A healthy diet plan can be hard to spot among the hundreds of fad diets promising quick weight loss with minimal effort. A healthy diet includes a variety of foods from different food groups, and is designed to produce a slow, safe weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Several free diet plans are available online. Your family physician may have free preprinted diet plans available. Consider including a healthy exercise plan for best results.
Types
Weight-loss diets are not one-size-fits-all. A healthy eating plan should take into account the dieter's gender, age, height, weight and activity level to determine daily calorie limits. Other considerations are whether the dieter needs to lose weight for a specific purpose, such as lowering cholesterol, blood pressure or to help manage diabetes or other illnesses. Gluten-free and vegetarian or vegan weight-loss programs are available online, or may be available for free from a physician or dietitian.
Benefits
A weight-loss diet's main goal is to take off pounds, but attaining a normal weight has many benefits. Attaining and maintaining a health weight increases overall health, recharges energy level, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, and may even help ease the symptoms of chronic illnesses such as arthritis. Successfully reaching a normal weight also provides a boost to confidence and self-esteem.
Features
A healthy eating plan should be easy to follow, affordable and balanced. Look for a diet that reduces calorie intake but does not ban entire food groups. For a diet you can stick to, look for one that includes low-fat and low-calorie versions of the foods you like best. The best weight-loss diets also include a plan for keeping the weight off, usually called a maintenance plan.
Good diet plans include fresh vegetables and fruits, seafood, poultry and lean meats, whole grains, beans and some dairy products. Some fat should be included to maintain health. While fat-free foods may seem like a good substitute, many have high calorie counts and should be avoided.
Considerations
Take time to determine what your daily caloric intake should be before you search for the perfect healthy diet plan. Free online assessments such as MyPyramidTracker will keep a food diary for you, assess your consumption as measured against the USDA's food pyramid and make suggestions for changes in your diet. The site requires registration to use the food diary, but registration is free and requires little personal information. MayoClinic.com offers a free interactive Weight Pyramid tool that quickly assesses the number of calories you should consume daily to lose weight (see Resources).
Warning
Never begin a weight-loss program without first consulting a physician to ensure your current physical condition and health status are compatible with the diet plan you choose.
Avoid fad diets and stick to respected online sources for healthy weight-loss plans.
Member Comments