Abs Diet

In an age of diet tricks and gimmicks, the Abs Diet for Women is a solid bet. Overlook the diet's grandiose claim of flattening your stomach in six weeks (something highly unlikely to happen in such a short amount of time) and focus instead on the effective eating and exercise plans -- the combination of which are essential to long lasting results -- and you have a weight-loss winner.

You'll be basing your meals on 12 power foods, which are healthy, wholesome, nutrient-dense foods. While the book's claim that these foods trigger fat burning may be stretching the truth, they are still good choices. The fact that you're eating more nutritious, less caloric foods is more likely the reason you'll lose weight on this plan, not because there's anything special about these foods themselves. You'll also be eating more frequently on this plan -- six times a day. While there is some science to suggest that eating more frequently can be an effective weight-loss strategy, there's nothing magical about the number six.

Because it's designed for women, the diet also addresses things like hormonal issues, strategies for handling emotional eating, dieting before, after and even during pregnancy. While Zinczenko should be credited for including post-pregnancy dieting information, dieting while pregnant should be discouraged.