Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Some Tips on Dieting Safely

More and more people want to know how to diet safely. They are getting overweight, or are simply unhappy with their present weight. The idea of dieting may seem like a no-brainer if you'd like to lose a few pounds, but it may actually hurt you more than help you. Dieting safely is no walk in the park, and you'll need to think of a few things before actually taking the plunge.

Do you really need to diet?

You may think that you're a few pounds overweight, but you might actually be at your ideal weight without knowing it. If you'd like to make sure, check with your doctor or dietitian. If he thinks that you need to lose some weight, he'll tell you how to diet safely.

Dieting safely means starting small.

Don't try crash diets – they're not a safe way to diet. Individuals who try fad diets often lose a few pounds before gaining them back (and more). If you'd like to diet safely, make sure you start with the easiest step – such as swearing off 90% of your soda intake. Safe dieting means taking things slowly.

Here's a safe dieting tip to remember – a can of soda has ten teaspoons of sugar in it. So swearing off your soda intake is a great way of starting to diet safely.

Watch what you eat.

Dieting safely also means watching what you eat during mealtimes. The most fattening ingredients out there are refined carbohydrates and sugars. You'll need to cut down on donuts, cake, and soda, and eat at least five servings of fruits/vegetables each day to avoid getting hungry. Eat slowly – the brain often takes 12 minutes from the first bite to tell you that you're full. Taking a break before the second helping can help you eat less.

However, this doesn't mean you'll have to swear off all bad foods. To diet safely, you're allowed to treat yourself every once in a while – just remember to offset your guilt pleasure soon after.

Watch when you eat.

Another safe way to diet is to eat at least two snacks between meals so that you'll eat less during mealtimes. It's advisable to keep a few vegetable sticks or a piece of fruit handy in case you get a case of the munchies while you go. Eating more frequently, but in smaller servings, has always been a great way to diet safely – you'll burn more calories that way.

Safe dieting also means exercise.

Any diet, even one that's safe, won't help you lose much weight unless you match it with exercise. Your target should be at least an hour of good exercise for five days a week. This is, of course, very difficult to get used to. Just like dieting safely, start slowly and gradually increase the workout intensity as the days go by.

Finally, take it easy on yourself.

Dieting safely means you'll need to forgive yourself every time you give in to a craving. Everybody trips up every now and then. When you fail to stick to your safe diet, brush it off and get back to it as soon as possible – that's the key. Remember that any food, no matter how fat or how sugary, can fit into any safe diet – the key is to balance it out with more of the healthy stuff.

To find out more on this subject Diet Safely Reviews

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