Healthy Attitude Ezine | Issue #009 | Diet Evaluation

How to Evaluate A Diet

You should always evaluate any diet before starting a new one. There are literally thousands of diets for you to try. Each "expert" has his or her own plan for a diet that is "guaranteed" to work for you.

And the truth is that most of them really do work, at least for a certain amount of time. When you restrict calories, you're bound to lose weight, whether you're eating Twinkies or grapefruit.

-The real trick is finding one that works for you .

However, pure weight loss results does not mean that a diet is right for you.

So how do you know if a diet is right for you?

# 1 What Are Your Weight Loss Goals?

Some weight loss programs are designed for rapid weight loss. This is great if you’re heading to the beach for a vacation next week or you have a reunion coming up. However, if you want to lose a lot of weight and you want to keep it off, you may prefer a diet that supports you to make lifestyle changes.

-This can include a certain amount of exercise, eating certain foods, or not eating certain types of food. Read through the program carefully.

#2 Special Dietary Needs

If you have special dietary needs you may need to weigh that into your consideration. For example, if you are diabetic then it’s important to maintain balanced blood sugar. If you have liver problems, a high protein diet may not be a good idea.

#3 Budget

Some diets and diet plans require you to purchase special ‘prepackaged foods’. If you’re on a budget, this may not be a good decision for you. Instead, look for a weight loss plan that supports you to make your own food choices and meals.

#4 Realistic

Do their claims feel realistic? Many claims sound downright silly (results not typical) and seriously unsafe. They may also require you to take extreme measures to lose weight. Remember the cabbage soup diet or the grapefruit diet?

-Make sure the diet feels realistic to you, and realistic for you. Remember, a diet that works for many may still not be a good fit for you.

#5 Safety

Some diets just aren’t safe or they’re not safe for everyone. For example, a diet might require you to fast. Depending on your current health, fasting may not be safe for you.

-When evaluating a diet or weight loss plan also take a look at the results. How many people have had success on this diet? How long has it been around? What do the doctors say?

Dieting and losing weight is serious business. It affects your health and your happiness for life. While dieting is often an emotional decision, evaluating a diet should be based on logic.

To Your Great Health, and keep that Healthy Attitude!

-Next Issue - 3 Simple Lifestyle Changes for Weight Loss

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