Almost everyone I know is on a [diet](https://diet.allwomenstalk.com/inexpensive-tips-to-improve-your-diet/) right now, and they’re all determined to lose the weight they put on over the holidays. You may be considering a new diet too, but with so many choices out there, how will you know what’s right for you? Here’s my list of the six main [types of diets](https://allwomenstalk.com/ways-dieting-can-be-fun/), and how they work…

## 1. Exchange Diet

Photo Credit: [Beth Rankin](https://www.flickr.com/photos/bethcanphoto/380896801/)

This is probably the [best diet plan](https://allwomenstalk.com/top-7-most-talked-about-diet-plans/) to follow, because it teaches you life-long healthy eating habits. It works like this: for each of the food groups, you’re allowed a certain number of helping per day. If you stick to the plan, you’ll maintain a healthy weight, or lose weight. To get a free plan that’s personalized to you, based on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level, visit [mypyramid.gov](https://goo.gl/V0HpC8). You’ll learn which foods are in which groups, and how many of each you’re allowed each day. It will also tell you how many overall calories you ought to consume, and let you know if your current weight is healthy. Let me stress again why this type of diet is the best - because it teaches you the habits you’ll need to eat healthier forever, not just while you’re trying to lose weight!

## 2. Planned-menu Diet

A planned menu diet is a diet in which you select the foods you eat from a set menu for each meal. For example, there are a few breakfasts to choose from, along with a few lunches, dinners, and snacks. On the plus side, it’s very easy to follow this sort of diet because you don’t have to count calories, or plan menus… you simple choose a meal from the list provided. On the negative side, a diet like this won’t teach you how to eat healthier, so once you reach your weight loss goal, and stop following this diet, you’re likely to gain the weight back, because you didn’t learn how to follow proper nutrition and eating guidelines.

## 3. Pre-packaged Diet

Photo Credit: [miss_rogue](https://www.flickr.com/photos/missrogue/498389809/)

If you don’t have the time to invest in learning proper nutrition, or don’t feel comfortable enough in the kitchen to prepare your own meals, then diet with pre-packaged meals may be the way to go! It works like this: you join a plan, like NutriSystem, and they send you the foods you will need for the next three to four weeks. Everything is in categories, like breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack. In the morning, grab a package marked “breakfast,” take a “lunch” and a “snack” to the office, and when you get home, choose one of the “dinners.” This is an ideal type of diet for a gal who lives alone and doesn’t like to cook!

## 4. Formula Diet

Photo Credit: [escalepade](https://www.flickr.com/photos/escalepade/3428764362/)