While eating healthier and trying to make a lifestyle change through fad dieting is never a bad thing, sometimes the constrictive effect on our wallet make some programs difficult to follow. Most diets promise results with strict adherence to their plan which often includes extremely lean portion of meats that are not cheap as well as buying expensive all-organic products.
Based on list gathered from U.S. News on the most popular diets of 2013, here are the top five weight loss diets ranked by the most affordable and best suited for college lifestlyes.
Weight Watchers
While the program is easier since establishing an online database, there still is a monthly fee of $18.95. It aids in weight loss through points that aim to reduce caloric intake, while not making the dieter eliminate foods.
Ranking:
Cost: 3/5 – Won’t bankrupt you, but membership fee does not include groceries
Restrictions: 1/5 – You can still eat your favorite foods, but in smaller portions.
Difficulty: 1/5 – Still able to go out and eat with your friends, and not feel like you’re breaking the diet.
Jenny Craig
The emotional support of this program can’t be rivaled, the $30 a month on top of the $100 per week for the prepackaged food can bite, though. Because food consumption is monitored so thoroughly, there is little room for going out to eat, majorly clashing with any kind of social life. And it’s kind of embarrassing to have all your food at work and between classes branded with the logo.
Ranking:
Cost: 4/5—You pretty much pay $450 every single month.
Restrictions: 5/5—It is recommended to stick mainly to the Jenny Craig products.
Difficulty: 1/5—You do not have to prepare the food, or plan your diet.
Vegan
Eliminating all animal products, while difficult in itself, can also be rather pricy as fresh produce is never cheap. The avoidance of meat definitely helps balance the spending in comparison to non-Vegan diets. Although it does not work well with the typical college diet and habits and requires a lot of creativity in preparation, when most students look for fast and convenient.
Ranking:
Cost: 3.5/5—Produce prices change depending on the time of year
Restrictions: 4/5—the elimination of animal products
Difficulty: 4/5—While possible, it is difficult to find a balanced diet.
Raw Food Diet
Again, the dieting restrictions make it really hard to follow when all your friends eat pizza and drink beer. It revolves around seventy-five to eighty percent of your daily consumption consisting of plant-based foods.
Ranking:
Cost: 3/5—Again, produce can be pricey.
Restrictions: 4/5—It’s vegan to the extreme.
Difficulty: 5/5—There are very few restaurants that serve food that you can eat.
Volumetrics
This program emphasizes low-energy-dense foods with lots of water. The food that is prepared can be time consuming, and holds little for you if you don’t really love fruits and veggies, as those are categorized as “anytime foods”. It requires a different mindset when approaching food by focusing on density over calories.
Ranking:
Cost: 2/5—While promoting healthier food, it does allow the freedom for your own choices.
Restrictions: 2/5—Allowed to drink alcohol in moderation and eat out at restaurants.
Difficulty: 4/5—This diet can be difficult to follow because it is difficult to learn.
Obviously there are other diets that better suit each individual’s needs. And the cheapest and most convenient diets probably come from slight modifications, rather than investing long term in a program that doesn’t match the quickly changing college life. But, when followed and if you have the time and funds, these diets are nationally recognized as the best ones for weight loss.