Do You Have Them - Diet Plans To Lose Weight

Diet plans to lose weight are everywhere. Eat this. Don't eat that. Take diet pills. Don't take diet pills.

It makes your head spin, doesn't it?

Are there actually any good, healthy diet plans to lose weight? What makes a good dieting program?

Excluding Food Groups

Some diet plans have you excluding or severely limiting entire food groups. While it may be alright on a short-term basis, and diet that excludes or puts undue limits on a whole food group isn't healthy in the long run.

For example, the Atkins diet is extremely low carb, making it hard to get in adequate fruits and vegetables.

A diet plan that severely limits fats makes it hard to take in healthy amounts of heart-healthy fats, like flaxseed and olive oils. One example of this is the Ornish diet.

Diet plans to lose weight that exclude food groups aren't terribly healthy in the long run, nor are they easy to stay on if you have a lot of weight to lose.

The One "Food Group" You Can Safely Avoid

Pretty much all healthy diet plans to lose weight agree on one "food group" that you should avoid -- highly processed foods.

Highly refined foods such as white rice, white bread, heavily sweetened cereals, white sugar and regular pasta don't need to be in your diet -- they don't have any real nutritional value.

Instead, think brown or wild rice, bran cereals and whole-grain breads and pastas. You can leave off the sugar, though.

What to Look for in a Dieting Program

Moderation is the key for a successful, long-term dieting program. You want a good mix of the food groups, in healthy proportions.

Except for programs that count every single carb, most diet plans agree that fresh vegetables are a staple for any healthy diet.

Look for a plan that allows heart-healthy fats in moderate amounts.

Don't write off protein as being bad, either -- just make sure you're getting it lean, or from cold-water fish like salmon.

Carbohydrates such as whole grains and fruits can be enjoyed in moderate amounts. Many diet plans restrict these to some degree, because of their glycemic index numbers, but they should still be included.

By: Gail Nettles