- In recent years, there have been an overwhelming number of diet plans introduced to the public. Because the dieting industry is a billion dollar business, there tends to be a hot new diet plan in the news every few months. Unfortunately, not all diet plans work, while other plans work for a while until the dieter goes back to his or her normal eating habits. It is important to find a diet plan that seems sensible based on the amount of weight the dieter wants to lose. Any diet plan that promises unrealistic results in a short period of time will never work in the long run.
- Diet plans are used to help a dieter control the number of calories, fat or carbohydrates they consume each day. If a dieter consumes fewer calories than they expend, the dieter will undoubtedly lose weight. By reducing the number of calories and increasing physical exercise each day, the dieter will likely see results over a period of time.
- Most diet plans, when followed correctly, will eventually work and the dieter will indeed lose weight. The results may not always be as fast as promised, however, and it is important to note that most dieters often reach a plateau where their weight loss stabilizes for a while. Some diet plans, like Weight Watchers, offer group meetings and online support. Emotional support has been proven to be very helpful for many dieters. Diet plans are important to consider for a person who is overweight, as excess weight can put a person at increased risk for many diseases, most notably diabetes.
- There are many popular diet plans to choose from. Some of the most common diet plans are low-carb diets, low fat diets, low sugar diets and high protein diets. Some of the most famous "brand name" diets plans include The Atkins Diet, The South Beach Diet, Weight Watchers, The Zone, Slimfast, Sugarbusters and The Jenny Craig diet plan. There have been fad diet plans around for decades.
- Some fad diets can be extremely dangerous. It is never healthy to lower your caloric intake too much and any diet that instructs the dieter to eliminate completely an entire food group may set that person up for failure. It is nearly impossible to eliminate food groups permanently, so once the dieter goes back to eating the forbidden foods he or she is at risk for gaining the weight back. Any diet that leaves a person feeling deprived is also sure to fail in the long run, as most dieters end up bingeing when they feel overly deprived. A physician should always be consulted before any diet is started.
