There are so many different diet plans available online, in bookstores and through television and radio promotions that it can be overwhelming for someone unfamiliar with the diet landscape. There are a number of ways to find a diet plan, but the most important ingredient in your search is to find a diet plan that will work for you. Doctors at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) report that most diets will help you lose weight, so it's important to find a diet plan that you can maintain to keep off the extra pounds.
Step 1
Read about various diet plans and talk to friends and family members who have tried the plans. Consider the costs if prepackaged food is involved. Take into account your cooking skills and the time you have to prepare meals. Keep in mind that you are looking for a lifestyle change as well as a weight-loss plan.
Step 2
Try out various diet plans. Start slowly and try to incorporate pieces of the plan to see how they fit in your lifestyle and how you like the plan. For example, if you try a low-carb diet, change one meal a day for a week to see how you feel afterwards and how the high protein choices fare with your own digestion, tastes and blood sugar levels. You are less likely to stick to the diet if you don't like the suggested food options or if you don't feel good after eating.
Step 3
Talk a friend or family member into joining you in your new diet plan. Particularly if you live together, a buddy can keep you motivated and make the challenges more fun. Use a doctor or nutritionist to talk to about your diet plans. In addition to sharing ideas and tips, a buddy or professional can give you someone to whom you are accountable.
Step 4
Choose a diet plan that provides menus that lower your calorie intake and increase you level of exercise, report doctors at Yale-New Haven Hospital. It doesn't matter if your calories come from protein, carbs or fat, they all contain calories and the only way to lose weight is to take in fewer calories than you burn.
Tips and Warnings
- Change your vocabulary to ban the word "diet." Instead think lifestyle change and healthy living. Yale-New Haven doctors say that if you're not on a diet, you can't very well fall off of it either.
- Don't ignore your diet personality. Be honest about the kinds of food you like and what you don't like so that you don't end up with a diet plan that doesn't suit your tastes and preferences. If you love pasta and bread, it's unlikely you'll be successful on a low-carb eating plan.
Things You'll Need
- Copies of a few different diets
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