrity clients have proved the effectiveness of this program, which can be a good motivator to get you started.

Also known as the Hollywood Diet, the Grapefruit Diet is an 18-day diet that claims to lose weight. It dates back as far as the 1930s. The diet basically calls for the user to eat half a grapefruit, or a serving of grapefruit juice, with each meal everyday.

The eating plan also involves (although not required) drinking lot of black coffee, eating protein especially hard-boiled eggs, and an odd piece of dry toast.

Benefits of grapefruit

The fruit is an excellent source of nutrients and phytochemicals that are needed for a healthy diet. Grapefruit is a good source of vitamin C, pectin fiber, and lycopene.

Studies have shown grapefruit helps lower cholesterol, and even its seeds have low levels of antioxidant properties. Extract from its seeds has been claimed to be a strong antimicrobial against bacteria and fungi.

How the diet work?

It is theorized that the grapefruit's low glycemic index is able to help the body's metabolism burn fat. Grapefruit reduces insulin and affects blood sugar regulation.

This was evident during a 12-week experiment as participants who ate half a grapefruit with every meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds. Since grapefruit regulates blood sugar levels and fat metabolism, it even might help reduce the risk of diabetes or stroke.

Risks of grapefruit diet

A 2007 study concluded that regular consumption of grapefruits increases the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. This is because the fruit inhibits the CYP3A4 enzyme, which metabolizes estrogen.

Also, grapefruit juice can interact with a number of medications and potentially cause serious side effects, since it inhibits an enzyme in the intestines that's responsible for the natural breakdown and absorption of many medications.

Have you ever wanted a diet that was simple enough and allowed you to eat your favorite foods at the same time?

The five factor diet is one of the things that you probably want to consider. This diet is centered around the number "5" as it is aptly named for it.

The number signifies the number of meals that you should take each day and some other details that you need to know that is related to the diet.

The diet plan consists of five meals for each day, five ingredients at the most for each meal and you can essentially see the improvements and the results in as short as 5 weeks.

You'll be able to focus on the essential food groups that you should be eating and you won't have to say goodbye to the delicious foods that you've grown to love your whole life.

This particular diet plan is one that constitutes low-fat quality protein as well as low-to-moderate glycemic index carbs, healthy fat, sugar-free drink and finally to aid in digestion, fiber.

It also includes an exercise plan that has cardiovascular exercises for warm-up. This part of the exercise plan will want you to be at 65-85% of your maximum heart rate for 5 minutes.

The strength training section also has two different exercises which are described as supersets. The number of sets, reps and the rest are efficiently modified each week to have the body keep guessing what it will be doing for that particular day. This should be done for around 10 minutes only.

The core exercises that are included in this day are meant for various crunches as well as twists. The reps, sets as well as rest ranges are the ones which will be varied as weeks go on. This is only done for 5 minutes.

For the last five minutes of this 25-minute exercise routine, you will have to do some cardio exercises for five minutes for your cooldown. This is to minimize DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)

One of the best things about this diet plan is that you get to have "cheat days" which are essentially days when you are allowed to eat absolutely anything that you want. The downside to it is that you'll go back to your plan the day after.

So, if you've never had any success with typical diets that restrict your eating, try this one out and if in the process this works out for you, then you can say hello to a slimmer you.

Diabetics require a strict diet plan, but did you know that their meal plan can be beneficial to everyone? Just like those who suffer from diabetes, maintain your body's blood sugar can actually help you lose weight and feel even more energetic and stress-free.

The gist

The Sugar Solution Diet is a best seller published by Prevention magazine, which has been trusted when it comes to providing information about healthy living. It is a 30-day program that focuses on three areas: eating nutritiously, exercise and stress relief.

The dieter spends the first month learning the ropes so you can adapt to the change in eating habits even beyond the 30 days. The best part about this plan is that it can be customized according to the individual.

Advantages and disadvantages

The online version of Sugar Solution offers a wide array of meal plans, grocery lists, and recipes, thus giving convenience and ease in meal planning for busy persons. A daily meal plan consists of three balanced meals as well as three small but satisfying snacks.

Sugar Solution does not restricts its members on what foods to eat, but rather making more nutritious selections to keep a balance to maintain your blood sugar.

Sugar Solution also makes staying active an important component. Your exercise program is specifically customized for you, consisting of exercise recommendations that include moderate activity, cardio, and even designated rest days.

Subscribing to the online program costs about $50 for one-month period; $75 for three months; and $120 for one-year subscription. This includes access to Prevention's nutrition and diet professionals, as well as community interaction through its message boards.

However, most of the program information is withheld until you have become a member. It also does not provide a lot of upfront detail about exercising.

A respective educational institution in the United States, Duke University aims to develop a healthy and positive approach to weight loss through its Diet and Fitness Center, which has opened its doors since 1969.

Their weight loss program used to be solely available in their Durham, North Carolina facility, but now it can be accessed through its newly-developed Duke Diet website. Web-based diet programs have become an effective tool for people who have been wanting to shed off those unwanted pounds, and the Duke Diet website has proved to be successful for thousands of people.

How Duke diet plan work

The Duke Diet Online Weight-Loss Program offers personalized instruction on food management and fitness plans that are just right for you. The exercise plan-a combination of cardio, strength training, and stretching-is optimized according to your fitness level and how much weight you want to get off.

The website also offers a lot of tools that would guide you in losing weight, such as a Personalized Meal Planner, Guide to Eating Out, Behavioral Health Assessments, Weight Tracker, Journal, and hundreds of approved recipes. The Duke Diet online community board lets enrollees keep in touch with other members who are going through the same things you are.

You can begin the Duke Diet Plan through a free online evaluation, wherein you receive a comprehensive analysis according to your personal body type and goals. After which, it is your choice to enroll to the program that starts at about $4 a week. The great thing about the Duke Diet is that the program helps you make an educated decision. If you do not want to sacrifice your love for food, this is a great choice.

The Duke Diet has everything you want for an online weight loss program: a dynamic and thorough list of tool that cover all aspects of healthy living, and the backing of a respected institution.

Coconuts have been regarded as "trees of life" primarily because of their many uses specially for those living in tropical countries. The fruit of the coconut palm or the coconut oil is rich in good fats that are beneficial to health. This is why most tropical populations are healthy, free from diseases, and are rarely considered overweight.

Coconut oil contains healthy saturated fats, as compared to the transfatty acids found in most vegetable oils. Coconut oil helps boost the body's metabolism and energy levels as it is made up of medium chain triglycerides, which burn more quickly than long chain triglycerides. When combined with a low-carb diet, coconut oil helps speed up weight loss. Also coconut oil improves the functions of the thyroid and can aid in treating candida and other common illnesses.

The coconut diet requires you to consume 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil every day. You can add this to your salads, shakes and fiber and protein-rich foods. You can use it as a substitute to vegetable oil when cooking and as a diet supplement. But it is recommended to gradually incorporate coconut oil in your daily diet or take it in phases so as to prevent reactions like diarrhea and stomach cramps.

Just like most weight loss diets, there are phases to follow with the coconut diet. The first phase requires you to stay off the carbs and consume only lean protein-rich foods with your daily dose of coconut oil. Phase 2 is the cleansing stage where you can focus on detoxifying your liver, colon, kidneys and gall bladder. Phase 3 and 4 allows the reintroduction of carbs in your diet.

Some diets come and go, but the more effective ones tend to stay in the market-as well as being followed by consumers-over a long period of time. The OPTIFAST plan is one of them, having been one of the pioneers of liquid-based diets during the 1970s.

The diet plan is aimed at obese individuals who are at least 50 pounds over their ideal weight or with a Body Mass Index of 30 or more, and has been recommended by physicians and dietitians.

The Optifast program

The program follows strict guidelines, since a lot of foods would be replaced with snack bars and drinks, so that every patient remains healthy and safe. However, not everybody can do OPTIFAST, as an initial medical exam is conducted to make sure you meet the program criteria.

Once you get into the program, your progress is monitored weekly through one-on-one and group counseling. OPTIFAST is also customizable according to your weight and physical abilities. You get a personalized eating and activity plans that are right for your fitness level and schedule.

There are, however, some obstacles about this diet plan. For one, it's expensive. It costs $550 as a starting investment, not to mention the $100-a-week fee for meal replacements and snacks. Following OPTIFAST takes 18 weeks, with 12 weeks undergoing meal replacements, then slowly introducing yourself with healthy meal choices.

However, being a meal replacement plan, eating nothing but snack bars for 12 weeks does not seem healthy at all. Although you gradually lose between two to four pounds each week, there is only half a chance that you can keep it off.

Overall, OPTIFAST maybe nutritionally sound, but there are a lot of other programs that provide similar weight loss results but do not deprive you with real food. The cost of following the program is also not worth it, as any other diet book (and even online diet programs) cost a fraction of OPTIFAST.