Weight Loss Diet Generator

In the past, a dieter may have longed for a "magic" generator that told her what and how much to eat. Over the years, diet Internet sites have fine-tuned their offerings until now you can find a diet generator that guides you on food choices, offers recipe ideas and even tracks your weight loss.

Definition

A weight loss diet generator works as either stand-alone software that you install on your computer or through an established Internet weight loss and fitness website. Some diet plans offer software you can download that offers you weekly menu plans, recipes and tips to help you meet your weight loss goals. Websites such as the USDA's My Menu Planner offer you free assessments, menus and planning tools, while other commercial websites offer similar tools as a free or paid service.

Benefits

A diet generator designed to help you lose weight analyzes your current and desired weight, recommends a realistic time frame for you to reach your weight loss goals, and offers you the ability to input your current and desired weight. The program then recommends appropriate calorie intakes based on your inputs, generates daily and weekly menu plans and guides you on how to input your food consumption throughout the day. The detailed analysis enables you to simply shop for the foods you need, without worrying about meal planning or calorie counting. A secondary benefit is that you will be able to try new foods that you may have otherwise missed.

Strategies

Taking the time to research the diet generators available can keep you from making a costly mistake by choosing a product that requires a yearly or monthly access fee. Use the trial software that many companies offer or make certain the company has a refund policy clearly stated on its website or literature. When you make your selection, enter the required information into the generator, and compare the resulting menus and food recommendations with information from the National Weight-Control Information Network. The network recommends eating a varied menu with ample fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat protein and dairy as well as healthy oils.

Cautions

Avoid a generator or website that focuses on just one food or recommends reducing your calories below 1,200 for a woman and 1,500 for a man. While using the generator to plan your meals, notice what food combinations the generator recommends so after you lose weight, you will be able to plan healthy meals on your own. Look for a program that also offers exercise plans. MayoClinic.com indicates that people who exercise and diet have more success at long-term weight maintenance than those who do not exercise.