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Chosing The Right Diet For You
by: Joey Dweck
There are so many different and varied diets floating around today that it can be quite
difficult to make a decision regarding which one is right for you when you feel it’s time to
lose weight. Some diets emphasize low fat while others insist low calories are the way to go.
Still yet, other diet gurus are adamant that in order to meet your weight loss goals you must cut
out all forms of carbohydrates. One diet seems to combine factors from at least two other well
known diets with claims to produce an optimum fat burning weight loss program. Then there are the
various other diets that have circulated around the world for years with numerous success stories
such as the cabbage soup diet and the cider vinegar diet. Which diets really work and more
importantly; which diet is right for you?
One of the most important factors you must consider when contemplating any diet plan is whether
you will learn how to eat healthy and nutritionally sound through the plan. Unfortunately, a
number of different diets that boast incredible results do so through nutritionally bankrupt
methods. Often referred to as fad diets, these weight loss programs encourage you to indulge in
eating habits that can do more harm than good.
Many weight loss programs promise almost instantaneous results and for awhile at least; it seems
as though your weight loss dreams may have finally come true through the presence of this type of
diet. Then the sad reality sets in. You realize there is no possible way you can stay on this
diet for the rest of your life. This is an important factor to consider; because ideally you
should be looking for a healthy weight loss and maintenance program not a diet. Although a very
low-calorie, high or liquid diet or even a diet that only lasts for a few days may allow you to
initially lose some weight, you will inevitably find that your weight loss problems recur when a
vengeance at a later point. Instead of looking for a miracle cure, look for a weight loss program
that can help you to achieve your goals on a permanent basis.
For those of us who would prefer to avoid exercise like the plague, any weight loss program that
promises we can reach our goals without that dreaded E word is a lifesaver. Unfortunately, long
term weight loss simply isn’t possible without taking part in a sensible exercise routine. Sad,
but true.
When considering engaging in any weight loss program or diet, always ask yourself the following
questions 1. Will I learn to take part in a healthy, nutritionally sound eating plan through this
diet? 2. Is this a diet I can stick with long term? and 3. Does this diet combine sensible eating
with moderate exercise?
When you find a diet or weight loss program that meets all of these conditions, you know that you
have found the right diet for you. As with any diet, it’s always a good idea to check with your
physician before engaging in any weight loss program.
A Mediterranean Diet - How to Lose Weight Safely
by: Roy Barker
Copyright 2005 Roy Barker
If you are looking for a way to lose fifteen pounds in two weeks, a high protein diet, a low
carb diet, a fruit diet, a no fat diet, a blood type diet, a juice fast, a diet named after a
place in Miami, a grapefruit diet, a cactus diet, a coffee and cigarette diet, a diet that
includes sweets, a diet based on your body type, a diet based on an ancient religion or a diet
based on your hair color, then this article is NOT for you.
Fad and crash diets, such as the ones described above are not only unhealthy but they also cause
rebound weight gain. Also most diets, even though diet gurus write them, cause an initial weight
loss but the ultimate result is that you gain all of the weight back the minute you go off the
plan. If you don't gain it back within a couple of diets, you are likely to gain it all back plus
a bit more within a year.
Crash diets dehydrate you, low calorie diets put your body into starvation mode so you plateau so
you can't lose one more pound and high protein diets stress your kidneys and clog your arteries.
So how does one lose weight?
There is only one answer to this question.
You need to expend more calories than you are taking in. Restricting certain foods, eating
so-called fat burning foods, or dehydrating yourself with special pills or teas does not do it.
It is simple math. The only way is to eat a little less and exercise a little more. Here is the
equation below:
Eating Less + Exercising More = Weight Loss.
This is not a magical formula, it is just logic. It is also not a fast way to lose weight. As I
have mentioned before, this is not an article about how to lose ten pounds in three days or 30
pounds in a month. It is about safe, healthy weight loss.
In order to lose weight quickly and safely and without putting yourself at risk for such health
hazards as dehydration, kidney failure, malnutrition, exhaustion, nervous dysfunction, tooth
loss, dull hair, wrinkles, cellulite, sudden heart failure or stroke and lose the weight so that
it stays off, you should lose no more than approximately two pounds a week!
Although that might not sound like a large amount of weight to lose it actually is! If you lose 2
pounds a week that means you can achieve a weight loss of ten pounds a month! If you only have
twenty pounds to lose then your weight loss is not only quite rapid, but you have the extra
guarantee that it will stay off because you have followed a sensible exercise plan that did not
involve starving, exhausting or depriving yourself. If you are willing to drop your impatience
and desire for immediate gratification and stick to an exercise plan and healthy eating habits,
then a Mediterranean Diet is for you. Remember being slim is only good if you are able to enjoy
it!
Do You Need to Lose Weight?
Fascination with Fat
If you want to lose weight, you first need to assess whether you need to actually lose weight or
are simply a fashion victim. Unfortunately this society is fascinated with fat - who has it and
who doesn't. As we are persuaded by so many images in the media that persuade us to believe that
you can never be too thin, many of us are bad judges of our actual body weight.
If you are under the age of eighteen and reading this book, the first thing you need to do is
consult with your parent about your plans to lose weight. Have her make an appointment with a
physician so that he can indicate to you whether or not you are a candidate for weight loss.
If you are an adult, it is possible that you may not be overweight and are just trying to be, as
Bridget Jones put it in Bridget Jones Diary "a stick insect with eyelashes." It is also
very possible that you know you need to lose weight but have no idea where to start.
If you are obese and you know it, then you have to check with a physician first to see how your
health is before you embark on any exercise program or plan. The same is also true if you have
any kind of medical condition but especially a thyroid condition or heart condition. Some
physicians may not recommend a weight loss program for those who are over 40 as due to genetics
and hormonal changes some people naturally just round out or gain weight in a way that simply
cannot be changed. If your doctor tells you your spreading hips are due to menopause or genetics,
believe him! It is not clever to fool with Mother Nature.
About the author: Publisher & author: Roy Barker. Roy has an indepth and long established
background with the vitamins, minerals and health industry and has researched and experimented
with many diets over a thirty year period. More related information detailing the Mediterranean
Diet can be found at www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com
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