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Talk with your doctor about any weight-loss program or diet book. There are lots of weight-loss programs. They fall into three basic types:
Do-it-yourself programs
These are programs where you follow your own diet and exercise plans. If you think you can stick with a program on your own, this kind of plan might work for you.
If you read diet books or Web sites for help, remember that they are not all sound. Avoid diets that ask you to eat certain formulas or certain foods for “easy” weight loss. Some of these may work short term because they’re low calorie. But they’re often hard to stick to. And, they may not give you all the nutrients you need.
Group programs
These include commercial programs, like weight-loss chains and community programs. Some ask you to buy certain foods or supplements.
Non-clinical programs generally use counselors. But the counselors may not be healthcare professionals.
Be sure that any do-it-yourself or non-clinical program includes a physical activity plan.
Hospital/clinical programs
These programs are based in hospitals and clinics, or at other healthcare sites. They may be run by a health professional, like a dietitian. Or, they may have a team of doctors, dietitians, and counselors.
These programs can include everything from nutrition education to weight-loss drugs, as well as surgery for the very obese (people with a
body mass index of more than 40).
Programs run by healthcare professionals may be a safe bet if:
Making the choice
Whatever program you choose, make sure it:
- Deals with both weight loss and long-term control.
- Includes physical activity.
- Teaches you healthier eating habits.
- Teaches you how to choose and prepare healthy foods.
- Takes your food likes and dislikes into account.
Here are some types of diets you will probably see:
- Fixed-menu diets list all the foods you will eat. But you may find the lack of choice boring. You may also find it hard to stick to when you’re dining out. These diets also don’t teach you food-choice skills that will help you keep off weight long term.
- Exchange-type diets allow you to have a set number of servings from each food group. Within each group, servings are roughly equal in calories and nutrients. This type gives you greater choice than a fixed menu. It also teaches you about food selection.
- Prepackaged-meal diets can help you learn the right portion sizes. But they can cost a lot. And, if you don’t learn how to buy and make healthy dishes, you risk gaining back the weight later on.
- Liquid diets replace meals with liquids. They’re sold as a powder you mix with liquid, or are pre-mixed. The typical formula has protein, carbohydrate, and a little fat. Many people lose weight on liquid diets, at least in the short run. But they usually gain it back once they stop the diet. Formulas don’t help you learn to make healthy food choices.
Some people decide for themselves what foods to eat. They usually limit their fats, calories, or a combination of the two. This sort-of-flexible diet can help you learn to control what you eat. But they don’t always lead to good eating habits. You can end up with an unbalanced diet.
Also of Interest
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