In the faddy world of dieting, a new regime for losing weight seems to come along every minute. However, we've also noticed a trend for the tried-and-trusted oldies to come back into fashion. This time, claim the makers, they're an all-new and improved version of the original. Here's our lowdown on the rise of retro dieting...

WEIGHTWATCHERS

Ok, so the WeightWatchers diet has never really gone away but it's become more popular than ever in the past six months. Around for more than 50 years, Patsy Kensit and Coleen McLoughlin are both huge fans of the simple advice that has stood the test of time.

The diet is based around the Points System - every item of food and drink is given a point, and you're given a daily points allowance according to how much weight you have to lose. As a rough guide, the more points a food or drink is allocated, the more calories it contains. So technically no food is forbidden - although a big burger and chips will probably use up a whole day's points. The idea is that you learn to eat larger amounts of healthy food so you keep your weight down without ever feeling hungry. If you exercise you'll earn more points (ie, food), and weight loss is slow and steady - they don't recommend any more than 2lbs a week.

Best For: Those who already know a bit about healthy eating, but need motivation or group support to keep them on track.

THE MAYO CLINIC DIET

Popular in the 70s and 80s, the Mayo Clinic Diet is back with a brand-new book, The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat Well. Enjoy Life. Lose Weight, which has been such a huge hit in the States it's at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. The book kicks off with a two-week plan that involves replacing five bad habits (such as eating in front of the TV or eating sweets after meals) with five good ones (always have breakfast, walk for at least 30 minutes every day). It's all very simple, but very sound and you can expect to lose up to 10lbs in the first two weeks.

The second stage is a little easier, and you'll see a steady loss of 2lbs a week. It involves nothing more complicated than a simple food pyramid. The largest section at the bottom (the base) is made up of fruits and vegetables. The next level up involves small amounts of wholegrain carbs like bread and rice. The next level up is lean meat and dairy, followed by good fats like avocado and nuts. The top - and smallest layer - is sweets and chocolate. Meaning nothing is off limits!

But, say the authors, if you keep the pyramid in mind (ie, eat lots of fruit and veg, some good carbs and lean protein with every meal, a little fat and the occasional sugary treat) you'll steadily drop pounds until you hit your target, then it will be easy to maintain your new weight.

Best For: Just about everybody. Nutritionists are loving the new-style diet, which is similar to the UK's government guidelines on healthy eating.

The it's THE CAMBRIDGE DIET

1980s The Cambridge Diet was the one to follow in the 80s, and it's making a massive comeback with sales of the book on the up and up. But it's a tough regime that revolves around eating low-calorie soups, shakes and snack bars in place of solid meals.

It's very similar to Lighter Life - the meal-replacement diet that became hugely popular last year. You see a Cambridge Diet counsellor before you start, who will talk you through the diet and your reasons for going on it. There are six stages, with Stage 1 being the toughest and Stage 6 the easiest (if you're very overweight you may be advised to start with Stage 1 and make your way through the stages). Once you hit your goal weight, you can go back (carefully, and with the advice of a counsellor) to regular food. The reason the diet was so popular 30 years ago was that weight loss is fast and dramatic.

However, like Lighter Life, this has also attracted its share of criticism with some nutritionists worrying that the daily calorie allowance is too low (as little as 500 calories a day - though the makers insist that all their shakes and snacks are specially designed to give you the correct amount of nutrients).

Best for: The very overweight - even then most experts agree that learning to eat healthily is better than mealreplacement diets. Always speak to your doctor before embarking on this plan.

THE ATKINS DIET

1990s The Atkins Diet is back - and this time, pasta is allowed! The original Atkins was so popular when it launched in 1999 that everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Renee Zellweger went on it. Sales of bread and pasta fell, as everybody shunned carbs for high-protein fried eggs, cheese and bacon. It all seemed too good to be true - and it was. While cutting out all carbs in favour of fatty protein does speed up weight loss, it comes at a price. That being a higher risk of heart disease, bowel and kidney problems, plus constipation and bad breath.

So Atkins fell out of favour. But all that's set to change with The All-New Atkins Advantage.

It's a healthier version of the original, and the main message is still the same - minimise carbs, and maximise protein. But the authors have softened the strict "no carb" rule and now allow small portions of brown pasta, rice and bread. And instead of allowing you unlimited amounts of processed ham, cheese, cream and red meat, they suggest that you get your protein from healthy sources such as lean chicken, eggs, fish and seafood. The result? Steady (and permanent, if you keep it up) weight loss without the health scares.

The book is broken down into a 12-week plan that involves four three-week stages. With each stage, you're allowed slightly more carbs. And there are easyto-follow chapters such as 'Eat until you're full' and 'Keep a food diary' (separate studies show that making a note of everything you eat helps you stay focused on healthy eating). The only off-limit foods on this diet are white carbs (ie, white bread, pasta and rice), cake, biscuits and sugary soft drinks.

Best For: Well, definitely not carb-lovers. If you can't get through the day without bread or pasta, this diet probably isn't for you.

Source: Daily Mirror