The term 'dieting' has different connotations for different people.
Some people look on it for what it is - a way of eating aimed at reducing weight.
But most people look on it as an imposition that forbids them to eat the food they like best, whilst others regard dieting as not getting enough to eat.
Dieting is one of the two pillars of successful and sustained weight loss, the other being the need to have a regular exercise program.
Nutritionists and the medical profession agree that both these factors play an equally important role in the maintenance of a healthy body.
However, for some overweight people, dieting represents a pleasurable experience as well as helping to eliminate a personal problem - that of being consciously overweight.
For these people the support of their immediate families can be vital.
If the whole family is prepared to eat the same food as the dieter, then the inconvenience of having to prepare special food for one individual is overcome.
So for the overweight person who wants to diet, the big question is: "Which diet do I choose for the best way to lose weight?" From the huge number of diets in use, the range of choice can be overwhelming.
Start by going through this list of possibilities: (1) Check your national and local government websites for health/weight loss/dieting.
At the very least they should be able to refer you to the websites of semi-government organizations that give dieting advice.
(2) Check with your medical practitioner.
He may have access to diets and dieting information distributed by local hospitals.
Remember that hospitals have an interest in keeping the local people healthy - it makes their operation easier.
(3) Have a look in your local newsagent/magazine store/bookstore/library for diets published by a reputable organization.
Select a diet that uses familiar ingredients.
Keep away from diets that use an ingredient you'd infrequently use.
(4) The weekly magazines have diet recipes.
Again select a diet backed by a reliable health organization.
Choose a diet with easy-to-prepare meals and something the whole family will eat.
(5) Check the popular talk shows on TV - the latest 'fad diets' or 'super weight loss pill' are always mentioned.
Be careful here - some of the products on these shows are there because money has been paid not because they're good or they work.
A well-balanced diet should contain enough protein, carbohydrates, and the right sort of fats, as well as adequate minerals and trace elements.
Because of this it's advisable to select a diet recommended by the health professionals rather than one of the 'fad diets'.
This will overcome the difficulty of choosing a diet and then having to ensure that everything needed for a healthy and nutritious diet is present.
So stick with the professionals and follow their advice.
A healthy diet not only helps to achieve permanent weight loss, but also ensures that the body is getting the right vitamins and trace minerals and in the right quantities.
So the importance of selecting the right diet is critical not only for weight loss but also for maintaining good health.
This last point is vital if a teenage member of the family is overweight - in fact the sensible approach in this situation is to consult the family health practitioner and follow his/her advice.
The right diet is only one aspect of a program to achieve permanent weight loss, the other part being to start a regular exercise routine, with the emphasis being on 'regular' to achieve any degree of success.
Dieting on its own will result in weight reduction, but when combined with regular exercises, the amount of weight loss will be considerably greater.
Some people look on it for what it is - a way of eating aimed at reducing weight.
But most people look on it as an imposition that forbids them to eat the food they like best, whilst others regard dieting as not getting enough to eat.
Dieting is one of the two pillars of successful and sustained weight loss, the other being the need to have a regular exercise program.
Nutritionists and the medical profession agree that both these factors play an equally important role in the maintenance of a healthy body.
However, for some overweight people, dieting represents a pleasurable experience as well as helping to eliminate a personal problem - that of being consciously overweight.
For these people the support of their immediate families can be vital.
If the whole family is prepared to eat the same food as the dieter, then the inconvenience of having to prepare special food for one individual is overcome.
So for the overweight person who wants to diet, the big question is: "Which diet do I choose for the best way to lose weight?" From the huge number of diets in use, the range of choice can be overwhelming.
Start by going through this list of possibilities: (1) Check your national and local government websites for health/weight loss/dieting.
At the very least they should be able to refer you to the websites of semi-government organizations that give dieting advice.
(2) Check with your medical practitioner.
He may have access to diets and dieting information distributed by local hospitals.
Remember that hospitals have an interest in keeping the local people healthy - it makes their operation easier.
(3) Have a look in your local newsagent/magazine store/bookstore/library for diets published by a reputable organization.
Select a diet that uses familiar ingredients.
Keep away from diets that use an ingredient you'd infrequently use.
(4) The weekly magazines have diet recipes.
Again select a diet backed by a reliable health organization.
Choose a diet with easy-to-prepare meals and something the whole family will eat.
(5) Check the popular talk shows on TV - the latest 'fad diets' or 'super weight loss pill' are always mentioned.
Be careful here - some of the products on these shows are there because money has been paid not because they're good or they work.
A well-balanced diet should contain enough protein, carbohydrates, and the right sort of fats, as well as adequate minerals and trace elements.
Because of this it's advisable to select a diet recommended by the health professionals rather than one of the 'fad diets'.
This will overcome the difficulty of choosing a diet and then having to ensure that everything needed for a healthy and nutritious diet is present.
So stick with the professionals and follow their advice.
A healthy diet not only helps to achieve permanent weight loss, but also ensures that the body is getting the right vitamins and trace minerals and in the right quantities.
So the importance of selecting the right diet is critical not only for weight loss but also for maintaining good health.
This last point is vital if a teenage member of the family is overweight - in fact the sensible approach in this situation is to consult the family health practitioner and follow his/her advice.
The right diet is only one aspect of a program to achieve permanent weight loss, the other part being to start a regular exercise routine, with the emphasis being on 'regular' to achieve any degree of success.
Dieting on its own will result in weight reduction, but when combined with regular exercises, the amount of weight loss will be considerably greater.
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