How To Choose The Right Weight Loss Diet

Looking for a weight loss diet plan can be overwhelming. There are many to choose from, all claiming to provide results. However, when choosing a weight loss program, it is important to remember that it is not just about losing the weight, but also about keeping the weight off. To achieve the many benefits of weight loss, it must be maintained. If looking to lose weight, the first step is to talk with a physician or registered dietitian to ensure the plan is safe and sustainable.

Step 1

Look for a diet that is not a diet, but rather a long term food plan. When it comes to weight loss, there is no quick fix. For long term success, it is necessary to find a food program that can be followed for life. Following short term restrictive diets may result in some initial weight loss, but as soon as old eating habits return, so does the weight. In addition, diets that eliminate certain food groups such as carbohydrates or proteins, or those that focus on just one food such as grapefruit, can leave the body starved for nutrients. The right weight loss diet is one that teaches healthy eating behaviors and allows foods from all food groups, states MayoClinic.com. Healthy weight loss is not about eliminating foods, but rather learning to eat a wide variety of foods in moderation.

Step 2

Find a program that addresses the reasons for overeating. Overeating can be driven by emotions such as stress, boredom, loneliness or just because it is something to do. A successful weight loss program is one that encourages you to identify emotional triggers and then find healthier ways to deal with these feelings, reports the American Academy of Family Physicians. Until the underlying triggers for eating too much are dealt with, the weight will keep coming back on. Using a food diary where you can record what you are eating, along with whatever emotions are occurring, will help to identify problem areas. If this proves hard on your own, seek out the advice of a physician, registered dietitian or professional counselor, who can offer solutions.

Step 3

Follow a plan that teaches portion control and allows for occasional indulgences. All foods, whether they be proteins, fats or carbohydrates, are eventually converted to glucose and either used for energy, or stored in the body. So eliminating certain foods from the diet is not a long term answer. In addition, special occasions, stressful times and other situations often set the stage for unhealthy eating or bingeing. The right weight loss plan will accommodate these events. A weight loss plan needs to allow for holidays, going out to restaurants and having an occasional indulgence. Your plan should teach you how to count calories and watch portion sizes. Then if an event occurs that causes you to stray from the plan, adjustments can be made to balance out calorie intake for the week. Just because you blow it one day does not mean that you give up for the rest of the week or month. After indulging, determine how many calories you overate by and then portion out foods for the next few days, to balance it all out.

Step 4

Use a plan that encourages lots of fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy and whole grains because they make the body feel full. If you are on a diet that leaves you feeling hungry or deprived, chances are you will abandon it. Instead the trick is to include foods that are low in calories but high in fiber that leave you feeling satisfied. Also, since fruits and vegetables are lower in calories, more of them can be eaten in place of higher calorie foods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that eating this way actually allows you to eat more foods while ingesting less calories, yet never feeling hungry.

Tips and Warnings

Change takes time and making to drastic of a change all at once can lead to frustration and feeling overwhelmed. Start by setting small goals such as finding healthier snacks. Then one meal at a time, find healthier and lower calorie options for foods that are typically eaten.
Avoid crash diets and severely restrictive plans. They can leave the body malnourished, and as soon as regular eating habits return, so will the weight. Find a plan that encourages slow and steady weight loss that can be adjusted to help maintain the weight loss.