Just How Do You Choose The Right Diet?

Chances are that eventually you will find yourself mulling around your closets and hampers seeking out a perfect fitting outfit that you looked good wearing last year. As you try it on, you realize right away it no longer fits; it appears that you have added a few extra pounds since the last time you have worn it. The first words out of your mouth are “I need to go on a diet!”

So you realize that now is the time to curb your appetite and start thinking about getting back into those clothes. Your mind is set on a new approach to dieting, but you want to make sure you start a routine that fits your lifestyle.

But where do you start? There are many different ways to choose a diet. Dieting should not be thought of as a means of starving yourself or a way to binge on bland foods and water. There is no magic little pill that will make these pounds go away no matter what advertisers may want you to believe. You have to adjust your lifestyle to make a physical change occur. Depending on your genetics this may not be as easy as you think.

In general, a diet has always had a stigma attached to it as a punishment for overeating. People often associate a diet as a “basic re-training” for your body. In order to regain control and shed the pounds, you will have to endure countless hours of exercise as well as eating healthy. Thus, making it tough to eat fast food and snacking whenever you feel like it.

How often do you find yourself at a fast-food chain ordering a “value meal” with an extra-large drink? If you break down the entire calories of your meal you will realize right away that you have consumed almost the entire allotted amount of calories in just one sitting. If, on the other hand, you had ordered a healthy salad and a diet soda you would be creating a healthier diet for yourself. All of these little changes add up in the daily calorie totals.

So which diet do I choose? There is Atkins, Weight Watchers, and of course The South Beach diet. All of these have a different level of success and can be used to help you lose the weight. In order to choose one you must first understand which diet works best for your lifestyle.

Atkins – The Atkins diet consists of a high-protein, no carbohydrate diet. Thus, you can eat all the red meat, chicken, fish or pork as much as you want. You cannot eat any carbohydrates. Carbohydrates consist of bread, rice, and pasta. Yes, this means no pizza too. Atkins has amassed a large following and has created a brand name for itself. You can purchase Atkins products as well as go to public restaurants that service Atkins friendly meals.

Weight Watchers – Weight Watchers uses a point system based counting method to follow how much food you are allowed daily. Weight Watchers are fast food friendly and there are many books and websites that will break down meals (at home or fast food) and desserts to a number of points per serving. Your total intake can be anywhere from 20 to 40 points daily depending on your target weight. The more weight you lose, the less points you get to eat. Thus, your diet may start out at 35 points but your target diet may be around 24 points. Somewhere in between, you will learn to eat less to achieve these point totals. Weight Watchers teaches you that you can eat what you like but with moderation and smaller portions. It also does not believe in saying no to food.

The South Beach Diet – The South Beach Diet is broken down into three stages. In stage one, the dieter is not allowed to have products that contain sugar, carbohydrates, and alcohol. But, the individual will have unlimited access to other non-carb foods like meat, chicken, seafood, as well as a wide variety of dairy products. In week three, you begin to implement carbs into your diet. You will notice how carbs and sugars affect your body as you readjust them into this new eating pattern. You will learn to moderate them accordingly so that you continue to lose weight and stay on target. The final stage is opening up the menu to you. But because you have a good understanding of what these foods do to you, you have learned how to reserve your food intake through portion control and moderation.

No diet is going to change your lifestyle completely without exercise. Thus, exercise will begin to play a major role in your success. The healthier you eat, coupled with a well-coordinated exercise routine will greatly improve your overall weight loss numbers. Your success will be determined by how much you have lost and how better you feel in as little as a month. Your exercise routine can vary depending on what type of aerobic exercise you choose.

The primary goal of exercise is to keep your heart rate elevated at a targeted rate so your body will burn fat efficiently over the duration of the exercise period. It also may be a good idea to work with a personal trainer in the beginning to help develop a good work out routine. You should first consult a physician before starting any physical activity.

© 2006 www.successful-weight-loss.com

Phil Rather, a noted researcher and writer, contributed this article for Successful Weight Loss.

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