The dieting industry brought in $55 billion in 2006 and is expected to hit $68.7 billion in 2010, says Marketdata Enterprises research firm. Popular programs to help people lose excess weight include Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers, to name but two. The sale of health food weight loss diet entrees, weight loss supplements and exercise equipment has soared in recent years, even though two-thirds of all Americans are overweight or obese. Despite the popularity of such programs, many people prefer to tap into the vast sea of dieting information online and choose their own weight loss diets. But which ones are the safest and most effective? This article explores some of the most popular weight loss methods out there.

The best weight loss diets promote a lifestyle, not the elimination of a food group. One of these is the Reduced Calorie Diet, which has most individuals eating 1200 calories per day, which allows for healthy weight loss so long as you eat the right amount of macro-nutrients like protein, complex carbohydrates and unsaturated fat. Generally, you should be eating 660 carbohydrate calories, 180 protein calories and 360 fat calories. A sample 1200 calorie weight loss program may have you eating a whole wheat English muffin, one tablespoon of peanut butter and half a banana for breakfast; twenty almonds and an apple for a mid-morning snack; two slices of low-calorie whole wheat bread, two ounces of low-sodium turkey breast, one ounce of cheese, one tablespoon of mustard, lettuce, tomato and an orange for lunch; an eight ounce low-fat yogurt for a mid-afternoon snack; three ounces of baked skinless chicken breast, one cup of cooked broccoli and two-thirds cup of brown rice for dinner; and one cup of skim milk with two low-fat fig cookies for an evening snack.