It’s the beginning of a new year, so you know what that means: resolutions. Many resolutions have to do with weight loss, so the search for the best diet plans begin. The trouble is, with so many diets available, how do you know which is the best? Here, we examine the basics of some of the recent diet trends, and some that have been around for some time.

The Adkins Diet

The Adkins diet is one that has been around for quite a while, likely because it has some merit. Those who are on the diet are able to eat high-quality proteins and good fats, like avocado. Meanwhile, they are to eliminate refined carbohydrates, such as white bread. Doing so cuts out excess sugar, which allows you to drop some pounds.

The Slow Carb Diet

If you want to enjoy as much flour, rice and sugar as you can, this diet is likely not for you. This diet requires you to eliminate all white refined carbohydrates, as well as fruit and dairy. Basically, you can nosh on veggies and lean meat, which isn’t much, but you are able to eat all you want once a week.

The South Beach Diet

The South Beach diet is good in theory, but quite difficult to put in practice, at least for any considerable length of time. Dieters are able to eat lentils, chicken, beans, leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds and good fats in the form of olive oil. If you are able to eat only these ingredients forever, then good for you. If you can’t live without fruit and bread, however, this diet may not be the best for you.

The Fast Diet

The title of this diet can be misleading. “Fast” doesn’t mean you’ll lose weight quickly, it means you are “fasting,” at least on some days. The diet has its followers restrict their caloric intake to 500 or 600 a day, depending on the gender, on two non-consecutive days a week. However, on the non-fasting days, you are able to eat a variety of foods, including steak and alcohol. Score!

Paleo

The paleo diet takes you back; way back to the day of the caveman. This diet essentially encourages you to eat what your ancestors ate. Whole foods and meat take the stage here, while refined and processed foods are kicked to the curb.

The bottom line when trying to choose your diet plan is determining what works best for you, and what you can actually see yourself doing. Dieting is a marathon, not a race, so pick what you think you can stick with for the long haul. And speak with your doctor before trying any of these diets.

If you need any encouragement in your weight loss process, visit Twitter for some uplifting posts, like these:

A huge part of losing weight is believing you can do it and realizing it's not going to happen overnight.

— Fitness & Wellness (@StayFitDaily) January 18, 2014

I'm not losing weight. I'm getting rid of it. I have no intention of finding it again.

— Exercises (@EXERClSES) January 17, 2014

Losing weight is hard, losing anger is hard, losing business is hard, losing friends is hard…But you have to lose to WIN

— ALLTHINGSNICCI (@niccigilbert) January 18, 2014

Losing weight means you’ll look good in clothes. Exercising means you’ll look good naked.

— No Broscience™ (@NoBroscience) January 13, 2014

Image via Wikimedia Commons