CNN.com posted an interesting article, originally featured in Health magazine, about the top 10 best diets. The new year is here and if you’re like the estimated 80 million Americans who go on a diet every year, you might be interested to see the list that was compiled. According to the article, Health magazine collected some experts in the field of nutrition and examined 60 well-known diets and narrowed them down to the top 10.

1. The Structure House Weight Loss Plan

This is structured after Gerard J. Musante’s (the author of the diet) work at the actual Structure House, a Durham, North Carolina-based residential treatment center for obese adults. This book/diet offers a holistic approach to weight loss with motivational components. This diet helps followers understand the ‘why’ behind overeating and helps them to put their lives in balance. This book wants you to find other things than food, i.e. time with friends, outdoor activities, etc., and includes many recipes!

2. The Step Diet

This diet really focuses on walking to help motivate you to lose weight and slim down your waist, and it even comes with a pedometer. It incorporates easy things for losing weight from intentionally going for a walk or making small changes in your life like parking farther away from the store and in turn burning more calories. The plan puts emphasis on calories burned rather then cutting calories, while nutritionally this diet asks you to “Cut food intake to 75 percent of what you currently eat.”

Just last month, Oprah Winfrey confessed to once again topping the scales at 200 pounds as she continues to endure a life-long battle with food, weight and her body. True to her honest and always helpful candor, Oprah has taken her battle public in the hopes of not just improving her own life and health but for anyone else who wants to take more control over their own lives in 2009 as part of her Best Life challenge.

Starting on Monday, January 5, 2009, Oprah will feature five days of Best Life shows that showcase Oprah’s favorite medical professionals, fitness gurus, financial coaches and nutrition experts. Here is a snapshot of what to expect in the week to come:

If there’s one thing that women will not divulge, it’s the number on the scale. But Oprah isn’t your average woman.

She’s one of the most powerful and successful women on the planet. But if there’s one thing that Oprah has had trouble with in her life, it’s her weight. She’s notoriously yo-yoed over the years, and now she’s actually being very candid in saying that she is tipping the scales at 200 pounds again.

She slimmed down to 160 pounds in 2006. But in the upcoming January issue of O magazine, Oprah is spilling the beans on her recent 40-pound weight gain: “Yes, you’re adding correctly. That means the dreaded 2-0-0,” Oprah admits.