Diets

Healthy diet information

Diet is a term often used to describe an eating plan followed to lose weight. It can also be used more generally to talk about the eating habits a person naturally develops - we all have a diet.

The diet an individual follows - or the food they eat -is likely to have a knock-on effect on their health in a number of ways. It is, therefore, important to eat a balanced diet and consider the impact of food. A balanced diet is considered to be one which encompasses a number of nutrients from different food groups. The more balanced the diet is, the more healthy an individual can expect to be.

Eating different vitamins and nutrients in the right quantities can increase life expectancy. It keeps an individual's heart and body healthy, helping to fight illness. However, other factors are also at play and healthy eating is no guarantee against illness. Nicotine and alcohol, for example, can have a negative effect on a person's overall health.

For many people, controlling their diet is a way of changing their weight. By eating less food or reducing the amount of sugary or fatty food consumed they are able to become thinner. By the same token, eating an excessive amount of food can lead to obesity - a serious health concern.

Weight loss programmes

There are different types of diets an individual can go on to lose weight and these are often called weight loss programmes. Some diets focus on reducing fat, others concentrate on avoiding carbohydrates while some programmes advocate sticking to one type of food for a consistent period of time.

While such diets can be effective in helping an individual lose weight, there is a danger that by avoiding certain foods an individual could be depriving their body of key nutrients. For example, a grapefruit diet would be lacking in dairy and a programme which avoided fat in the extreme could also be unhealthy, as a certain quota of fat is needed.

An individual who is seriously overweight or obese will find their doctor will be willing to advise them on a sensible way to become thinner. The doctor or nurse will be able to provide a healthy eating plan that will ensure their body is still being provided with a good mix of the right nutrients while they lose weight.

Keep the weight off

Many dieters find keeping their weight down on a long-term basis a struggle. This can be especially hard if the weight has been lost on a crash diet - one which advocates a sudden and dramatic decrease in a person's intake of calories. This can be unhealthy.

One way a dieter can ensure that they do not gain back the extra pounds they lose is to reduce their weight by following a diet they feel they can maintain. This might mean choosing a diet based around foods they can afford on a long-term basis and those which are practical to prepare at work and readily available. Choosing a diet which is very low in calories may result in what is known as yo-yo dieting, causing a person's weight to continually fluctuate.

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