In DietsInReview.com’s 2008 Most Popular Diets of the Year list, there were some tried and true plans that made the cut, not surprising any of us. Then there were those that seem to have a more fad-feel that left us scratching our heads, and some of you likely yo-yoing. Here are the 25 Most Popular Diets of the year, one of which might be the solution for you in the new year.

1. Weight Watchers
A 45-year veteran of dieting that is one of the most proven plans on the market. They not only help you to lose weight, they teach you how to keep it off for life. With the new year they introduce their new plan, Momentum.

2. 21 Pounds in 21 Days
Made popular by Howard Stern sidekick Robin Quivers, the book introduces a fruit- and vegetable-based detox in which you consume primarily fresh juices to rid your body of toxins, lose weight and reset your metabolism.

3. Cabbage Soup Diet
A fad diet that became very popular for its quick weight loss claims. It’s a seven-day weight loss plan that comes with a strict, low-calorie outline for foods you can and can’t consume each day.

4. 5 Day Miracle Diet
This approach encourages you to change the times of day that you eat and eliminate starches, caffeine, alcohol and sugar. They claim when you do so, you’ll regulate blood sugar and the need to munch and binge.

5. Slim-Fast
Shake, shake, shake the weight off with delicious shakes that replace breakfast and lunch, then dinner is a healthy meal of your choosing.

6. Curves
It’s for ladies only, and their commitment to the finer sex shows as they continue to introduce innovative products and services to meet the demands of busy lifestyles.

7. Jillian Michaels
The Biggest Loser trainer gives you a choice in how you accept her aggressive approach to weight loss – online, meal delivery, books, DVDs and even via the Wii.

8. Cambridge Diet
Wildly popular in the U.K., it might look like a low-calorie fad, but its loyal followers sing its praises and ability to help them keep the weight off.

9. Biggest Loser Club
The reality of this program is that it truly helps people to regain their health and lives through its online membership, where you’ll learn to build a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise and advice from the show’s experts.

10. Jenny Craig
Queen Latifah, Valerie Bertinelli and Kirstie Alley have shown how the convenient meal delivery and counselor support helped them regain their figures and health.

11. LA Weight Loss
While they’ve been a go-to source for weight loss support, fewer people will be able to access their expertise as more of the chain’s locations close their doors.

12. Sacred Heart Diet
Another gem of the fad diet collection, that many people swear by for fast weight loss. Your diet will primarily comprise of a specific soup recipe, and will eliminate things like bread, alcohol and soda.

13. Juice Diet
Whether you call it a juice diet, juice fast, cleanse or something else, people swear by the weight loss effects of replacing food for a week with fruit and vegetable juices.

14. Medifast
Portion-controlled, calorie-balanced, nutritious meals delivered to your home to help you better manage your weight loss goals. Best of all it works.

15. Optifast
A medically supervised weight loss program that is ideal for significantly overweight or obese individuals, especially those pursuing weight loss surgery. The diet is comprised of meal replacement shakes and bars.

16. Fat Flush Plan
For a low-calorie plan, it strikes balance by encouraging food journaling, exercise fairly balanced diet. It’s a three-week approach that prepares you to manage your weight loss long term.

18. Mariah Carey’s Bleak Diet
The little she did eat was bland and tiny portions, but it helped the svelte songbird get into some of the best shape of her life.

19. 3-Day Solution
The expert author of this weight loss plan clarifies that “diets” don’t necessarily work. She teaches you to understand the underlying issues of your weight, and then sets you up on a diet and exercise plan.

20. Special K Challenge
The marketing to eat cereal in place of other meals seems to have worked. The Special K Challenge encourages women to replace lunch and dinner with their cereal, and see weight loss of six pounds in two weeks.

21. Rachael Ray Diet
This Food Network star eats whatever she likes, which is why so many people have followed her lead. Her on-air endorsement of acai’s nutritional benefits caused a wave of response in the supplement industry.

22. Atkins
The rigid low-carb diet is still a source of weight loss support for so many. The release of 2008’s Atkins Advantage updated the program’s diet and even introduced exercise.

23. Biggest Loser Meal Delivery Plan
Eat the way the show’s contestants do, and have it catered to your home. Designed by the Biggest Loser’s nutrition team, the food is prepared fresh, tastes delicious, and can be an effective tool in managing your weight.

24. Oprah’s Diet
Even in spite of the daytime queen’s recent 40 pound weight gain, we’re still pining to know how she was able to get to a size 12 and keep it off for so long.

25. South Beach Diet Supercharged
This popular low-carb diet also received a facelift by the doctor who authored the original diet plan.

Information based on highest viewed pages at DietsInReview.com during 2008.

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25 Most Popular Diets of 2008

With 2008 about to begin, and a desire to beat his long-time fight with being overweight, Joel began searching for the right diet to begin the year with (just as so many do). “When I started, I didn’t know what to start,” explains Joel, “I’ve done several in the past with varying degrees of success. I picked out those that I thought might be the most successful. I had some criteria- be able to cheat occasionally, stick with it on a daily basis, that I have confidence in and not too off the wall.” Joel also mentions that his health is important and he does take that into consideration when choosing a diet. Before starting he met with his doctor and just recently had a mid-year check-up to ensure he’s being safe about it.

Each month in 2008, Joel will follow a different diet. Half-way through the year, he’s lost about 43 pounds and 10% of his body fat. (Beginning stats were 234 pounds, 30% body fat) He keeps a daily journal at DozenDiets.com, displaying weight changes, body fat changes, food diary, exercise diary, cheats, successes and everything else that plays into his diet each day. Each month concludes with a summary, where he scores the diet on a 40-point scale, for ease of understanding, forgiveness of a cheat, ease of execution and results.

To date, he’s completed:

Jan: Low-Calorie Diet
Lost 8.5 pounds
Score 30/40

Feb: South Beach Diet
Lost 11.3 pounds
Score 28/40

Mar: Slim-Fast (tied for first place so far)
Lost 8.6 pounds
Score 34/40

Apr: The Abs Diet (in last place)
Lost 6 pounds
Score 23/40

May: Weight Watchers (tied for first place so far)
Lost 8 pounds
Score 34/40

June: Advanced Mediterranean Diet
Lost 6 pounds to date
Anticipates a high score

July: NutriSystem

Hear my interview with Joel in its entirety below. He discusses his experiences with each diet, which seem to be more male-friendly and which are definitely built for women, and how he plans to continue the rest of the year, considering he’s been far more successful than anticipated.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Interview with Joel Gates of DozenDiets.com