'Diet Selector': How to find the right plan for you

When you're trying to lose weight, one of the keys to success is finding a program that suits your lifestyle and emphasizes the foods you enjoy, says Judith Rodriguez, who outlines more than 75 different diet programs in her book The Diet Selector.

Ask yourself	Consider the following	Resources
Do you want to develop some healthy lifelong eating patterns, plus good physical activity and stress-management patterns?	You may need a plan that focuses on behavioral or lifestyle changes.	• French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano • Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole • Best Life Diet by Bob Greene • You: On a Diet by Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz
Do you enjoy breads and other carbohydrates and have a hard time cutting back on them?	You may enjoy a plan that includes whole grains, rice, pasta, breads and lots of vegetables and fruits	• The Mediterranean diet pyramid • Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet • MyPyramid.gov
Do you prefer fish and lean meats more than breads or pasta?	A plan that modifies the amounts of proteins and fats in ways that favor your food preferences may work well for you	• Secrets of Good Carb/Low Carb Living by Sandra Woodruff • The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston • Atkins' New Diet Revolution by Robert Atkins
Do you find it easy to substitute a beverage, such as a smoothie, for a meal?	You may enjoy and be able to have a meal replacement at noon time	• Slim-Fast plan
Do you dislike cooking or find it difficult to prepare meals?	Temporarily using commercially prepared meals until you can develop some quick prep techniques	• NutriSystem • Jenny Craig • Weight Watchers
Do you want a plan that provides occasional treats or wine?	A plan that is based on food groupings or exchange systems for may work well for you	• Weight Watchers • Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less by Walter Willett and Mollie Katzen
Do you enjoy preparing and eating some savory and filling "soup or one-pot" dishes with different foods?	Try a plan that emphasizes meals and dishes with volume and fiber that are filling but lower in calories	• The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan by Barbara Rolls and Robert Barnett
Does having a diet or record-tracking system, buddy or friend to provide encouragement make it easier to stay on your diet?	A plan that includes keeping food records or a support and check-in system would work well for you.	• Fat is Not Your Fate (records) by Susan Mitchell and Catherine Christie • Weight Watchers (supports) • sparkpeople.com (records and supports)
Do you like trying different ethnic cuisines as part of your regular meals?	All ethnic cuisines have some healthy choices you can enjoy	• Asian diet pyramid • Latin American pyramid • Mediterranean diet pyramid
Do you like to emphasize less refined foods and like a large variety of colorful fruits and vegetables?	The plans that include many different colors tend to have a wide variety of nutrients and be healthy	• Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less by Walter Willett and Mollie Katzen • DASH • Vegan diet • Mediterranean diet