Safe Diets For Obese People

Obesity increases the risks of health issues including heart disease, diabetes and premature death. Reducing your weight and decreasing your body mass index can decrease and even eliminate these risks. Selecting a safe and effective diet for weight loss can reduce your risks of health issues associated with crash dieting such as weakness, fatigue and decreased immunity. All diets are more effective when exercise is part of the dieter's daily routine.

Balanced Diet

The safest diet that can benefit anyone--not just obese people--s eating a balanced diet. According to the National Library of Medicine, a balanced diet provides the body with the nutrients it needs to support body processes and provide energy. A balanced diet consists of eating at least three meals per day according to the recommendations set forth by the food guide pyramid, which recommends people eat three ounces of whole grains, two and a half cups of vegetables, two cups of fruit, five to six ounces of lean protein, three cups of low fat dairy and sparing use of fats on a daily basis.

Calorie Control

Calorie controlled diets can lead to safe weight loss. The principle behind calorie controlled diets is that your body requires a certain amount of calories to have your daily needs met. Your current weight and activity levels will control how many calories you need on a daily basis. Certain metabolic conditions may also affect the number of calories your body burns, as will your body composition. Calorie controlled diets typically calculate how many calories your body uses on a daily basis and then subtracts about 300 to 500 calories per day from this number. This is your calorie intake needed to promote steady, safe weight loss of about one to two pounds per week. Calorie controlled diets can be very healthy as long as you are eating a balanced diet and eating about 300 to 500 calories per day less than your body's requirements. Eating fewer calories than this may result in quicker weight loss; however, it can lead to lethargy, nutrition deficiencies and loss of lean body mass.

Carbohydrate Controlled Diet

Many obese people have experienced success by eating a carbohydrate controlled diet like the South Beach Diet. These diets are especially effective for people who have diabetes or metabolic syndrome, which are both caused by insulin resistance and poor glucose tolerance. Carbohydrate controlled diets limit the amount of refined carbohydrates, starches and sugars you eat. This leads to steadier levels of blood glucose, which in turn inhibits the release of insulin into the bloodstream. According to Gary Taubes, author of "Good Calories, Bad Calories," insulin is the main substance that causes food to be converted to fat and carried into the fat cells--and fat is unable to leave the cells when insulin is present. When carbohydrates are limited, your body is able to use the food you eat for fuel and excrete the excess. Then body fat can begin to be converted to fuel.