Winner of the Worst Diet of the Decade Award: the return of the Cabbage Soup Diet and (it's a tie!) the absolutely ghastly concoction known as the "Master Cleanse Detox Diet," consisting of maple syrup, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and water.  Each diet regained popularity when various celebrities used it for quick weight loss (e.g. Beyonce Knowles was said to have used the Master Cleanse).

'Tis the season to make New Year's resolutions to lose weight.  When it comes to diets, both of these are losers for permanent weight loss: like all fad diets, they're dangerous to your health and won't keep off the weight long-term. They'll help you lose weight quickly, yes -- but you'll regain it just as fast once you get sick of endless bowls of cabbage soup or glasses of lemonade-maple syrup-pepper.

What works:

• Invest in a healthy diet cookbook that will give you a taste of how dieting can be delicious AND healthy, such as Oprah's favorite vegan chef Tal's The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat
• Talk with your doctor about whether a low-carb diet can work for you, which slender stars such as Jennifer Aniston and Beyonce both follow.
• Exercise. Join a gym, walk with a friend, or invest in a fitness DVD that appeals to you, whether it's weight-loss yoga with the Biggest Loser or a rockstar cardio-focused choice that lets you burn up to 800 calories an hour!