Diets That Work

Many people who have struggled with their weight at some stage in their life will tell you that they spent a lot of time looking for the best diets that work. Some people will even have a success story to tell you about the best diet that worked for them but many more than that will tell you that they could not find a diet that worked.  If you are looking for a diet that will work quickly then you may have a long search ahead of you because the truth is that fad diets and the resulting sudden weight loss is rarely a long term result.

Diets that claim to rid excess weight in a very short space of time either do not work or work but with negative side effects and in most cases these types of diets involve the reduction or complete exclusion of a particular food group, which in the long term is neither a sustainable or sensible diet plan.  Below we will look at the different types of diets and find out why some diets will work for a short time only to see all the weight returning once the diet has ceased.  

We will also look at the few types of diets that do work and look at why they work and why they are not as popular as the fad diets that are so popular in recent years.

The truth about dieting and weight loss is that it is never a simple case of going on a short term diet for three or six months and then returning to your previous diet and remaining at the ideal weight you reached.  Diets that involve depriving the body of any particular food group are diets that you should only embark upon with extreme caution and the consultation of a professional nutritionist or doctor.  

There are many such diets nowadays that claim you can lose a lot of weight quickly with a simple plan and there are a few reasons why these types of diets are not necessarily a good diet plan.  Firstly if the diet you choose is a short term diet the chances are that you will regain the weight you lose during the specified time frame as soon as the diet has ended and secondly the very fact that some of these diets are only recommended on a short term basis is because to continue the diet over a long term could pose significant health problems.  

Another factor that is important to consider when choosing a diet is that sudden weight loss can also have a negative effect on the body.  Apart from the obvious factors such as ending up with loose skin and stretch marks, sudden weight loss is not a healthy way to lose weight and can cause digestive problems, fatigue, migrane and many other ailments.

So how do you know which diets work and which diet you should choose? Below we will look at the most effective form of dieting, not as popular as the lose weight fast diets we have already talked about and the results are much slower to appear, but this diet works as long as you are determined and the best part is, not only is it a simple diet to keep up but it is sustainable and the results will last as long as you can follow the simple steps of this healthy dieting alternative.

In my opinion there is only one diet that works that will give you the results you desire without having any negative effects on your body or well being. It may be a boring choice and you may find it hard to stick to as you adjust to your healthier lifestyle but the long term results will amaze you because not only will you look better, you will feel healthier and have more energy too.

Which Diet Works?

To put it simply, the most effective diet is to eat a sensible balanced diet and get regular exercise, to eat when you are hungry and drink the recommended amount of water each day.  Sounds simple right? the fact is that not many people are able to follow this type of diet mainly due to misconceptions about how it should be followed.  So below we are going to look at some simple steps you can do every day for two weeks that will get you started on your new diet plan, these steps are really easy to follow and if you follow the plan and incorporate each new step in every day you will hardly notice that your diet is changing at all! This is not a full diet plan but rather a step by step way of easing you into a regular healthy eating plan that will benefit your health and wellbeing as well as help you lose weight in the long run.

Week One

Day 1- Today you are going to start a diet that works! the only thing you need to do today and everyday after today is to bring a small bottle of water (about 500ml) to bed with you each night, this is for the morning, dehydration and drinking less water than the recommended amount can cause your body to be unable to flush out the toxins that build up in the body and drinking water first thing in the morning (before you get out of bed) can be very beneficial.

Day 2- Todays task may not apply to everyone but if you are one of the few who this does apply to then this is an important step that should be followed every day. All you have to do is eat breakfast. For dieting this is very important. Studies have shown that skipping your first meal slows down the metabolism and can actually reduce the amount of calories you burn throughout the day. Try to eat a healthy breakfast, but at this stage and especially if you are not used to eating early in the morning, try something simple like toast and a piece of fruit or fruit yoghurt.

Day 3 - Today you are going to make a slight adjustment to your lunch routine by incorporating a piece of fruit of vegetable in your meal. This can be anything you like from a banana to a glass of fruit juice, if you haven't added fruit to your breakfast yet then a glass of fruit juice at this time of the day will count as one of your daily portions of fruit and veg, only four more to go!

Day 4 - This may be a tough one for you but today you are going to take a little exercise, this can be anything that you don't do regularly, we are not talking about going jogging here or anything like that, this is a starter plan after all, but take a walk or your lunch break or if you are at home walk up and down the stairs or hallway a few times, just some gentle exercise that you do not already do.

Day 5 - If you have stuck to all of the above steps, then well done, you are well on your way and when you think about it you really haven't changed your lifestyle dramatically at all!  Today you can relax a little and start snacking, ok, well not quite, but snacking can be beneficial in dieting, it depends on the snacks, a piece of fruit is ideal and will help to keep your metabolism ticking along nicely.  Try and incorporate another glass of water into your routine as well today, perhaps at lunch time.

 Day 6 - Protein, the fact is eating protein rich food is a great addition to dieting, it can help you burn more calories, lean mean and vegetables are great sources of protein but remember only to add protein to a balanced diet, in other words don't skip out on the rest of your meal!

Day 7 - You are nearly at the end of your first week of your new diet that works, today is all about boosting your metabolism a little more and a great way to do this is by drinking a cup of green tea.  It doesn't matter when you do this during the day but try for one cup of green tea every day from now on!

At the end of your first week if you have stuck to all the above you will now be eating more fruit and vegetables, drinking more water and are well on your way to a healthier lifestyle, it may take a little getting used to but realistically these steps are very small and quite east to incorporate into any lifestyle.  Taking these steps one at a time is the best way to start dieting, if you were to try and do all of these steps on day one of your new diet you would quite possible find it not only hard to remember but hard to keep up, by introducing each one, one day at a time it allows your body to adjust slowly and makes it much easier to stick to.  Are you ready for week 2?

Day 8 - Fiber, fiber rich food is harder to digest and because of this your body burns more calories digesting, which is good news for your diet and good news for you. Add a little extra fruit or yoghurt to your diet to get a fiber top up.

Day 9 - Sleep, we can all be guilty of burning the candle at both ends sometimes but if you really want to stick to a diet that works then you need your sleep. Getting enough rest can really help your dieting so try to get seven or eight hours every night.

Day 10 - Alcohol, we all know that some types of alcohol are high in calories, beer in particular can be the cause of weight gain, but rather that cutting out alcohol completely, try switching what you do drink to a low calorie option and as long as you dont drink to excess, having a glass or two each week will not disrupt your diet plan.

Day 11 - Already at day 11 and all you need to do today is relax (as well as all your new daily routines of course) stress can cause weight gain or at least be a factor in weight gain so to help keep your diet going make sure you reduce the stress by taking short rests during the day.

Day 12, 13 and 14 - Rinse and repeat, the final three days of your new diet that works are really simple, continue on with what you have been doing and rinse and repeat, simply put, make your regular walk a little longer, maybe add extra vegetables to another meal or have another glass of fruit juice.  Another glass of water maybe before bed or spend some time relaxing online while looking up new healthy balanced meals you can try out!

At the end of your two week diet plan you should be starting to feel more energetic and positive about your lifestyle, you can continue on making small changes to your daily routine and with time you should really start to see the benefits of a healthy balanced diet and light exercise and when you are feeling up to it you might decide to enrole in a class or take that jog! Good luck, your diet can work, just stick with it and stay positive!