There are so many "perfect diets" advertised these days that it's hard to know which is healthy and which is not. Many of those diets sound perfect because they are convenient and many sound perfect because they offer a believable guarantee, but none is as effective as gaining the proper knowledge in order to maintain a healthy diet on your own. You do not need miracle diets, you just need a little knowledge.
What Makes a Good Diet?
In a word, balance is the key to a healthy diet. There are so many fad diets that preach low carb, low protein, zero fat and none of them is effective. Balance should be the goal of your diet. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are all really important nutrients that your body needs. When you eliminate those things, your body loses the ability to function properly in certain areas. Of your daily caloric intake, at least 45 percent of your calories should come from carbohydrates, at least 20 percent to 35 percent from fat, and 10 percent to 35 percent from protein. Those numbers can be tweaked slightly, but they are the ratios that will offer your body the balance that it needs to function efficiently.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates get a bad rap. For the several years, the "low-carb craze" has dominated the grocery aisles and has been pretty effective at making you believe in its effectiveness. However, low carbohydrate diets are unhealthy. Carbohydrates are your body's primary source of energy and should be its most readily available source of energy. When you eliminate carbs from your diet, you trick your body into believing that it is starving. When your body perceives itself to be starving, it stores fat, which will increase your body fat percentage, and it feeds off its muscle, which will decrease your metabolic rate. It is likely that you will lose weight on this low carb diet, however it is an extremely unhealthy form of weight loss. It is important to remember that carbohydrates are not the enemy. Rather, it is the source of carbohydrates that you should keep your eye on. Be sure that the carbs you are eating are complex carbohydrates. Eat whole grain or whole wheat breads and pastas instead of white, brown rice instead of white, and good fresh fruits and vegetables.
Fat
Fat is another nutrient that gets a bad rap, but you must remember again that fat is another important nutrient that your body must have in order to function properly. Fat serves many purposes in the body: it offers protection to internal organs, it is used as an insulator, it is a substance used in cell membranes, and it is vital for brain function, among many other things. The important thing to remember with fat, just like as carbohydrates, is the source of it. Instead of running to items like bags of chips and cookies, which contain loads of trans fats and saturated fats, eat things such as avocados, raw nuts and seeds, and fish. It is not the consumption of fats in your diet that builds fat in your body, it is the over-consumption of fat and the consumption of unhealthy sources of fat.
Protein
Protein is a nutrient that pretty much has a clean slate. Protein, just like carbohydrates and fat, is a must in your diet. Americans usually have no problem eating the proper amount of protein, the only exception being those who eat a vegetarian diet. Proteins offer assistance in the building of muscle, the function of your DNA, and the transmission of signals to cells throughout the body.
Water
One thing that you can do to limit your caloric intake throughout the day is to drink plenty of water. Many people fill their bodies with calories by drinking soft drinks, juices and sweetened tea, but those calories add up quickly. There are 150 calories in a 12 oz. can of Dr. Pepper; if you drink four of those in a day, you have just ingested 600 calories without putting an ounce of food in your mouth. Drinking water will not only replace those calories with no calories, but water is essential to the function of the body. The human body is about 80 percent water, which gives you an idea just how important it is to drink water regularly. Keep your body hydrated and functioning well by drinking plenty of water throughout your day.
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