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Diets


Should You Diet?

There’s no single answer to the question posed by the title that is right for everyone, of course. There are a variety of natural body types, some very thin, others on the stocky side. Still, official sources state that people now consume about 22% more calories daily than they did a generation ago. In light of that, it shouldn’t be surprising that society is tending toward obesity today.

A good exercise program is one of the twin pillars that can help reverse that trend. Along with the increased consumption has come a decrease in the amount of exercise the average person gets today. More time at the computer and a host of other reasons are responsible.

But the right diet is the other pillar that is a must. A ‘must’, that is, if the goal is optimal weight and body fat percentage, an attractive appearance, self-esteem and overall health. It isn’t mere vanity that prompts millions to seek that diet. They know, most having tried to diet at one time or another, that many real benefits follow.

Dieting is about more than just losing weight. It’s just as much about achieving optimal nutrition. It’s about creating the body image that you feel comfortable with. It’s about achieving your unique optimal weight range.

Note that important phrase ‘weight range’. No exact number represents your ideal weight. It will fluctuate slightly from week to week. What that range is depends on your BMI (Body Mass Index), your waistline and where you store fat, your natural body type and other factors.

BMI is just your weight (in kilograms) divided by your height (in meters) squared, or BMI = Weight / (Height x Height). To find your weight in metric units, just divide by 2.2, to find your height in meters, multiply inches by 2.54 and divide by 100.

So, suppose you are a woman 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 140 lbs. So, (66 inches x 2.54)/100 = 1.676 meters. Your Weight = 140 / 2.2 = 63.6 kg. Therefore, your BMI = 63.6 / (1.676 x 1.676) = 22.6, which is right in the middle of the normal range. See the full table and a BMI calculator here:
http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm

But a woman 5 feet 6 inches who weighs a 140 pounds may still feel the need to diet. It’s not then strictly just a health issue. She may want to feel more attractive. She may legitimately believe that a slimmer physique or one with more muscle will give her more energy.

Or, she may not. That’s where self-image plays a significant role. She may adjust her body, or her attitude, or both. Or, she may be perfectly satisfied with herself as she is.

Part of that outlook will (and should) depend on age and personal circumstances. If that same woman is 26 she may feel the need to shed a few pounds in order to achieve her personal goal. If she’s 16, she likely has a few years of growth left and the whole situation will sort itself out with time. If she’s 56, she might be very pleased that she is in a healthy range and not pay much heed to other factors, but still want to diet to achieve optimal nutrition.

Personal situations count heavily when deciding whether or not to diet.

What Is a Balanced Diet, Anyway?

It’s easy to balance a beam. Just put the same weight on both sides of a pivot. You can even lead a balanced life, by having a mixture of activities. But what is a balanced diet?

The same basic idea applies in all cases: not too much of this here, not too little of that there. But in the case of diet, what is it that gets balanced, exactly?

The answer is given by nutrition science, as graphically shown in the famed food pyramid. The basic guidelines are simple and based on sound nutrition. It’s this: get the right amount of carbohydrates, fats, protein, minerals and other needed compounds.

Carbohydrates are sometimes mistakenly looked at as unhealthy or not appropriate for dieters. Au contraire, carbohydrates are essential. They are the body’s foremost source of energy. Carbohydrates are broken down and put back together into various combinations of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, releasing energy along the way. That energy is used for cell repair, muscle movement and many other biological processes. In short, carbohydrates power everything we do.

About 50-60% of the total calories consumed daily should be in the form of carbohydrates. Slightly lower for those aiming at weight loss. That can be anywhere from roughly 150-400 grams per day. Every gram of carbs yields 4 calories. The wide range is the result of variation in diets. For a 2,000 calorie diet, for example, 50% is equivalent to 1,000 calories of carbs, or 250 grams. Some diets are focused on weight loss, others on muscle building, some on body fat reduction… the list is endless.

Fat often gets bad press, too. One reason is the fact that each gram yields 9 calories, so they’re ‘energy dense’. But they’re also the body’s ‘emergency energy supply’. Consumption of fat – of the right type and in the right quantities – is essential to a healthy diet. It is needed to create certain hormones and enzymes, to keep the brain and nerves healthy, to aid in storing fat soluble vitamins and a variety of other tasks.

But there are different types. A healthy, balanced diet will contain chiefly unsaturated fats, avoiding saturated and trans-fats. These should make up about 20-30% of the total daily calories intake. That’s about 25-40 grams per day.

Proteins are another vital component of the balanced diet. They’re broken down by digestion into amino acids, which are then reassembled into proteins used for growth, muscle building, cell repair and other functions. A healthy diet is comprised of 25-35% protein per day. That works out to, say, 165 grams or 660 calories daily (33%) for a diet of 2,000 calories.

Vitamins and minerals are the biochemical ‘facilitators’ in the diet. They add few calories, but are essential to getting all the needed reactions to take place. A wide variety of A, B-complex, C, D, E, K along with mineral elements like sodium, calcium, iron, zinc and others are a must. It would take an entire article just to list the names and amounts. A few of the major ones are:

Sodium: no more than 2,400 mg per day
Calcium: 1200-1500 mg per day
Iron: 15-20 mg per day
Zinc: 15-20 mg per day
Folic Acid (a B-complex vitamin): 400 mcg per day

Numbers are based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet for an average adult.

Calcium is used in bulk to build up bones. Iron is essential for making hemoglobin, a key component of red blood cells. Sodium is used to regulate the heart beat, in nerve fibers and elsewhere.

In theory a healthy, balanced diet – whether one designed for weight loss, weight training or just basic nutrition – can supply all the needed elements. But, leading busy lives can often cause individuals to forego some important aspects. Supplements, used wisely, can help in those cases.

Choosing The Proper Diet

The title is something of a misnomer. There is no such thing as ‘the’ proper diet for every individual. Nevertheless, all humans are similar enough that there are broad categories, and many specifics, that are correct for almost anyone.

Despite all the fads of the last 30 years or more, it remains true – backed by a large amount and variety of nutritional research – that a good diet is the old-fashioned ‘balanced diet’ that has remained largely unchanged for 60 years or more. The keyword deserves repeating: balanced.

There are fad diets that emphasize proteins over carbohydrates, or fruits one day with meat the next or eating vegetarian exclusively. All these may have valid elements, but they almost all tend to go too far in one direction or another.

Everyday, at regular intervals, a person interested in optimizing health should eat daily meals consisting of fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy and a protein source. Of course, there will be exceptions for those with special dietary needs. Some people, for example, can’t process dairy products. Others are sensitive to peanuts or other things.

But the four traditional food groups, in the proper proportion, remain the undisputed recommendation of every reputable nutrition scientist. The reasons are that studies continue to support the notion that these supply the compounds needed by the body. From those it can perform muscle maintenance, proper electrolyte balance, cellular repair and other essential activities along with the needed energy to carry out all of them.

Nature, as discovered by science, determines what the body needs – not marketing.

Insoluble fiber, for example, as gained from fruit, vegetables and grains isn’t readily digested. As a result it helps digestion and in cleansing the digestive system.

Certain vitamins (D, B, E, K) and minerals (lithium, calcium, postassium) are needed for carrying out the thousands of biochemical reactions critical to proper health. Sodium and potassium, in moderation, are used by the heart muscle in order to keep pumping blood through the body.

Proteins are needed so the body can lyse (split) them into essential amino acids. Those amino acids are then used to build up new proteins used for muscle and other important components.

Carbohydrates (chiefly those easily converted to glucose) are needed to supply the starting point of the cycle that generates energy to fuel all the other processes. This is a fundamental process called the Krebs cycle that converts sugars into ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), which is then converted to ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate), releasing energy.

Fad diets can supply many of these essentials, but typically do so in the wrong proportion or with too much at one time, not enough at another. They also frequently contain additional components that are not helpful, and – in excess – may be harmful, such as excessive fats or complex sugars.

In the world of diet, moderation and regularity may not sound glamorous, but it’s the key to good health.

Diet Programs and Weight Loss Clinics

Dieters today have it hard in one way, and easy in another. There are so many temptations for abandoning weight loss goals and enjoying all the tasty foods out there. In another way, they have it easy compared to dieters in the past: they have weight loss clinics.

While no miracle cure, many offer exactly what the struggling dieter needs. Many who have committed to dieting seriously for a length of time become frustrated. It can be tough to see those pounds that were shed too hard and slowly then come back too fast and easy. A weight loss clinic with a good nutritional program can help on both those fronts.

Organizations like Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and others are well known. But not everyone knows what they offer, in terms of diet plans and support.

As with any offer, beware of promises ‘to melt pounds off easily’. Dieting is difficult. It requires a long-term commitment to a healthy diet and calorie control, usually coupled with age-appropriate exercise. But with a realistic outlook, it is possible to make good progress with any of these.

Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig was founded in Australia in 1983 and began in the U.S. two years later. It offers a three-level plan composed of ‘food-body-mind’ to help shed pounds and keep them off.

It starts with food selection and eating patterns. Clients are offered a wide range of foods to enjoy, but emphasis is placed on eating smaller portions more often.

To implement that they offer prepackaged meals (mostly frozen) that are balanced to contain 50-60% carbs, 20-25% proteins and 20-25% fat. Those numbers (and the specific foods) are consistent with the USDA Food Pyramid. Clients can supplement meals with fresh fruit and non-starchy vegetables, whole grains and reduced-fat diary products. No food is specifically forbidden.

That is combined with a program that instructs customers in how to increase activity level. Weight loss is only possible when calories used is greater than those consumed. Age and circumstance-appropriate exercise will always be a part of any well-rounded weight loss program. To keep pounds that are lost off over the long run, that activity-level-to-calories-consumed ratio has to be maintained.

Jenny Craig also offers a 24/7 phone line where customers can get needed emotional and moral support anytime of the day. One of the most difficult aspects of dieting and weight loss is to stay motivated over the long run. Changing one’s attitude is hard. Phone counselors help do that by providing a friendly voice and useful information.

Jenny Craig has over 600 centers in the U.S., Canada and Australia/New Zealand.

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is a much older organization, having been around since the early 1960s. It too has a fairly holistic view of dieting. It emphasizes a lifestyle that includes all the aspects – mental, physical, emotional – required to lose weight and be healthy.

It offers two basic programs, one of which tracks calories (Flex Plan) and another that focuses more on specific food groups (Core Plan). It may also provide clients with a kind of calculator device that helps them track calorie content.

In the program, no food is forbidden. Each one is assigned a number of points and clients track how the points add up. Something lean like a cup of broccolli = 0 points, while a potentially high-fat bean burrito = 5 points, for example. A 6-oz steak = 8 points. Each customer picks a desired Daily Point Range. A 5 foot 6 inch woman weighing 180 lbs might target from 22-27 points. That makes it easy to track things.

The Core Plan, by contrast, simply focuses on eating nutritious foods. It may draw from the fruit and vegetable group, grains, lean meat and fish, and others to implement the plan.

Both are coupled with guidelines for exercise. But exercise doesn’t necessarily mean working out. It can mean simply having a less sedentary lifestyle, including parking far from the front door of work or store, taking the stairs and so forth.

It also offers a support system, one which encourages group meetings over phone contact. Some find this a little intimidating or time consuming, though, and Weight Watchers offers an online support system as an alternative.

Dieting and Weight Loss for Everyone

Dieting to achieve weight loss is difficult enough. Doing it right is another matter. Of course, what is ‘right’ for one may not work well for another. Creating a natural weight loss from a balanced, healthy diet takes a little research.

You could just stop eating for a while, at least. But the cravings could drive you crazy and the health consequences are grim. Not a good approach. You might try diet pills, and some do work to a degree at least for a while. But the side effects are something to look out for. They can outweigh the benefits for some.

Others will naturally gravitate toward one of the popular ‘name’ diets, such as the Zone Diet or South Beach Diet. Certainly, they have their positives and the approach they take may work well for some, less well for others. One could say the same about many low fat or low carb diets. There’s a bit of truth in all of them.

Some prefer a traditional approach, guided by the USDA Food Pyramid, old or refurbished. It does contain a lot of sound advice about the types and amounts of different foods to eat or avoid. It can be confusing, but those who persist will find a lot of useful information there.

Those and other guidelines contain information on fiber, fat, carbohydrates and other foods to consume. They give good advice on which are the essential vitamins and minerals. They make it easy to understand why cholesterol and fat isn’t always bad, and how to keep the bad type down and the good type up.

Traditionalists and those on the leading edge alike will pay similar close attention to fluid intake. Dehydration can do more than just reduce maximum workout performance. It can cause health problems long before you feel thirsty.

Many will, naturally, be excited about the potential benefits of organic foods. From a good supplier, they can offer nutritional value that is less often contained in the average major grocery store product.

Those who do will also be interested in the promise of phytonutrients. These compounds, found in highly colored fruits and vegetables, promise to optimize nutrition and lower the odds of disease. Such people also have a natural interest in finding out all about omega-3 fatty acids available in fish or supplements.

Cutting across all these different groups of individuals are those who just plain find it difficult to diet. Diet programs and weight loss clinics like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers can help. Their programs encapsulate a simple to follow set of recommended diets or prepackaged meals and support for sticking to one’s diet goals. They’ll help adjust the dieter’s attitude in a way that can prop up the commitment to long-term lifestyle change.

There are definite health advantages (and a few precautions) to dieting. But whatever type of dieter you are there is ample information available to assist you in getting the pros and avoiding the cons. After all, dieting is hard enough. Knowing how to diet doesn’t have to be.

Fad Diets, Bad Idea

It seems almost as if there is a new fad diet every week. Many of these contain elements of truth, but on the whole they contain much more good marketing than good science.

There is the 3-day diet, which touts eating little more than fruits for three days, followed by vegetables or meat or grains the other days. There are lots of variations.

While it’s certainly true that eating fruit regularly is a key element to good health – most contain needed carbohydrates, vitamins and fiber – eating almost exclusively fruit for three days leads to imbalance – in carbohydrates, fiber and additional otherwise healthy components. To an extent the body will equalize and store what it needs for later, but there are limits.

Similarly, the ‘low carb, high protein’ diets, such as Atkins, recommend cutting way down on carbohydrates and eating substantial amounts of food high in protein. Here again protein is vital to proper nutrition, but so are carbohydrates. Putting too much emphasis on the first over the second leads to rapid, temporary weight loss, but at a high cost.

Carbohydrates are essential for supplying energy for all biochemical processes. Though the body, when needed, will use other sources, such as fat and protein. Too great an emphasis on protein reduces the ability of the body to store and regulate the appropriate amount of water, whereas carbohydrates help that.

There are very attractive sounding ‘chocolate diets’. Nearly everyone loves chocolate and, contrary to some reports of a few years ago, it is healthy – in moderation. Chocolate contains anti-oxidants and other compounds that are helpful. But, as with anything, too much of a good thing is just that – too much. Also, since many will seek chocolate in forms that come with high fat, high sugar amounts it’s possible to get some not-so-helpful elements along with the good.

There are ultra-low fat diets. Once again, the problem isn’t with reduced fat, but going to extremes. A certain amount of fat in the diet is a healthy thing.

Any diet which makes promises of radical, rapid or quick weight loss – or any other extreme claim – is almost guaranteed to be more harmful than helpful. The human body has evolved over millions of years and decades of good nutritional research still confirms the common sense truth: balance is good, moderation is healthy.

Eat moderate portions at regular intervals of fruits and vegetables (for vitamins, carbohydrates and fiber), grains (for carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fiber), protein (for amino acids) and dairy products (for calcium, unless you’re lactose intolerant). For the average person, between 2000-2500 calories per day is appropriate. Less for women, on average, and for those seeking rapid weight loss.

A balanced diet, coupled with age-appropriate, moderate and regular exercise, will lead to a healthy percentage of body fat, good muscle tone and a well-tuned system. You’ll find you feel better and look good.

Weight Loss-Low Carb Diets

It’s unfortunate that the phrase ‘low carb’ (like many diets) is sometimes associated with diet fads. Sensible people may dismiss them because of that. But far from being based on junk science, a low carbohydrate diet can be healthy and just the right choice for some.

No single dieting method is perfect for everyone. But low carbohydrate diets help lower the one thing that all good diets aim at: reduced calories. There’s no getting around the fact that more calories consumed than used leads to weight gain. Reducing carbs the right way can ‘cut to the chase’, nutritionally speaking.

A carbohydrate is just some combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They’re consumed in the form of sugars or starches. A sugar is a relatively simple carbohydrate. Starches are considered complex carbohydrates.

Far from being harmful, carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source. That makes them essential. But in modern society, some people get too much potential energy, which turns into real body fat. Any excess calories the body acquires are stored mostly in the chemical bonds in fat cells.

But low carb does not mean no carb. Even the most extreme low carb diets recommend that no less than 40% of calories should come from carbohydrates. Most are in the range of 45-65% depending on the individual. Some people simply process carbs more efficiently than others. At the high end of the range, about 10% should be sugars, 55% complex carbs.

Those considering a low carb diet also sometimes believe it necessarily recommends no fruit or vegetables. Fruits like apples and oranges, it’s true, are often high in sugars. Many vegetables are very starchy. But here again low carb does not mean no carb. A healthy, balanced diet, even while focusing on reducing carbohydrates, will include some fruits and vegetables.

One of the big advantages of a low carb diet is that it doesn’t spend too much time counting calories. The focus, instead, is on adjusting the percentage of certain types of foods eaten. In particular, things like pasta and bread are reduced, sometimes considerably.

But that can lead to a problem, because the bottom line is calories consumed vs calories used. Reducing carbohydrates doesn’t just reduce calories from that source. It alters the way the body uses them, tipping the scales. As with any diet, it’s necessary to observe the results. A healthy diet, even one that aims chiefly at weight loss, should not leave you feeling low on energy all the time.

The way out is simply to adjust according your specific body’s responses. It may mean abandoning the low carb diet approach entirely. It isn’t the perfect choice for everyone.

Some who consider this approach worry about not getting enough fiber. Since fiber contains carbohydrates (technically, it is a carbohydrate), it may need to be reduced. But no responsible low carb diet recommends eliminating fiber entirely.

More importantly, fiber – because of its unique properties – is not digested, at least not fully. That’s part of its usefulness in the diet. So, since it isn’t digested it doesn’t contribute to the body’s amount of calories consumed. It aids digestion and health in many ways, but not by adding to the ‘energy store’. No need to forego fiber.

Investigate the different types of low carb diet and find out if one of them is right for you.

Weight Loss-Low Fat Diets

Like any approach to dieting, the benefits of a low fat diet can be overstated. One of the largest studies on the subject, following over 50,000 women for eight years, found no evidence to support the view that a low fat diet lowered the odds for heart attack or stroke. Nor did it help reduce the chances of getting breast or colon cancer.

But there is nevertheless ample evidence that a low fat diet can be a great boon to those seeking weight loss and good health in general.

Eating fat doesn’t make you fat. In fact, certain fats are essential to good health. Fat is necessary for proper nerve function, hormone production and other vital processes. About 30-35% of the diet should consist of fats. But not just any fats, only those of a certain type.

Trans-fats raise the level of ‘bad’ cholesterol – LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins). At the same time they lower the ‘good’ type of cholesterol, HDL (High Density Lipoproteins). The good type is essential for proper brain function, just as one example. By contrast, a high ratio of LDL to HDL is a contributor to the risk of heart disease. LDL builds up in the arteries, hardening them and making them more narrow. Trans fat calories should be no more than 1%.

Saturated fats have similar effects. They raise the level of LDL, which leads to the same problems for arteries and blood pressure. They should be limited to no more than 7% of calories.

Monounsaturated fats, by contrast, are those that actually help the body perform those needed functions without contributing to the problems caused by the other two types.

It’s still true, though, that a high fat diet, even the ‘good’ kind, can have a number of drawbacks.

A gram of fat produces 9 calories during digestion. By comparison, carbohydrates and proteins produce only 4 calories per gram. That makes fat ‘energy dense’. And the basic calorie equation remains true: more calories consumed than used leads to weight gain. Therefore, one of the easiest ways to reduce calorie intake is to consume less fat.

Choosing meats that are low in fat and reducing regular milk consumption are two good ways to implement the plan. Certain nuts, like cashews and peanuts, are also high in fat and should be consumed sparingly.

That will help achieve a goal of no more than 65 grams of fat per day based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. That is equivalent to getting no more than 30% of total calories per day from fats. Those on a very restricted calorie diet (say, 1200-1500 for women and 1600-1800 for men) will want to reduce the amount accordingly.

Keep in mind that every person has individual nutritional requirements. Guidelines appropriate for a middle aged adult seeking to shed a few pounds may not be right for a teen. Any time you consider substantial changes to diet, consulting with your physician first is wise.

Weight Loss-How to Manage Cravings While You Diet?

Even a healthy diet doesn’t eliminate all cravings. The desire for a chocolate bar, a high-calorie cappuccino and other high-sugar, high-fat items doesn’t disappear overnight. But cravings can be managed, and with more than just ’sheer willpower’, important as that is.

Some people diet by simply foregoing meals, such as breakfast or lunch. But that ‘all or nothing’ approach guarantees cravings. The overall calorie intake needs to be lowered for a successful diet. But achieving it by skipping meals also leads to several other potential problems, including wild blood sugar swings and nutritional deficits. Those signal the body to crave what it lacks, which makes dieting that much harder.

Help yourself resist those cravings that do occur by keeping only healthy diet items around. A chocolate bar that is at the store a few miles away is a lot easier to resist than the one in the pantry. A jar of peanut butter kept in the cupboard is not the ideal way to test your willpower.

Instead, keep a supply of fruits, carrots and other items on hand at all times. Trail bars and other snack-style foods are fine, provided they don’t have high quantities of sugar or saturated fat. Some are designed with just that for hikers who need a quick energy burst on the mountain. Make sure they’re low calorie, low sugar and low fat.

Don’t skip on water. Take care not to over-hydrate, since that can be injurious to health, especially on very hot days. But dehydration produces signals that are similar to hunger. Keeping your body well watered leads to minimal cravings for food, especially sweets. Beware bloating, but a slightly full feeling from water reduces food cravings.

Be sure to eat a balanced meal before you shop for groceries. It will be difficult enough to resist that attractive package of goodies as you pass by it walking down the aisle. Give yourself every assistance by not being hungry when you see it. If necessary, take along an apple or some dried fruit to help you resist temptation.

Sometimes ‘cold turkey’ on all ‘goodies’ is the best way to go. But, for many, total forbearance leads to hugely increased cravings. You’re almost daring yourself to give in. Keep those cravings under control by indulging yourself with small portions of those things you love. An ounce of dark chocolate isn’t going to ruin your diet. In fact, it can be a part of a healthy one, since it contains antioxidants that are actually beneficial.

But do whatever is necessary to keep the quantity under control. Moderation does no harm and often produces the best result. Telling yourself ‘just one more’ over and over again undermines your efforts toward your goal.

Last, but far from least, keep your eyes on the prize. Remind yourself daily why you are making the effort to diet. You may want to lose weight, achieve fitness, create a better image, feel better about yourself, gain overall good health or all of the above. Imagine yourself achieving them. Realize that giving in puts you farther away from your goal and your cravings will tend to decrease.

Weight Loss-Health Advantages and Risks of Dieting

Nearly everyone thinks that dieting would be a good idea. For many, it is. A recent study showed that the average American now consumes about 22% more calories than those of only a generation ago. With that, it isn’t hard to see why obesity could be a problem.

But dieting is not without risks, especially in an age when so many fad diets clamor for attention. The desire to lose weight rapidly can lead to health problems that outweigh the benefits of dieting. Rapid weight-loss dieting in particular can lead to a ‘rebound’, defeating the purpose in the first place.

First, what do we mean by ‘diet’ in this context?

No matter what specific weight loss plan one chooses, the basic equation of weight loss can not be eliminated: more calories consumed than burned equals weight gain as the body stores the excess in fat. Conversely, more calories used than taken in leads to weight loss, over the long run.

In a resting state, we burn about 70 calories per hour. In a vigorous hour-long hike we burn about 440 calories. A brisk walk for an hour will use up about 240 calories, jogging nearly 600. But balance that against the average 2,000 calorie per day diet. That shows it can be very difficult to lose weight solely by exercise.

On the other hand, reducing caloric intake means reducing the amount of certain foods and drinks. It may mean an apple rather than a candy bar. It might mean fruit juice instead of that high-calorie cappuccino. The cravings that typically accompany dieting can be hard to quell.

Second, dieting has to be done right to be beneficial. It requires the right weight loss plan.

Too-rapid weight loss from drastic diets leads to a ‘rebound’ effect. All too many dieters know the frustration of seeing hard-to-shed pounds return a few months or a year later. It tends to encourage subsequent overeating as the dieter is motivated to just give up.

Dieting by foregoing needed nutrients presents even more of a health risk. We need a certain amount of unsaturated fats daily to have proper nerve function and hormone balance. Carbohydrates are the body’s basic energy source, which is used to power everything we do from simple movements to life-preserving cellular reactions. Sodium and potassium are vital to proper heart and nerve function.

But there are definite health advantages for an individual who commits to a healthy diet and weight loss plan.

Obesity is a factor in the development of diabetes. It increases the odds of coronary heart disease. It increases stress on bones. It often plays a role in depression. All these are serious health issues and dieting is one of the best ways to combat obesity.

It isn’t mere vanity to want an attractive body, either. An attractive body is one that is fit. That leads to ample energy to carry out whatever goals one wants to pursue. Lack of energy makes it much harder to motivate oneself to complete challenging tasks.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting an attractive form for psychological or social purposes either. Humans are social. It’s appropriate to take pride in having achieved a certain body type, within the limits of what is possible to each of us. It presents an image of self-regard and that psychological self-assessment is a significant factor in basic health.

Done well, taken up as a long-term lifestyle strategy and not as a quick fix, dieting is healthy.

7 Diet Secrets of the Stars

Celebrities always look fabulous. Whether appearing in television or films or strutting down the red carpet during movie premiers and awards, they never cease to fascinate us with their larger than life presence. The truth is, it takes a lot of effort to look the way they do, and being the public figures that they are, they cannot afford to slack off when it comes to taking care of their physical appearances. Their livelihood largely depends on how they look. Aside from the clothes, the hair and the makeup, celebrities have to take good care of their bodies.

So it is no surprise that these stars have their own secrets when it comes to staying fit and gorgeous. Their health agenda can range from extreme workouts to well-planned meals. Who doesn’t want to know their secrets in staying absolutely sexy? Here are some of the diet secrets of seven women celebrities.

1. Jennifer Aniston
The star of the phenomenal television show Friends not only mesmerized audiences with her adorable comic sense and her famous hairstyle, she was also known for having one of the sexiest bodies in Hollywood, as she appeared in countless magazine covers. To stay trim, Jennifer follows the 40:30:30 diet method. The diet consists of:

40% Low glycemic carbohydrates
-Foods such as beans, fruits and vegetables, legumes

30% lean proteins
-Tofu, fish, chicken, turkey, beef and low fat dairy products

30% essential fats
-nuts and seeds, fish and olive oils

It is essential that every meal should contain macronutrients to attain the balance of hormones and maximum weight loss.

2. Kate Hudson
The gorgeous daughter of actress Goldie Hawn gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, which she needed to shed quickly before commencing on her next film. From her previous eating plan, she switched to a higher protein diet. She consumed high protein meals in smaller portions, and she combined this diet with an exercise program that includes weight training and cardiovascular workouts. After getting a lot of flak because of her post-pregnancy figure, Kate removed all that baby weight in only four months and has gained abdominal muscles that gained the envy of many in Hollywood.

3. Oprah Winfrey
As one of the most successful talk-show hosts in the world, there is no question that Oprah needs to maintain her physical appearance for her millions of audiences. Known as one of those celebrities who are constantly battling weight gain, she has recently toned up her figure and has never looked figure in age 50 by combining a regular exercise regime and diet plan. Oprah works out five days a week, spending 30 minutes on the threadmill and doing free weights. Her eating plan consists of legumes, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables, chicken and dairy products that are lowfat. She limits her consumption of white sugar and flour. Oprah also credits her trim figure to her habit of not eating anything after seven in the evening.

4. Gwyneth Paltrow
A lot of people may find it hard to believe that the perpetually slim Academy award-winning actress actually needs to diet. Gwyneth actually follows a healthy eating plan that resembles Oprah’s, avoiding sugar and white flour. She usually follows a macrobiotic diet, eating foods like vegetables, brown rice, and lean meat. She also eliminated dairy from her diet, and does yoga everyday.

5. Madonna
The pop star known as the Material Girl has always flaunted a body that is to die for, and has become a true fitness paragon over the years. She keeps herself in tip-top shape by having Ashtanga Yoga, and follows a strict diet that mostly shuns junk foods. She adopted a macrobiotic eating plan that includes organic foods rich in lean protein.

6. Claudia Schiffer
The bodacious German supermodel eats salad and steamed vegetables for dinner and eats only fruits before the afternoon. While on locations, she prefers to eat black grapes and drinks tomato juice and herbal tea.

7. Christie Brinkley
Long-time supermodel maintains her all-American good looks by being a vegetarian. She does not keep junk foods of any kind inside her home to make sure that she does not eat them when cravings occur. She snacks on sweet potatoes in place of candy bars, and she adopts a liquid juice diet when she needs to slim down fast.

Celebrities are just like ordinary people. They need to maintain their figures just like anyone else, and there is more pressure on their part since they are constantly in the public eye. Ordinary folks can have celebrity-like bodies, too, and by following these diet and fitness plans, they can also look like red-carpet worthy.

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