How To Spot A 'Bad' Diet Plan

As anyone who has read a magazine or watched television in the past few years knows that obesity is a big problem here in the US. Even if you aren't overweight, though, a lot of us find ourselves wanting to shed a few pounds to fit into that little black dress we wore a year ago. It's very tempting to try those weight-loss pills you see on TV, but the truth is that it's not that simple. Not only do those pills and fad diets not work, some can be harmful to your health. So that you won't have to learn this the hard way, here are a few signs of an unhealthy diet.

-A diet should never rule out entire food groups. There's a reason meats and carbohydrates are on the food pyramids we learned about in school-they include nutrients our bodies need to function properly. Instead of banning these things outright, a healthy diet will teach you how to incorporate them into everyday living. Speaking of which-

-A diet shouldn't be a 180° turnaround from what you're doing now. While you will definitely have to make some changes to your lifestyle, something that is too different will be very hard to stick to. It's better to make small but ongoing changes such as getting sauces on the side or cooking with butter-flavored sprays.

-A diet should not focus on a particular product. I'm sure you've been bombarded by ads for 'dietary supplements' that will make you lose 30 pounds in five weeks by popping a pill twice a day. When it comes to healthy weight loss, however, there's no such thing as a 'magic bullet'. If you look at the fine print on the back of the bottle or bottom of the TV screen, you'll see that the claims the ads make have not been evaluated by the FDA. In other words, they've been put on the market without having been checked for safety and efficacy. Contrary to popular belief, the terms 'herbal' or 'natural' do not necessarily mean 'safe'.

-On the 'magic bullet' tip, products or fad diets that promise extreme amounts of weight loss in a short amount of time should be avoided. Yes, we all want to lose weight quickly, but it's not healthy to lose more than 1-2 pounds a week.

-If your diet can't be adjusted to 'real life', it's going to be very difficult to stick to. Pre-packaged meals might be good for learning portion control, but you need to be able to eat with the rest of the world.

Overall, your diet needs to include a lifestyle change. Even if you lose the weight quickly with products like Slimfast or Dexatrim, you still need to learn healthier ways of cooking and eating if you want to keep the weight off. Without a change in the way you think about food, you may find yourself back where you started. This might not be easy, but it is worth the effort.