Diet and weight management are estimated to be a $70 billion industry with the average adult attempting 126 diets in their lifetime. Every diet offers something a little different and it can be confusing to know what the best option is. That’s where taking a look at some of the top diets side-by-side can help.

1. GOMAD

Not all diets are about weight loss, some are designed to help people gain weight. The GOMAD diet accomplishes this by requiring followers to drink Gallon of Milk a Day, hence the name. Participants are supposed to eat their regular diet without skipping meals or reducing caloric intake while adding an entire gallon of whole milk to their daily consumption. There are no days off and the milk can’t replace anything else in the diet.

2. Modified Keto

The “real” Keto diet requires a minimum fat consumption of 70% of total daily caloric intake and caps protein at a maximum of 20%. The version many people are doing now aims to keep net carbs and sugar as low as possible with higher protein, and moderate fat. The idea behind a ketogenic diet is to force the body to burn fat instead of glucose (carbs), which is why the original diet required such massive fat consumption.

3. Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet focuses on staple foods found in Mediterranean countries, including olive oil, whole grains, fruit, seafood, and legumes while avoiding most of the processed foods. The Mediterranean diet is consistently among the programs recommended by dietitians for improving long-term health. While weight loss can be a component, it is neither fast nor easy. The primary focus of this method of eating is health.

4. Flexitarian Diet

For those interested in a vegetarian diet but keep the option of meat on occasion, the flexitarian diet may just fit the bill. This diet focuses on gradually decreasing the number of days per week and quantities of meat followers eat, while increasing all the staples of the vegetarian diet. It’s called flexitarian for a reason, it’s super flexible. There is a three-stage approach to cutting down on meat and dieters take those at their own pace. The plan also encourages participants to decrease processed foods and opt for fresh varieties whenever possible.

5. Whole30

Whole30 is unique in that it is essentially a 30-day elimination diet. Participants avoid foods that are common allergens or are known to contribute to inflammation. It’s stricter than many other diets out there eliminating all forms of sugar, including sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners that other programs allow. Also on the chopping block: most legumes, all grains, dairy and MSG and other additives.

The primary focus for the 30-days is eating whole, fresh foods and getting reacquainted with listening to your body’s needs. This focus is carried over into the reintroduction portion of the diet where off-limit foods are methodically reintroduced in a way that allows dieters to see how they respond to each food. Ultimately the goal of Whole30 is not to keep people on a lifetime diet, but to provide them with the skills they need to eat in a way that supports their personal needs and wellbeing.

6. Noom

Noom is not a “diet” per se as much as it is a psychology app with a weight loss focus. Noom is a 16-week program, broken into daily, bite-sized courses walking users through the process of finding out why they want to lose weight, identifying their goals, and working through the different thought distortions that make weight loss difficult.

Noom also provides participants with a guide who checks in, offers encouragement, and answers questions along the way. “Noomers” are also offered the opportunity to have a coach and participate in a team with others for encouragement and increased accountability. This app addresses what many diet plans aren’t designed to handle – the mental and emotional sides of eating.

The Main Takeaway

Whether your goal is weight gain, weight loss, or just adopting a healthier lifestyle, odds are good there is a diet out there that fits your needs.