Not a day goes by in which I don’t hear or see an advertisement of someone discussing their new diet or eating regimen. And every day, it seems to be a new one.

Paleo, vegan, vegetarian, Whole 30, Mediterranean diet, the Kayla Itsines eating plan, Weight Watchers, military diet, gluten-free, Raw Till 4, the list goes on and on. Over the last couple of years, the idea of dieting and following “eating rules” has really exploded. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for cutting processed foods, helping the environment by cutting down on animal products and reducing the amount of added sugar to help combat childhood obesity, but honestly, what are we supposed to eat anymore? What’s good and what’s bad?

One food is good in one diet, yet eliminated in the next. Eat in moderation or count calories. Eat a high carb diet or a low carb diet. Basically, if you combined all of the diets out there right now, the only thing we would be able to eat is water. This can be and is incredibly confusing for many of us who are interested in leading healthy lifestyles.

Recently, to learn more about the many options, I went to Google and typed in “diets," but accidentally typed “die," instead. And that pretty much sums up how I feel about diets. But, maybe that’s just me.

Here are some of the most current and popular diets, outlined with the hope that this makes it easier to learn the facts, as well as distinguish between each diet, so that you can make an educated decision about a new lifestyle you may be taking on.

Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet consists of consuming mainly meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit, and excludes eating dairy, processed food, and grain products. This diet is based on the types of food presumed to have been eaten by the early humans. Essentially, a Paleo Diet is high in healthy fat, moderate in animal protein, and low in carbohydrates. The diet does not encourage calorie counting, but rather focuses on “good” and “bad” foods. Some of the claimed health benefits of the Paleo Diet include more efficient workouts, reduced allergies, balanced energy throughout the day, stable blood sugar, anti-inflammation, and the ability to burn off stored fat. Basically you are eating like the cavemen and the hunter-gatherers.

Paleo resources here.

Vegan

While this is not a “new” diet, it has become more prominent over the last few years. Veganism is refraining from eating any animal products, including dairy products or other animal-derived substances. Often, veganism and plant-based are interchangeable terms. Besides health, vegans often choose this lifestyle for environmental and ethical reasons. In regards to health benefits, veganism promotes better cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure and cholesterol and healthy skin. If you’re cool with no more bacon or grilled cheese sandwiches, this may be an option for you.

Vegan resources here.

Whole 30

Similar to the Paleo Diet, Whole 30 bans processed foods, grains, dairy, alcohol, and legumes. The biggest difference between the two is that Whole 30 does not allow any added sugar, while Paleo only eliminates refined sugar. Whole 30 also advises against making any imitation goodies -- looking at you banana and egg pancakes. As the name suggests, Whole 30 pushes a very strict 30 days of eating to reset your body. Whole 30 can lead into a Paleo lifestyle. If you’re looking for a real kick in the behind in the right direction, begin with Whole 30.

Whole 30 resources here.

Mediterranean Diet

A Mediterranean Diet emphasizes eating primarily vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and nuts, and replacing unhealthy fats with healthy fats. Red meat is limited to a few times a month. This diet asserts to decrease the risk of heart disease, depression, and dementia. Like many others, this diet stresses making healthier choices, while not totally eliminating many foods. The Mediterranean Diet also allows the drinking of red wine (in moderation). Basically, you eat like a Greek. If you’re interested in eating healthier, but not totally ready to change your entire life and eating regimen, the Mediterranean Diet is a good place to start.

Mediterranean resources here.

Weight Watchers

If you have watched Hulu in the last couple of months, you have undoubtedly seen Oprah going on and on about how much she loves bread and how she eats bread everyday, thanks to Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers has redefined its traditional plan and now uses “SmartPoints,” in which no food is off-limits, but each food has a number of points. You have a certain number of points to utilize as you'd like each day. Weight Watches argues that soon enough, making smart, healthy choices will become second nature. This plan is all about going at your own pace and not feeling restricted. It is heavily celebrity-endorsed and has been around for a long time. If you love bread as much as Oprah, this plan is for you.

Weight Watchers resources here.

Raw Till 4

A subset of veganism, Raw Till 4 is exactly what it sounds like—you eat raw, unprocessed, plant based food until 4:00 p.m. After that, you can eat whatever you want, although usually those who do this diet maintain a fairly strict, no animal product diet after 4:00 p.m. Raw Till 4 claims to be a lifestyle rather than a diet, and you must eat a lot of raw, unprocessed food to get enough calories. If you felt so inclined, you could eat 20 bananas a day and that would be okay. This “lifestyle” is not for the ones with low self-control.

Raw Till 4 resources here.

Kayla Itsines’ Eating Plan

If you haven’t heard of Kayla Itsines, you are probably living under a dieting rock, and if that’s the case you probably aren’t reading this anyway. Along with her Bikini Body Guide, she also has a H.E.L.P (Healthy Eating Lifestyle Plan) Guide. This plan is all about portion control, not counting calories, not cutting out carbohydrates. It emphasizes the idea that healthy eating is very attainable, and you don’t have to cut out a large variety of food groups in order to follow this plan. Kayla emphasizes listening to your body and fueling it with what it needs in order to perform its best. While you do have to pay for this guide, it is one of the easiest to follow and doesn’t starve your body of the many nutrients it needs.

Kayla Itsines resources here.