Dieting and finding the best diet for you - What makes a good diet plan?

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A good diet plan should also take into account various factors. For example, a good diet plan should include some recommendation for exercise. Exercise will help you burn fat and calories, keep your body more fit and able to burn still more calories.

In addition, a good diet plan should make some allowances for special situations. What if it is your birthday or anniversary? Can you adjust your diet plan to allow for some slippage? If your diet plan involves attending meetings, will you be able to adjust if you must go away on a trip? If your plan involves pre-planned meals, are there some allowances that can be made if you don't receive your next batch of food on time?

Also, you should consider whether your diet plan takes your current health into account. Are you diabetic? Are you pregnant or could you become pregnant? Do you have heart disease or high blood pressure? Then you should be very careful to ensure that your diet plan does not adversely affect your condition. This is especially true if your diet plan involves taking supplements of any kind. Some supplements can inhibit the effectiveness of some medications.

Likewise, your diet plan should also help you adjust to life when your diet plan is finished. Most diets are not intended to be followed forever. How does your diet plan help you in "the real world"?

However, if you focus on having a healthy diet rather than just on weight loss, you will be off to a great start.

So what is a healthy diet? Well, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Pyramid, each day a healthy diet should include:

Six to 11 servings of grains; Three to five servings of vegetables; Two to four servings of fruit; Two to three servings of dairy products; Three to five servings of meat or other protein products; Limited fats, oils and sweets.

In order to lose weight, you can follow these recommendations and focus on eating healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains and avoiding fat, sugar and junk food. By following such a diet plan, you will really lose weight at a reasonable pace and become healthier.

So, what is the best diet?

So far we've looked at diets in general, the top diets on the market and the Food Pyramid. It's a lot of information. When all is said and done, how do you know what is the best diet for you?

It really all boils down to common sense: By eating less and moving more you will lose weight. Here are the best diet tips that anyone can follow in order to achieve their ideal weight.

1. Cut out the junk food. Whether you are tempted to eat sweets, salty snacks or ice cream, make an effort to save these treats for the most special occasions. While it is easy to tell yourself you "deserve" a treat for getting through a stressful day, your body "deserves" to look and feel its best.

2. Drink lots of water. Studies have shown that what we think of as hunger is really the first sign of dehydration. By drinking water, you are filling yourself up but you are also helping to flush toxins out of your body. Your skin will look better and you will feel better too.

3. Say no to the second helping. When you sit down to a meal, only take one helping. It may be difficult to not go for seconds at first, but if you are persistent, you will find you really won't miss it.

4. Eat slowly. In our busy society, we are often in the habit of bolting down our meals. We eat so fast that we often don't really taste it. Slow down. Take the time to really taste your food. One way to do this is to be sure to put down your fork after every bite. Chew slowly, take a sip of water or chat with your dining companions. Think about how your food really tastes. You may decide that that "snack cake" that looked so good actually tastes pretty bad.

5. Don't eat between meals. Remember what your mother always said: "You'll ruin your appetite." If you feel hungry between meals, drink some water. Try to take your mind off of food by going on to another activity. Write a list of ways you can distract yourself. You may find that the "hungry" feeling passes.

6. Get moving. While diet programs can help you lose weight, you'll lose even more if you make a real commitment to exercise. You don't have to become an Olympic athlete, even 30 minutes of walking is enough. Your body will reward you by becoming stronger and more toned. Your mind and spirit will also reward you by helping you be calmer and more productive.

7. Throw out the scale. If you are losing weight mainly for the sake of your appearance, throw out the scale. It is too easy to become obsessed over the numbers. Really, who knows those numbers other than you? Your weight fluctuates daily, sometimes even hourly. A much better way to watch your weight is by watching how your clothes fit.

8. Don't eat in the evening. We all need to unwind at the end of a long day. While it's fun to relax in front of the tube, you really don't need to do so with a big bag of chips. By snacking in the evening, your body has no chance to burn off those calories. If you need something to do with your hands while watching television, try whittling, knitting or playing solitaire. Better yet - .

9. Go play. Who says exercise has to be about running laps or lifting weights? Get away from the television and the kitchen by playing with your kids. Go out and play tag or have a snowball fight. If you have a pet, take him or her out for a walk. The fresh air will do you good. If the weather is really bad, stay inside and play a board game or build a model.

10. Be patient with yourself. You are much more than just the number on a scale or a clothing size tag. If you lose weight, great. You will feel better and look better. If the weight is not coming off as quickly as you want it to, remember that your weight has little if any bearing on the other parts of your life. Thin or fat, you will still have the same job, the same family, etc.

11. Learn to relax. If stress eating is a problem for you, learn other ways to deal with anxiety. Pray, meditate or take deep breaths. If possible, take a walk or call a friend or family member. Let them be a sounding board. Likewise, be a sounding board for them. By focusing on someone else's troubles, you may find that your weight problems are really inconsequential.

12. Learn to give. Some weight-loss clubs have periodic food drives in which they collect canned goods to give to the less fortunate. Even if you don't belong to such a club, you can do the same thing. Think about someone who may need a helping hand and figure out how to give it to them. You will feel good about what you are doing and you will find yourself eager to do it again. Soon, you won't have time to think about your weight.

While most of us are concerned with diets and weight loss, diet doesn't have to be a dirty word. Nor does it have to be the center of your life. While what you eat is important, it is only one small aspect of your life.

In order to lose weight you only need common sense and persistence. What does your common sense tell you to do to lose weight? Just follow that advice and you really will look and feel better very soon. Continue to follow that advice and you will keep the weight off for life.

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