What Is The Right Diet For Me?

Because everyone is different, there's no universal diet that will help every individual shed pounds. Some dieters do well with programs that offer prepackaged food so their meals are planned. Others prefer more choices and want to prepare the food themselves. Ultimately, the best and most effective diet is one that you can follow for a lifetime and includes healthy eating and regular exercise.

Be Realistic

Any diet you can't stick with for more than a few days or weeks can doom you to failure. Fad diets that allow only a few foods can grow boring quickly. Diets that require food you can't easily find at your neighborhood grocery store are self-defeating, too. You'll be more successful with a diet that includes a large variety of food you like and can continue to enjoy for a lifetime--not just for a few weeks or months.

Avoid Deprivation

Even though you want to lose weight, you still need a diet that allows you to consume enough calories to keep your body running well. Diets very low in calories can cause you to lose muscle instead of fat, according to the Cleveland Clinic. They also can leave you feeling deprived and increase your temptation to binge. The number of calories you need daily depends on many factors, including your age, gender, weight and activity level.

Eat Healthy

The right diet is one in which you can lose weight and still eat enough food to meet your nutritional needs for good health. That diet should emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. It should include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts. Limit consumption of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.

Control Portions

If you eat less, you consume fewer calories and you lose weight. But with super-sized meals and drinks the norm, it's hard to know what constitutes a healthy serving size. The diet that's right for you should include instruction on portion control. For instance, a healthy portion of meat is three ounces, about the size of a deck of cards, according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). A healthy portion of cooked rice, pasta or potato is one-half cup, about the size of half a baseball.

Include Exercise

To help you lose weight and keep healthy, a good diet plan will incorporate exercise. That includes both cardio exercise, for heart health, and strength-training exercises to build muscles and keep bones strong, according to the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Both groups recommend 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity most days of the week to lose weight.