About Diets

There can be no question of the desire that humans have to be slim. We are so desperate to be slim that we literally risk our lives with liquid only diets, stomach stapling, liposuction and all sorts. Far too frequently, we read about people having died trying to lose weight.

But it's not as easy as simply cutting back on what we eat and doing a bit more exercise. If it were that simple how come there are an estimated 1 billion people overweight, mainly in the 'developed' world?

Governments and dieticians have been urging us to eat fewer calories, eat less fat and, of course, do more exercise. There are literally hundreds of diets on the market today and dieting has become big business. A $33 billion industry in the USA and a $10 billion industry in the UK - per annum!

Statistically, our chances of sticking to a diet and getting to our goal or natural weight are slim (no pun intended). It was documented, in an obesity journal as far back as 1959 (Stunkard & Hume), that 98% of people who start a diet end up failing and recovering the weight that they initially lost. Those who succeed generally have done so through having massive will power to overcome the huge addict like cravings that are experienced when following a traditional, calorie controlled diet.

The exceptions in the world of dieting are the virtually zero carbohydrate diets - like Atkins. If you eat real food, like meat and fish, these are good diets (don't go near the processed carb counted chocolate bars and other carb Atkins industry produce). Very low carb diets will work, if you can stick to them. However, you may not want the bad breath, constipation and limited food options that you may experience. You don't have to go this far to lose weight, by any means...

In my personal view, a modern diet that helps to reduce weight and maintain a healthy body (and mind) needs to have the following characteristics....
1. It has to work
2. It has to be practical
3. It has to be long term
4. It has to be healthy
5. It has to be enjoyable

If you are currently on a reduced calorie diet, how many of these characteristics is your diet meeting?

If you are currently following one of the hundreds of 'fad diets' being promoted, how many of these characteristics is your diet meeting?

I suspect you can't honestly put a tick next to more than 1 or 2 from the list. Maybe fewer if you're a vegetarian.