Dieting can be a complex subject, despite the fact that millions of people do it. While the differences between fad diets and healthy eating plans can be vast, at their most basic, diets aim to give you control over your food intake. Successful dieting effects changes that last a lifetime, not just a few weeks or months, and should benefit your health as well as your waistline.
Purpose
People diet for different reasons, but the primary purpose is usually to lose weight. For some people, losing weight is a health issue. Losing as little as 10 pounds can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. For others, looking better is the primary objective. Sometimes, a diet is designed for weight gain rather than loss. Athletes and people recovering from illness may need this type of diet. Another reason people go on a diet is to affect specific aspects of their health. People with high blood pressure may need to go on a low-salt diet, for example.
Options
Diets include formal programs, created by an organization or company, as well as informal methods designed at home by the dieter. The simplest diet, and the core principle behind most diets, is calorie restriction. Reducing the calories you take in and increasing the calories you burn through physical activity can lead to weight loss, while the opposite can cause weight gain. Some diets take into account the kinds of food you eat. This can involve restricting certain types of food, such as carbohydrates or fat, or consuming foods in particular combinations designed to affect your biochemistry.
Process
Dieting begins with choosing the right foods for your diet. In general, healthy foods are easy to identify. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat protein sources are all good choices for any diet. It's a good idea to consult a doctor or dietitian before beginning a diet in order to ensure that you are dieting in a healthy way. Dieters should keep track of their food and nutrient intake throughout the diet to make sure they are getting the right types and amounts of food to maintain health.
Concerns
Dieting can be unhealthy in some cases and downright dangerous in others. Diets that completely restrict certain food groups, such as fat, may deprive your body of components necessary for health. Other diets may take things to an extreme, cutting calories below 800 per day, which is too few to maintain normal bodily processes. Even some otherwise healthy diets can sometimes lead to deficiencies in specific nutrients.
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