The Early Show

Rating The Best Diets

By Marianne Goldstein

May 7, 2007 / 4:10 PM EDT / CBS

What's the easiest way to lose weight? Are there any foolproof tricks to make those extra pounds just go away?

Sadly, the answer to both questions is no. However, according to Consumer Reports magazine, there are diets that make more sense than others — and there are some tips you can follow that might make dieting a little easier.

A recent study by the magazine shows that Americans are pre-occupied with weight issues. The survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, found that 41 percent of American adults (91 million) are currently trying to lose weight. Nearly half (46 percent) of all women are trying to shed weight, while about one third (36 percent) of men are dieting.

On The Early Show, consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen unveiled the results of a survey, which appears in the magazine's June issue, that names the top clinically-tested diet plans.

Coming in first was Volumetrics, in which dieters fill up on "low-density" foods like fruits and vegetables and consume a low-fat soup or salad before a meal to take the edge off their hunger.

Consumer Reports also gave high marks to the Weight Watchers diet plan, which uses weekly meetings and weigh-ins for motivation and behavioral support for diet and exercise changes. The Weight Watchers plan scored average on weight loss but first in long-term adherence. The magazine's experts found the Weight Watchers recipes appetizing and fairly easy to prepare.

The Jenny Craig diet plan is based on weekly one-on-one meetings and pre-packaged food. Consumer Reports did a study of client histories and found that while the plan had high dropout rates, dieters who stuck with the plan lost considerable weight.

The Slim-Fast diet uses meal-replacement shakes and bars that are easy to find in most grocery stores and drugstores. Clinical studies show above-average long-term weight loss but a high long-term dropout rate.

The magazine interviewed people who are listed on the National Weight Control Registry, which enrolls people who have documented that they lost 30 pounds and kept the weight off for at least a year. Some words of advice from winners at the losing game:

Start right: Eating a substantial morning meal is recommended by every diet book Consumer Reports analyzed. Seventy-eight percent of the successful losers at the National Weight Control Registry say they eat breakfast, typically some cereal and fruit.

Crank up the activity: Dieters should get off the couch if they want to lose weight and keep it off. Increasing time spent doing exercise and activities such as housework and yard work will help burn calories.

Fill up on low-density foods: One way to spare calories and still eat a satisfying amount of food is to focus one's diet on foods that have fewer calories per bite. The "Volumetrics" diet is based on this strategy.

Bring back the scale: Dieters who stay vigilant about their weight can make quick corrections before the pounds add up. While many of the books reviewed discourage the practice of frequent weighing in, 75 percent of the members enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry weigh themselves at least once a week.

Bore yourself thin: This approach is outlined in "The South Beach Diet," "The Sonoma Diet," and "Ultra Metabolism." Since variety stimulates the appetite, the more monotonous the diet, the less you'll eat. Steer clear of buffet tables, which can be a dieter's worst enemy.