What to Look for in a Diet

EditRegion2You've decided to go on a diet. There are so many popular ones to choose from. The question is, which one should you use? As a nutritionist, I always advise my clients to choose a plan that not only trims the fat, but promotes good health as well. Contact us for a personalized diet plan.

No matter how many pounds you want to lose, the diet you use should be low in calories and rich in vitamins, minerals and other disease-fighting phyto-nutrients.

Take the B-vitamins, for example. These vitamins are necessary for the body to burn energy. You could call them the match that the lights fire to burn the energy foods, particularly carbohydrates that you use for energy.

B-vitamins are found primarily in grains. Yet, some of the most popular diets just about eliminate this group of foods. The secret in dieting is not to eliminate grains completely, but to limit the amounts that you eat, and avoid adding extra calories, in the form of butter, oil or sugars. Make sure that most of the grains you eat are whole grain. Choose less of the highly refined carbs, such as sugars, white flour, and white rice.

A good rule of thumb is to follow the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) recommendation of 6 servings of grains (breads and cereals) per day. Keep in mind that a serving is not the usual serving that you get when you sit at a family meal or eat out in a restaurant. In fact, if you checked the portion sizes, you would find that one meal, in many restaurants, could easily make up the minimum six servings.

Just as breads and cereals are important sources of vitamins and minerals, proteins and fats, the other energy foods, are also important, outside of the calories that they add to the diet.

Meats, fish, poultry, nuts, peas, beans and seeds are major contributors of protein to the diet. So, whether you are a vegetarian or a meat-lover, you can get the protein you need and lose weight too. The Atkins diet, one of the most popular diets today, stresses protein intake. While this diet works for some people, you must ask yourself it such a lopsided diet is right for you. If you have kidney problems and certain other health conditions, the strain placed on the kidney to get rid of the excess nitrogen in this diet could cause serious problems.

Milk, cheese, yogurt and other milk products provide the bulk of calcium in the American diet. These foods also contribute a significant amount of protein. A diet that is lacking in calcium could lead to loss of bone, a process called demineralization, and result in poor bone health and osteoporosis later in life. So, whether you use dairy products or other foods, you will want to get the calcium you need.

Of course fruits and vegetables are the mainstay of just about any diet. They tend to be low in calories, and are key sources of important vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, helps to fight infections and promote healing. Vitamin A plays a key role in promoting vision and a healthy complexion. Another good reason to include these foods in your diet is the role they play in keeping the digestive tract healthy. These are your constipation fighters.

You will not want to overlook the importance of water. Your body loses 4 to 7 liters of water daily. This water must be replaced. Whole some of it will be replaced by the breakdown of foods you eat, most of it would come directly from the liquids in your diet.

Water, rather than other liquids, should be the fluid of choice for dieters. The main advantage is that unadulterated water is calorie-free. On the other hand, juices, sodas, alcoholic drinks, coffee and other fluids can add unwanted calories to your diet. And in the case of coffee and alcoholic beverages, can even lead to dehydration. Dehydration, if severe, can cause cramps, constipation, headaches, dizziness and other symptoms that could result in hospitalization. A good diet should promote health not cause illness.

So, the big question is, which diet should you follow?

Here are a few questions that might help you decide.

Does the diet provide a reasonable balance of foods or is it obviously lacking in one or more groups? Keep in mind that if you eliminate any one group of foods, chances are, without proper planning, you could come up short on some very important nutrients.
Is it extremely low in calories? A diet that goes below 1000 calories a day is likely to be short on a variety of key nutrients.
How fast does the diet work? A diet that results in “amazing weight loss” – greater than 3 pounds a week – is likely to be one that causes rapid fluid loss from the body. This can mean dehydration, a very unhealthy state. This kind of weight loss is disappointingly fleeting. Once you go off the diet, your body will soak up the water it is lacking, like a dry sponge, and the scale jumps right back up.
How does the diet meet your health needs? A good diet would provide the vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and protein, along with other physiologically active substances to fight disease, prevent cancer and other chronic conditions, and support health. You will know that the diet is working for you, not against you, when you begin to feel more energetic, think more clearly, and have that radiant glow that only comes from a healthy body and mind.
How long can you stay on the diet? If the diet is flexible and allows you to eat foods you enjoy (which might require an inordinate amount of willpower to control intake), you are more likely to be able to follow it for a longer period of time. Chances are, the weight loss would be slower, but you have a better chance for long-term success.
What do nutrition professionals have to say about the diet? Registered dietitians are trained to discern the effects of different foods and food combinations on the body. A dietitian can help you understand the potential effects that different popular diets can have on your body. Another important source of information about the usefulness of popular diets are the people who have actually used the diets and have had (or not had) success. Be your own researcher; get the facts, then decide what's best for you.

So, what does it take to succeed? Read on.

You are most likely to succeed on a diet, if:

It is culturally and personally satisfying.
It is flexible.
It allows you to make changes in your eating habits that you can live with well into the future.
It is consistent with your personal and family health goals.
It is simple and easy to follow.
It produces results, not just in terms of weight loss, but more importantly, how you look and feel.
It lends itself to your lifestyle.

Like anything else in life, you will have to make choices that will either help you to achieve your goals, or you can make choices that are contrary. In the final analysis, no matter what diet you choose, it is your personal commitment and perseverance will make the difference in whether you gain or lose.

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