It seems that a new diet program is brought to the market every other day, making consumers’ choices almost mind-boggling. These programs can range from fast detox programs that only last a few weeks to long term lifestyle changes. If you are looking to choose one of these popular new diets, it is best to know just what is involved and how they work before making a decision about which to use. No matter which you select, remember to consult with your doctor or other medical professional before beginning any diet programs.

Detox Diets

Often see on talk shows and in magazines, detox diet plans seem to be all the rage. These short term diet and fat loss programs can be very strict, but promise fast results. Detox diets help to cleanse the body and rid your digestive system of toxins. One of the extra side effects of a detox plan is fast weight loss due to reduced food consumption. While these plans can be effective for short term, rapid weight loss, you should not keep on using these programs longer than recommended.

Low Carb Diets

One of the biggest diet and weight loss trends in recent years is the use of low carb diets for quick results. These diets promote eating smaller amounts of carbohydrates, which will cause your body to burn fat instead of relying on carbs for energy. These plans are generally effective and often recommended by doctors, however close monitoring by a physician is recommended when using these plans. Fast fat loss is usually attained initially, however those who try to return to a normal eating plan can gain back as fast as they lost.

Vegetarian Diets

For hundreds of years, different cultures have used vegetarian diets for many reasons. These diet and weight loss plans can be helpful and relatively safe, if those who choose a vegetarian lifestyle are careful in their menu planning. Should you choose one of these diet plans, remember to find plenty of source of protein to fuel your body properly. This should include both complete and incomplete proteins, such as beans, soy, and nuts in order to stay healthy. Though you can lose weight on these diets, more often they are a social or political lifestyle choice.

Balanced Diets

The safest diet and weight loss programs are those who endorse balanced diets. Balanced diets, together with a regular workout program are the doctor recommended way to burn fat safely. These diets should be made up of plenty of vegetable and fruit components, lean protein sources and whole grains and fibers. You can follow the Food Pyramid or get sample menu plans from a dietician or doctor. Losing weight with a balanced diet can be a slow process, but if you stick to the plan, it’s the most healthful way to eat long term.

Selecting a weight loss diet plan can be hard, but with research and education you can find a plan that will work for you. Your best bet is to discuss your weight issues with your doctor and get his or her opinion. Together you can decide which popular diet plan is the right one for you.

Tags: diet plans, diet programs, fat loss, types of diets, weight loss

I know you want to get into better shape. I know you’re tired of being embarrassed to wear summer clothes. But you can’t go from where you are to looking like a fitness model or bodybuilder instantly. Gradual change is the only viable choice, no matter how frustrated you are.

This is an especially frustrating idea for guys to deal with. It’s our nature to dive head first into something new, damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead and all that. We sit in front of a computer all week at the office, then foolishly expect to be able to beat our teenager at basketball on the weekend. We have a hard time accepting that we’re not high school athletes anymore.

That said, we should look at this realistically. You don’t look the way you want, or you wouldn’t be reading this. The reason you don’t have the body you want is because of the way you live your life. If you want to make major changes in your physique, you’re going to have to make some pretty significant changes in your life. It’s going to take a lot to go from where you are now to looking like you could be on the cover of a fitness magazine. But there are two problems with making the transition all at once.

The first is killing yourself. If you are really out of shape, you could kill yourself trying to change too fast. That’s why you should see a doctor before starting a major workout program. If you try to go from your sedentary lifestyle & unhealthy eating habits to major workouts and eating like a fitness model in one leap, your body is going to freak  out. Too much change too fast is too hard on your body. Your body needs a chance to adjust to new exercise and eating patterns. You’ll get ill or hurt yourself.

If you switch all at
once, your head is going to freak out too. You’ll find it hard to do the full exercise program, and your stomach will demand its daily extra-cheese pizza. You won’t see any results right away, and you’ll give up in disgust.

Finally, if you make all the changes at once and succeed in avoiding a physical or mental breakdown, you’ll be missing something else. You won’t know what works for you. Are the dietary changes working, or was your new diet useless with great results from the workouts? Would you get better results from making more dietary changes or working out more? There’s no way to know.

None of this would be a big deal if you could jump right into a program that let you get fit without having to adjust anything. But that’s rare. Most of the time, you need to make adjustments as you go along to keep the progress coming. You can’t tell which things to adjust if you went crazy and changed your entire lifestyle at one.

Gradual change is a better way. By changing one thing at a time, for example skipping the milkshake at lunch, you can start moving in the right direction without too much stress. Your body can easily adapt to small changes. You won’t freak out and quit because it is too hard. Instead, you will have your first small success under your belt and be ready to move on to greater fitness.

So there’s the secret to success. Change gradually for the best results. You won’t get there as fast as you would if you could dive in head first and change everything at once, but if that worked, you would already have the body you want, right?

Tags: build muscle and lose fat, fat loss, fitness, get fit at last