The Alternate-Day Diet by James B. Johnson, MD, with Donald Laub, MD. Is this diet really all that different from your basic calorie shifting? Let’s take a look.

The Alternate Day Diet in a nutshell: Based on studies by the National Institute on Aging, James Johnson, MD, recommends cutting calories to just 20 percent of normal (about 500 calories for a woman) every other day to activate your “skinny gene” (the sirtuin 1, or SIRT1, gene). On alternate days, you eat what you want.

The pound promise behind The Alternate-Day Diet: A woman can lose about 7 pounds in a month, he says.

Steal this tip: Wait a few minutes before you indulge a craving: Your hunger will go away if you can wait it out.

The bottom line: If you can only handle dieting a few days a week, are OK with feeling hungry, and are not prone to bingeing or starving yourself, this plan might be worth a try – but check with your doc first. Steer clear if you have diabetes, anorexia, or bulimia, or if you are pregnant or nursing. [source: Health]