For most people, traditional dieting is more a problem than a solution when dealing with weight issues. Skipping meals, depriving yourself of food, or following a strict meal plan is usually not helpful. "Starving" yourself may actually result in your body burning calories more slowly. Then, when you return to more "normal" eating, you will probably gain back the weight you lost, and sometimes even more. This pattern is often referred to as yo-yo dieting, and may lead to various health problems. When you stop trying to diet, and start eating to be healthy, you begin investing in your overall health and well being.

      The most reliable way to lose weight and keep it off is to make lifestyle adjustments that include new healthy eating habits. Eating well means choosing a variety of low-fat, low-calorie, high-fiber foods every day including whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, and rice, fruits and vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and protein foods such as broiled or grilled fish, chicken, and turkey, lean meats, boiled beans and lentils, and tofu.
      Eat fewer high-fat foods, particularly fried foods, gravies, sauces made with cream or fat, salad dressing, butter, margarine, mayonnaise, avocados, cream cheese, sour cream, muffins, pastries, donuts, nuts and nut butters, and whole-milk dairy products.

      Eat at least three balanced meals per day. Remember, skipping meals and starving yourself can do more harm than good. It's actually better to eat smaller amounts more often, which may even help you lose weight in the long run.
      Try to limit high-sugar foods such as candy, desserts, and ice cream. Be careful about how many fat-free desserts and snack foods you eat, since these are typically very high in sugar, and therefore high in calories. Also high in calories are beverages such as alcohol, soft drinks, lemonade, juices, specialty coffees, and smoothies.
      Be sure to drink plenty of water, preferably 6 to 8 glasses per day. Finally, be aware of portion size. You can still gain weight even if you're eating healthy, low-fat food if the portions are too large.

      It will likely take you some time to learn to enjoy eating to be healthy. You don't need to deprive yourself by giving up all your favorite foods. You can start out by making healthier choices some of the time. Making small changes in the foods you buy and how you prepare them will increase the likelihood of those changes becoming a lasting habit. Developing these new healthy eating habits not only can help in meeting your weight management goals, but can also help lower cholesterol, control diabetes and high blood pressure, and reduce your risk for heart disease.
      For those who are serious about making dietary changes or who are just interested in learning more about the fundamentals of nutrition, including how to interpret a standard food label, a review of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's report on dietary guidelines, and a detailed look at dietary components, we invite you to peruse our pages on nutrition.

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