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Diets and nutrition

Weight Loss Programs

There is a confusing array of weight loss programs on the market, ranging from those which are based on restricting a particular class of food (such as carbohydrates or fats), to those which comprise pre-packaged foods (such as shakes and bars), to those which emphasize the support of others (such as one-on-one and group meetings).  To those who feel that they have a weight problem and are simply looking for an effective solution, this choice of programs can be more bewildering than the problem itself.

However, in tandem with the increasing number of weight loss programs is a growing body of research-based evidence which is available to would-be dieters, which can help them to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of major programs.  In the final analysis, the most effective weight loss program is the one that you stick to, and this underlines the fact that there is no one program which is the most effective for all.  For some dieters support and encouragement is the most critical success factor, while for others this is much less important than, for example, specific knowledge on nutrition such as the energy value of foods. 

One of the more telling results of a recent study is that more than 80% of dieters who had been successful in losing weight long-term reported that they had designed their own diet plans and exercise regimes.  This reinforces the fact that the most successful weight loss programs are those which have flexibility and which dieters are most comfortable with.

How to Choose a Weight Loss Program

When choosing a weight loss program, keep these five points uppermost in mind:

1. Don't look for a weight loss program.  Not, that is, if you want to succeed long-term.  Look for a program which will bring you health, through attaining and maintaining the correct weight, good nutrition and enjoyable, regular exercise;
2. Search for a life-long program, for the reason that you want the results to be life-long.  Realize that the benefits stop when the program stops.  There isn't an easier way to say this;
3. Disregard all quick-fixes.  Look for a program which reduces your weight surely but gradually, over a long period of time;
4. Learn to love fruit and vegetables.  If that's hard, realize that it is much more difficult to overestimate the value of these foods to good health and nutrition;
5. When you accept and assert point number 1 on its merits, then you understand.

The best weight loss program will be the one which you have customized for your life-long health.