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Did you know that there are literally hundreds of books on the market all claiming that their diet is the best one to choose? Have you ever been confused by issues such as high protein/low carb, low carb/high fat etc? I know most of my patients have been confused. Would you like some sound answers to these questions? Read on!

Having a proper diet can be a complex or easy issue depending on how you approach it. Let’s start with the basics; there is no single dietary formula that is right for everyone. People have diverse backgrounds, different caloric demands, varied blood types (don’t get to hung up on this one), and a multitude of other factors which make their needs somewhat unique.

A key element to a healthy diet concerns the consumption of water rich foods. Your diet should be composed of 70% water rich foods. Some examples would include fruit; i.e. apples, oranges, bananas; vegetables, i.e. spinach, lettuce, carrots. As mentioned in a prior article water consumption is very important, yet H2O itself can be even better utilized and maintained through foodstuffs.

Organic foods are a very wise choice for a healthy diet. Organic foods tend to have fewer residues from pesticides and other harmful contaminants. Most store bought produce can not only be laden with chemicals but devoid of any nutritional value. I’ve read that today, one would have to eat 10lbs. of broccoli to obtain the same amount of vitamins and minerals of 1lb in 1900. Commercial farming has depleted the soils. Soils today have been depleted of the essential vitamins and minerals that they once contained.

Foods high in sodium should be eaten sparingly and to put salt on most foods is ludicrous because these days most foods are high in sodium to begin with. Virtually all packaged or processed foods have their downfall, be it preservatives or simply a reduced nutritional quality.

A summary and critique of popular diets is as follows: The Atkins Diet, (high protein, high fat, low carbs). This diet is good in one sense, that it shuns people away from foods high in refined carbs and sugar. The diet does err somewhat in two ways, 1. Not enough fruits and vegetables, 2. It promotes eating fats, (especially in the beginning of the diet plan). Losing 15lbs is great, but eating non-nutritious foods in the meantime or anytime is a bad idea. A thinner person with clogged arteries is not my idea of healthy!

The "Zone Diet" attempts to keep insulin levels in an acceptable zone. The diet recommends 40% of calories from carbohydrates, 30% from fat (less than 10% from saturated fat). This diet can be very effective for most people, but I would stay away from their commercially produced energy bars and drinks.

Dr. Bob Arnot, the TV doctor, also wrote a book on weight loss promoting a high carb diet. There is little science here and it simple does not work well, so let’s leave it at that.

The Ornish diet feels that fat is the root of all evil. This diet will certainly lead to effective weight loss and the foods are healthy yet many of my patients found it extremely difficult to adhere to.

The Pritkin diet is low in calories and virtually devoid of fat. If you can stay with it, all the power to you, as the diet is good for your heart and maintaining proper weight. Dr. Pritkin’s ultimate vindication came after his death. He died of cancer, but his arteries were found to be clear of arteriosclerosis!

In summary, obtaining optimal health involves a lot more than a healthy and balanced diet. There are a multitude of other factors such as mental/spiritual health, proper breathing, postural/spinal health, exercise, proper rest and other factors.

Many body builders are correct in utilizing 1 day, (not 2) per week as a "cheat day". On this day you can relax from your normal diet and have some fun and indulge a bit. With 14 years of personal body building experience, I find not only does this "cheat day" give you a break, it can actually boost your metabolism some and bring you closer to that "wash board" stomach you always wanted!

Following a few basic principles can prove very beneficial. Here is a list:

Simply anyone, who is overweight, the medical definition of overweight is assessing body mass index. A less scientific but still useful measure is ‘anything that wobbles when you jump up and down and shouldn’t’!

The basis of all weight reduction diets is healthy eating, omitting the high fat high sugar, high calorie foods, there are very many diets around all offering the promise of weight loss. Simply any meal plan that provides fewer calories than is needed for normal activities will cause weight loss. The secret is to find an eating plan that fits in with the normal eating patterns.

As a ‘golden rule’ avoid any diet that promises large weight losses or focuses on a few foods only. Diets that promise large and instant weight losses are so low in calories that it is impossible to stick to for long, the initial weight loss that occurs is principally water which will happily return when dieting stops and original eating habits are resumed. Those that are based upon a few foods only do not offer a balanced diet and may be deficient in some nutrients and therefore not good for health.

Eat 3 meals a day - avoid missing meal.

Include starchy food e.g. bread, cereals, potatoes, rice, pasta or chappatis.

Include 2-3 portions of fresh fruit and large portions of vegetables or salad each day.

Include meat, chicken, fish, cheese, eggs, beans, lentils tofu etc for your snack meal but avoid large portions.

Limit yourself to ¾ pint of semi-skimmed or skimmed milk daily but don’t avoid it altogether.

Sensible weight loss is not dangerous; the best methods of weight loss involve eating a wide variety of foods, yet aiming to keep the calories (energy value) below what is normally required to sustain normal activities. Weight loss that involves a loss of body weight to 2 lbs. or less per week is ideal.

It is not essential to have a vitamin or mineral supplement if you are eating a wider range of foods, as a good diet will provide all of these. If however, it is thought a vitamin or mineral supplement is needed then a standard multi-vitamin/ multi mineral tablet is sufficient and it should be regarded more as insurance rather than a necessity.

It is harmful to health to be a low body weight, and to continue dieting well after a suitable body weight has been established. Anorexia Nervosa is the name given to the condition where dieting continues well beyond sensible levels and it occurs in both males and females. Bulimia Nervosa is the term given to the condition where there is alternate starving and bingeing of food, this can be equally harmful, and is quite common in a mild state.

Fad diets should be avoided, they are usually hailed in a huge promotional push with words such as breakthrough, magical, cure, miraculous, easy effortless, new discovery, guaranteed, quick and are often without sound nutritional foundation. There is no magical combination of foods that will help to lose weight.

Atkins Diet
This allows as much as you want of protein and fat, including meats, eggs and cheese, but limits carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, and fruit. According to Dr Atkins eating large amounts of carbohydrate causes over production of insulin and increased hunger. It is easy to follow, but if carbohydrate is limited then fat or muscle is broken down, when fat is broken down ketones are produced which help to reduce the appetite and can cause fatigue. This diet should be avoided by anyone who has diabetes, heart or kidney disease, eating large amounts of saturated fat can lead to an increased risk of heart disease.

Beverley Hills Diet
Fruit is eaten on its own and never with protein or carbohydrates to allow it to be properly digested. A 35-day plan allows only fruit for the first 10 days, adding carbohydrates and butter on day 11 with protein on day 19. Great for people who don’t like counting calories. There is no science behind the plan, it is low in protein and some vitamins and minerals and can cause diarrhoea.

Cabbage Soup Diet
Based on a recipe of low calorie vegetables, such as cabbage, onions, tomatoes and stock, it is a 7-day program together with specific foods such as potatoes, fruit juice, and even more vegetables, beef is allowed on one day a week. Weight is lost very quickly, the diet can cause a light headed feeling and an inability to concentrate. It is low in starchy carbohydrates, protein, and some vitamins and minerals.

Detox Diets and Fruit Juice Diets
Typically last 1-5 days and much favoured by stars and celebrities, comprising of pure fruit juices, sometimes with water, maybe even organic fruits and juices with no additives salt or sugar. Very simple to follow, will guarantee weight loss, although most people take these for their ‘rejuvenating properties’. Very low in calories, almost no protein and starchy carbohydrates and fat, which will soon cause weakness, the metabolism will slow down, as there are fewer calories to burn! Physical activity and peak mental function will not be possible on this type of program.

Food Combining Diets
The plan is based upon weight loss occurring when foods are eaten in the correct combinations, dairy foods are forbidden. The majority of the food eaten is fruits and vegetables while much smaller amounts are form 2 servings of starchy foods such as rice or pasta with only small amounts of protein. Weight loss occurs due to the limits on the foods eaten and not to the combinations. The diet is low in vitamins and minerals.

Grapefruit Diet
Half a grapefruit is eaten before each meal as the grapefruit is supposed to be fat burning, calories are low at 800 so hunger arrives quickly, it is also low in protein, fibre, many vitamins and minerals; caffeine containing drinks are encouraged. A very restrictive diet where weight is lost but not through the supposedly fat burning properties of grapefruit, but due to the low calories.

Herbalife Diets
There are several weight loss programs; most of them include a protein drink substitute for 2 meals and multivitamin and herbal tablets, with 1 balanced meal each day. Having drinks as meal replacements is an easy way to manage dieting for some people. Herbalife’s products are claimed to be ‘safe and natural’, yet are not recommended for some groups of people such as diabetics or those with kidney problems.

Mayo Clinic Diet
Never having originated in the Mayo clinic, the diet consists of eating grapefruit at each meal, with large portions of meat and fat to stop hunger pains, suggesting that if more fat is eaten this will cause weight loss. Great if meat and fried foods are favoured but weight loss will not be fast, additionally there are no starchy carbohydrates, so physical weakness and lack of concentration may occur. Unfortunately there are no magic properties in grapefruit and eating fat does not cause weight loss.

Pritkin Diet
Low fat, mainly vegetarian diet using wholegrains, fruits and vegetables so it is good for heart health. Processed foods are avoided which includes pasta and white bread. The diet is low in fat so may not be very satisfying. It is also devoid of dairy products so the diet may be difficult for some people and may be low in some vitamins and minerals.

Rosemary Conley’s Low Fat Diet
Cutting down fatty foods is definitely the right way to lose weight, which is the basis of the plan; being very strict on fat intake is not such a good idea and is how some people have taken this plan. Choosing foods that are almost devoid of fat can lead to low intakes of fat-soluble vitamins and even essential fatty acid deficiency in extreme cases. Not only that, fat does have a role to play in satiety which simply means that eating some fat helps avoid those hunger pangs! Play safe and choose wisely, do not cut out fat altogether.

Scarsdale Diet
This diet is based upon ‘chemical reactions’ and not portion control, 7-14 day plans with no snacking and herbal appetite suppressants. Fruit, vegetables and low fat proteins are allowed. Weight loss is fast and due to low calories, the diet is also low in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Not suitable for people with heart disease or high blood pressure since death has occurred as a result of using this diet alongside the consumption of caffeine containing drinks.

Slimfast Diet
The plan consists of 2-meal replacement drinks, a sensible meal and a daily exercise routine. The meal replacements are well balanced even if not all the flavours are popular. It does not re-educate you to eat properly but can help those will lower will power, some people find that they prefer to have only 1 slimfast meal per day.

The F Plan
The originator of this diet hit on this based on what she observed in her ‘loo’, that is food of very high fibre origin was largely unabsorbed. Since everyone’s dream is to eat as much as you wish without putting on weight it seemed the perfect idea. There is no doubt that eating high fibre diets are good for you it is a question of getting the balance right. Eating too much fibre is socially unacceptable (causing wind and flatulence) it can also lead to low intakes of some nutrients especially iron and calcium which are unabsorbed. Unfortunately the foods, which are fattening are low in fibre, so still have to be restricted!

Weightwatchers Diet
Very popular, with a 1-2-3 plan based on points, most people find it quite easy to use and are allowed a certain number of points daily. Support is within the group situation which many people find encouraging, but it is not everyone’s tastes and people who are deeply embarrassed about their weight find that group sessions very difficult to cope with. Weight loss is slow but steady.

To avoid losing muscle when on a weight loss diet it is important to make sure that activity or exercise is undertaken, this helps to preserve muscle so that body fat is lost. Exercise helps with well being as it helps produce endorphins in the body; the endorphins cause a feeling of well being which in turn helps with weight loss.

Weight loss and weight gain on a continuous basis, often refereed to as ‘yo-yo’ dieting is harmful, any diet undertaken should be to re-educate the dieter into good eating habits which should continue on a permanent basis.