39 diets ranked by how well each one helps dieters stay on board
Hard work is always going to be part of the , but some plans and approaches are easier to follow than others. U.S. News’ list ranks 39 popular diets. The highest scorers are typically tasty, flexible, convenient and filling. They’re also easier to adjust to and don’t come with a lot of special requirements. Those at the bottom of the list may emphasize unfamiliar ingredients, impose challenging restrictions or cut out entire food groups.
Here’s a look at the rankings, along with pros and cons for each diet.
No. 1 Mediterranean Diet
Pro: Nutritionally sound.
Pro: Diverse foods and flavors.
Con: Significant time required to make meals.
Con: Moderately pricey.
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No. 2 WW (Formerly Weight Watchers) Diet
Pro: Eat what you want; no foods off limits.
Pro: Flexibility to shape your own diet.
Con: Tedious point tallying.
Con: Pricey.
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No. 3 Flexitarian Diet
Pro: Flexible.
Pro: Lots of tasty recipes.
Con: Emphasis on home cooking may make it inconvenient.
Con: Might be tough if you don’t like fruits and veggies.
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No. 4 MIND Diet
Pro: Blends two proven healthy diets.
Pro: May boost brain power.
Con: Details not fleshed out.
Con: Recipes, resources lacking.
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No. 5 (tie) DASH Diet
Pro: Heart healthy.
Pro: Nutritionally sound.
Con: Requires a lot of time in the kitchen.
Con: Somewhat pricey.
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No. 5 (tie) Fertility Diet
Pro: Promotes fertility.
Pro: Encourages healthy pregnancy.
Con: Discouraged for those with blocked fallopian tubes.
Con: Designed exclusively for women, though diet plays a role in male fertility too.
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No. 7 Jenny Craig Diet
Pro: No guesswork.
Pro: Prepackaged meals, delivered.
Con: Home-cooked and restaurant meals largely off-limits.
Con: Pricey.
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No. 8 (tie) Mayo Clinic Diet
Pro: Nutritionally sound.
Pro: You shape your diet.
Con: Food prep time required could make it inconvenient.
Con: Somewhat pricey.
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No. 8 (tie) Noom Diet
Pro: Coaching and group support.
Pro: Flexible food choices.
Con: Lacks in-depth nutritional guidance.
Con: You’re glued to your phone.
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No. 8 (tie) Volumetrics Diet
Pro: Filling.
Pro: Nothing off limits.
Con: Lengthy meal preparation.
Con: Fruit-veggie-and-soup burnout possible.
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No. 11 (tie) SlimFast Diet
Pro: Convenient — grab and go.
Pro: No math or guesswork.
Con: Little “real” food.
Con: Same old, same old, meal after meal.
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No. 11 (tie) South Beach Diet
Pro: Yes to snacks and dessert.
Pro: No calorie counting.
Con: Could seem awfully restrictive at first.
Con: Lots of time prepping and cooking meals.
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No. 11 (tie) TLC Diet
Pro: Heart healthy.
Pro: Not a fad diet; government endorsed.
Con: On your own.
Con: Must decode nutrition labels.
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No. 14 (tie) Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Pro: Nutritionally sound.
Pro: You shape your diet.
Con: Moderately pricey.
Con: Can be lots of work.
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No. 14 (tie) Vegetarian Diet
Pro: Nutritionally sound.
Pro: Heart healthy (if you plan it right).
Con: Might miss the meat.
Con: Can require a lot of planning.
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No. 16 (tie) Asian Diet
Pro: Diverse foods and flavors.
Pro: Filling.
Con: Rice-and-noodle burnout possible.
Con: Few guiding resources.
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No. 16 (tie) HMR Program
Pro: Meals delivered to you.
Pro: Phased approach for quick start on weight loss.
Con: Eating out limited.
Con: Shakes could get humdrum.
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No. 16 (tie) Nutrisystem Diet
Pro: Heat and eat.
Pro: No foods off limits (not even carbs).
Con: Comeback of the TV dinner.
Con: Eating out is limited.
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No. 19 Nordic Diet
Pro: Tasty, healthy foods.
Pro: Environmentally friendly.
Con: Time consuming.
Con: Impractical for many people.
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No. 20 Biggest Loser Diet
Pro: Solid nutrition.
Pro: No foods off limits.
Con: Can be a lot of work.
Con: Somewhat pricey.
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No. 21 (tie) Fast Diet
Pro: Few rules to keep track of.
Pro: Dieting only two days a week.
Con: Unsafe for some people.
Con: Hunger pangs likely.
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No. 21 (tie) Zone Diet
Pro: All foods welcome.
Pro: Frequent meals and snacks.
Con: Tedious portioning.
Con: Limited daily calories.
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No. 23 (tie) Glycemic-Index Diet
Pro: Menu flexibility.
Pro: Hampers hunger.
Con: Little guidance, save for carbs.
Con: Have to do homework.
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No. 23 (tie) OPTAVIA
Pro: Nutritionally sound.
Pro: No counting carbs, points or calories.
Con: Mostly powdered, just-add-water food.
Con: Might be tough to stick with.
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No. 25 (tie) Acid Alkaline Diet
Pro: Heavy on fresh produce.
Pro: Filling.
Con: Lots of rules to remember.
Con: Little research to back it up.
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No. 25 (tie) Nutritarian Diet
Pro: Health and longevity focus.
Pro: No calorie counting.
Con: Salads could turn tiresome.
Con: Healing claims may overreach.
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No. 25 (tie) Ornish Diet
Pro: Solid nutritionally.
Pro: Heart healthy.
Con: Not exactly easy.
Con: Can be expensive.
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No. 28 (tie) Engine 2 Diet
Pro: Health and environmental benefits.
Pro: No calorie counting.
Con: Complete lifestyle overhaul.
Con: Considerable meal planning and prep.
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No. 28 (tie) Paleo Diet
Pro: Carnivore approved.
Pro: Very low in sodium.
Con: Goodbye to grains and dairy.
Con: Pricey.
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No. 28 (tie) Vegan Diet
Pro: Fiber-rich and filling.
Pro: Health and environmental benefits.
Con: Really restrictive.
Con: Can be lots of work.
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No. 31 (tie) Atkins Diet
Pro: Fatty food guilt free.
Pro: Quick weight loss.
Con: Goodbye to sweets and bread.
Con: More calorie restricted than you might think.
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No. 31 (tie) Macrobiotic Diet
Pro: Emphasis on “real” food.
Pro: Filling.
Con: Food prep required cuts into convenience.
Con: Somewhat pricey.
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No. 33 AIP Diet
Pro: Pinpoints triggering foods.
Pro: Healing potential.
Con: Restrictive.
Con: Needs more research.
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No. 34 (tie) Keto Diet
Pro: You won’t have to cut back on fatty foods.
Pro: No calorie counting.
Con: Strict carb limits.
Con: Can seem extreme and challenging to follow.
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No. 34 (tie) Modified Keto Diet
Pro: Fatty foods embraced.
Pro: You can cycle in and out.
Con: Carbs very limited.
Con: Restrictive.
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No. 34 (tie) Whole30 Diet
Pro: Short term.
Pro: No calorie counting or exercise required.
Con: Goodbye to grains, dairy, sugar, legumes and alcohol.
Con: Only the highly committed and organized need apply.
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No. 37 (tie) Dukan Diet
Pro: All you can eat.
Pro: Filling.
Con: Lots of rules.
Con: Could fall short nutritionally.
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No. 37 (tie) GAPS Diet
Pro: Many resources available.
Pro: Can have positive digestive benefits.
Con: It’s lots of work.
Con: Lack of research supporting diet’s claims.
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No. 39 Raw Food Diet
Pro: Fruits and veggies dominate the menu.
Pro: Nearly guaranteed weight loss.
Con: Tedious meal prep; equipment required.
Con: Lots of rules.
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Easiest Diets to Follow
— Mediterranean diet.
— WW (Weight Watchers) diet.
— Flexitarian diet.
— MIND diet.
— DASH diet.
— Fertility diet.
— Jenny Craig diet.
— Mayo Clinic diet.
— Noom diet.
— Volumetrics diet.
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originally appeared on
Update 01/04/21: This slideshow has been updated to reflect the latest ranking results.
