The Best Diet for You in 2025: Tips from Experts

The new year brings a chance to start fresh and set new goals. Many people make resolutions about Best Diet and exercise, but only 9% stick to them all year. Why is it so hard? Are the goals too big, or are we following short-term diet trends?

“Diets are often seen as something you start and then quit,” says Keri Gans, a dietitian and author of The Small Change Diet. She suggests thinking of it as a lifestyle change to stick with it longer. Gans recommends skipping strict fad diets and choosing a plan that works for you.

You don’t have to be perfect. “It’s okay not to eat perfectly all the time,” Gans says. Try to make healthy choices 85% of the time for a plan you can stick to.

Best Diet and nutrition aren’t the same for everyone. The best plan should include flexibility, whole foods, and enjoyment, says Chicago-based dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner. To find what works for you, ask yourself key questions about your needs and goals. Nutrition is personal, so it’s important to choose a plan that fits your body and health.

“Working with a dietitian, even for one session, can help you learn which foods are best for your health,” says Anita Mirchandani, a dietitian and founder of ARM Nutrition. This guidance can make a big difference in finding the right plan for you.

The Mediterranean diet is more of an eating pattern than a traditional diet and is often ranked as one of the best. “The Mediterranean Diet is a lifestyle that emphasizes nutritious foods and promotes well-being,” says dietitian Keri Gans. “It’s balanced, sustainable, and focuses on anti-inflammatory foods for a colorful, vibrant plate.”

“The Best Diet is rich in antioxidants, which help prevent chronic diseases,” adds Marissa Karp, R.D., founder of MPM Nutrition. Since it’s flexible and not restrictive, Karp says many people can follow it without feeling deprived. Anita Mirchandani agrees, noting it’s great for weight loss due to its high fiber and low levels of saturated fats and refined carbs.

WHAT YOU’LL EAT: “Rooted in whole foods, produce, lean meats, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbs, this diet works for almost anyone,” says Karp. Key foods include fresh produce, olive oil, fatty fish, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

The Flexitarian Best Diet is a mix of “flexible” and “vegetarian,” making it easy to eat more plant-based meals. Unlike vegan diets, it focuses on adding plants instead of cutting out all animal products, so you don’t feel restricted.

“It’s great for people who want to eat more plant-based but don’t want strict vegetarian or vegan rules,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, author of The Flexitarian Diet. “It’s easy, flexible, and fits your lifestyle and food preferences.”

The diet encourages mindful meat choices, like sustainable seafood or grass-fed meat. Benefits include weight loss, a longer life, and a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. “Flexitarian diets are usually richer in fiber, vitamins, and plant nutrients,” says Blatner.

WHAT YOU’LL EAT: The diet focuses on fresh produce, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and plant-based proteins like tofu and tempeh. It also includes healthy fats, like olive oil, with animal products eaten in moderation. To start, try one vegetarian recipe a week. “By the end of the year, you’ll have 50 new recipes, and some will become your favorites,” says Blatner.

Most weight-loss diets ignore the need for lasting behavior change, but Noom Weight takes a different approach. This digital weight-loss program, used by over three million people, focuses on building healthy habits that last. Created by psychologists, nutritionists, and trainers, it combines food tracking, personalized coaching, and cognitive behavioral techniques to help users reach and keep their weight goals.

To start, sign up and download the Noom app. After completing a lifestyle questionnaire, the app creates a personalized plan for you. It includes one-on-one coaching, daily lessons for motivation, and tools to log food using its database, barcode scanner, or food photo feature. You can also track exercise, weight, blood pressure, and other health stats to monitor your progress.

WHAT YOU’LL EAT: Noom uses a color-coded food system that groups foods by caloric density.

The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was created in the 1990s with funding from the National Institutes of Health to fight rising rates of heart disease in the U.S. It includes daily and weekly nutrition goals, such as limiting sodium to 2,300 milligrams a day (about a teaspoon of salt) or 1,500 milligrams for stricter guidelines.

But DASH isn’t just about cutting salt, says Dawn Jackson Blatner. “It focuses on healthy additions like three cups of vegetables, two cups of fruit, and two to three servings of low-fat dairy daily, balanced with whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.” The diet is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein while reducing saturated fats.

Although created for those with high blood pressure, Keri Gans notes that the DASH Diet has broad benefits. “It’s a practical, nutrient-rich approach to weight loss and works well for many people,” she says.

WHAT YOU’LL EAT: Lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, beans, and nuts. You’ll cut back on fatty meats, full-fat dairy, sugary drinks, and sweets.

“The MIND Diet is the most studied eating plan for brain health,” says Maggie Moon, M.S., R.D., a Los Angeles dietitian and author of The MIND Diet: 2nd Edition. “It was created by researchers at Rush and Harvard Universities, combining the brain-friendly benefits of the Mediterranean and DASH Diets with familiar U.S. foods.”

Moon highlights two 2015 studies showing the MIND Diet may cut Alzheimer’s risk by half and slow brain aging by 7.5 years. Since then, over 150 studies have linked it to better brain function, mental health, heart health, and more.

“I love how the MIND Diet can work with different cultural diets and preferences,” says Moon. “It’s been adapted successfully in Korea and China, where studies also found brain health benefits.”

WHAT YOU’LL EAT: “The MIND Diet focuses on anti-inflammatory foods like berries, beans, walnuts, leafy greens, whole grains, seafood, olive oil, and vegetables,” Moon explains. “It limits—but doesn’t cut out—foods like butter, cheese, meat, sweets, and fast food.”