Healthy Weight Loss Diets

Dieting is the process of eating specific foods in order to maintain or lose weight. Reasons for losing weight vary according to the individual. A person may wish to lose weight for health reasons, for athletic and sporting purposes or for cosmetic reasons. Whatever the impetus, it is important to focus on healthy methods of weight loss. While some diet plans promise individuals rapid weight loss, such drastic plans can harm your overall health. Discover specific strategies for losing weight that may help you lose weight in a healthy and sustainable manner.

The Basics

The human body derives its energy from food. Excess energy that is not used is typically stored and exhibits itself as weight gain. Individuals who regularly experience a surplus in calories may find themselves steadily gaining weight. All weight-loss diets aim at adjusting this process by restricting or modifying the dieter's energy intake by customizing the food consumed. While weight loss diets may vary in how they approach each dietary meal plan, all involve some level of food restriction. In addition, all healthy weight-loss plans benefit from increased levels of physical activity. Exercise helps the body expend energy, which can boost weight loss success when paired with specific eating habits. Individuals interested in losing weight should increase their activity through walking, jogging, swimming or other aerobic exercises.

Dangers

Healthy, gradual weight loss is better than rapid weight loss. While the latter may seem desirable, it can carry heavy health risks. Before dieting, individuals should always consult a medical professional. Attempting to achieve quick weight loss through radical methods such as complete cessation of eating can critically harm the human body. Also, rapid weight loss is often associated with weight rebound and is not sustainable. Additional side effects of unhealthy weight loss include fatigue, mood swings, sexual disorders, muscle loss and malnutrition.

Low Calorie Diets

A basic component of natural weight loss is the practice of expending more calories than you consume. By maintaining a daily calorie deficit, the human body will burn calories from internal reserves and thereby reduce total weight. Examples include the popular Weight Watchers diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet endorsed by the National Institute of Health. Common methods of reducing calorie intake include focusing on nutrient-dense, lean foods. Examples include lean poultry, whole grains and vegetables. In a low- calorie diet, dieters typically avoid highly processed foods, which are usually high in calories but low in nutrients. Such diets also incorporate varying levels of exercise, helping to increase calorie usage while maintaining low calorie consumption.

Low-Fat Diets

Traditionally, consuming fat is perceived to be a direct influence on weight gain. To curb this, various low-fat diets aim to restrict fat intake. In general, a low-fat diet aims to restrict calories from fat to 25% of the dieter's total caloric intake. Examples include the National Cholesterol Education Program's Step 1 and Step 2 diets. Corollary, low-fat diets also include a restriction on the consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat. Thus, individuals on a low-fat diet also may experience lower blood cholesterol levels and a lower risk of heart disease. Low- fat diets focus on high protein, lean foods, such as legumes and seafood. Various low-fat products also are on the market, offering fat-free versions of popular foods. Individuals on a low-fat diet should be aware that such processed low-fat foods may be fat-free but also contain artificial sweeteners and high levels of sugar, which pose a health risk in itself.

Low-Carbohydrate Diets

Low-carbohydrate diets gained a large following in the early 2000s due to media and celebrity endorsements. Examples include the South Beach Diet and the Atkins Diet. In general, low carbohydrate diets aim to minimize caloric consumption to a maximum of 60 grams a day. To balance this reduction, individuals increase their consumption of fat and protein. Low-carbohydrate diets have received a fair amount of both praise and criticism. For example, the American Diabetes Association argues that restricting carbohydrates can be an effective form of weight loss, while the American Heart Association recommends that individuals do not use this form of dieting. As with any type of major lifestyle change, individuals should consult a medical professional as their personal fitness level, weight and lifestyle plays a role in choosing the right diet regimen.