The increasing rise of obesity has prompted a lot of people to take one long look at their lifestyles and eating habits. The prospect of dying isn't something that anyone normally relishes, especially when you are young and have just started to enjoy the freedom that having your own job and staying at your own place brings. As studies continue to strengthen the link between excessive food intake, obesity and heart disease, more and more people are now more conscious about what they eat and drink.

To respond to this need for weight control and improvement of overall health, the fitness industry continually churns out dietary regimens and meal plans that seek to lower your caloric intake so you can burn the fats away. From fad diets to crash diets to healthy diets that really work, there are popular diets observed by many weight loss enthusiasts today.

This is not a recommendation on the meal plan that you should follow nor is it a guarantee that these popular diets work. These popular diets are presented simply because they have garnered the interest of a lot of people in their quest to lose weight. They are simply a general introduction as to what the diet is about and the philosophy behind it. If you wish to go on a particular diet, make sure that you research extensively about it beforehand. More importantly, consult your doctor to make sure that it is the right diet for you.

1. Mediterranean Diet. This is a diet that seeks to replicate the eating habits of the people in Greece, Crete and its neighboring countries located in the vicinity of the Mediterranean Sea. In this dietary plan, plant-based foods such as fresh fruits, beans nuts and seeds are the main food sources. Red meat is taken only in very small amounts while healthy fats such as those that derived from olive oils and other plant-based oils are used in the preparation of their recipes. Other important components of this diet are eggs and yogurt and moderate amounts of wine at every meal.

2. The Zone. This diet focuses on giving the body the calories it needs to function from the different macronutrients at varying percentages. 40 percent comes from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fats and another 30 percent from protein. The Zone focuses on keeping the insulin levels under control so excess weight is lost and maintained.

3. Vegetarian Diets. This is not only a diet regimen but a way of life as well. While there are many types of vegetarians, the common threat that runs in all of them is the consumption of plant-based foods. Meat, except for meat byproducts like eggs, dairy and cheese (for lacto-ovo vegetarians), is off limits in this diet. Vegetarians generally have longer life expectancies compared to meat eaters, studies reveal.

4. The Atkins Diet. This is another diet that controls the insulin levels in order to lose weight. This diet shuns refined carbohydrates and allows individuals to consume more protein for weight loss.

5. Raw Food Diet. This is a diet that promotes the consumption of plant-based foods and drinks that have undergone little or no processing at all. According to this philosophy, consuming food in its most natural, raw state, benefits the body because the "life-giving enzymes" found in raw food still remain intact.