You've heard it time and again that the best kind of weight loss is one that is achieved gradually. The problem with the "slow and steady wins the race" approach, however, is that many don't actually get to the end of the race to see meaningful results. This is why "quick fixes" are popular. Unfortunately, a lot of quick weight loss diets sound too good to be true, overshadowing the good deal of them that actually work, like the ones listed below:

• Chicken Soup Diet. A seven-day diet plan, the Chicken Soup Diet calls for eating just chicken soup for all meals except breakfast. A recipe is provided for the chicken soup, including five options for breakfast, to help ensure dieters stay on course. How it helps you lose weight: the chicken soup is low in calories but filling, preventing binge eating or snacking on the side.
• Fruitarian Diet. Focusing on just consuming fruits, the Fruitarian Diet calls for at least 75 percent of food volume consumed in a day to come from fruits. Dieters are recommended to consume fruits, including nuts and seeds, from all seven groups for balance in nutrition. How it helps you lose weight: Fruits are generally low in calories but high in nutrition, restricting calorie consumption without compromising health.
• Atkins Diet. It may sound counter-intuitive for a diet but Atkins actually promotes eating fat, alongside increased protein intake and the elimination of sugars and simple starches. How it helps you lose weight: It limits carbs consumed so the body turns to fat reserves as alternate sources of fuel, resulting in losing five pounds in just the first week and a pound or two every week afterwards.
• Fat Smash. A 90-day program, the Fat Smash Diet is designed to "smash" bad habits so dieters can make lasting changes in their lifestyles. Across four phases, dieters are retrained to ingrain the basics of a healthy lifestyle. How it helps you lose weight: Cuts out bad habits that lead to unhealthy choices; incorporates regular physical activity.
• Hollywood Diet. It's what helped Kelly Osbourne drop 69 lbs. Also keen on cultivating healthy lifestyles, the Hollywood Diet promotes eating right (which naturally restricts calories consumed) through a prescribed eating plan and engaging in regular exercise. How it helps you lose weight: Recommends only 1,100 calories for women and 1,600 calories for men each day, promoting caloric deficit complemented by exercise.
• Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox. While more a detox program than a diet plan, it promises to shave off a pound of weight a day through sticking to liquids, taking supplements and doing enemas in a 21-day period. A typical day will call for up to 48 ounces of water, up to 40 ounces of herbal tea, up to 16 ounces of vegetable soup and 32 ounces of a green or berry drink--no chewing at all to be done. Aside from the liquid diet, specific exercises are also recommended. How it helps you lose weight: Heavily restricts calories consumed because of the preference for liquids.
• HMR Diet. While promoting the shift to healthier lifestyles, the HMR Diet also recommends meal replacements to reduce calorie consumption. It comes in two phases, with the first one aiming to help dieters lose weight as quickly as possible. How it helps you lose weight: Meals are planned out and delivered to ensure the eating program is followed.