Who wouldn’t love a perfectly sculpted body that looks good in anything? If you are a lady who has spent hours admiring a dress that’s just one size too small for you and wishing you could somehow squeeze into it, believe me you’re not the only one. As human beings whose senses are more attuned to discrimination than praise, it’s no wonder that so many of us hate the bodies we live in and are ready to do just about anything to become slim. So what is usually the first option that we are ready to put into practice?

Dieting. Although, dieting may sound like a 20^th century discovery, you may be surprised to know that diets have been around for centuries. Even Lord Byron, the famous poet religiously followed one during his lifetime. This is an age of marketing and advertisement so going by that rule; it’s the diet with the best marketing strategy that usually has the most number of followers as well. Diets promise you fast results, swear that you will drop a dress size or two within a week, get rid of any bulge and entice you to become the envy of the party. But before you give in to the sweet-talk, it’s important to spend some time understanding exactly what the diet requires you to do and how it actually works. Diets that allow you to eat as much as you want of one food group while saying no to others is exactly the kind of diet to avoid. Simply because, in order to function properly, the body needs a healthy intake of nutrients from ALL food groups and not just from one. Having said this, it doesn’t mean that all diets are bad. In fact, diets like the anti-aging diet, the detox diet and the Mediterranean diet have all received much applause because they focus on nutritious eating which can also enable weight loss the healthy way.

Everybody’s body functions in a different way and this also determines how much to eat from each food group.  For instance, a body builder would need to consume more protein for building muscles whereas a construction worker would need a higher amount of carbohydrates to give him energy during the day.  If the purpose of going on a diet is to lose weight, then you’ll be surprised to learn how making even the smallest of dietary and lifestyle changes can help you get your dream body. For instance, why not swap the sodium loaded processed meat or sausage for 2 boiled eggs at breakfast? Or you could also try consuming more fish and poultry for dinner while reducing your intake of red meat. Drinking a glass of water when you are thirsty instead of reaching out for a sugar laden carbonated drink will do your body a world of good. Dress up your greens with a low fat salad dressing and have a handful of raisins whenever your sweet tooth plays up. And don’t forget, a minimum of half an hour of exercise every day will not only boost up your immunity but also keep your energy levels high! So do you still need a commercial diet?

Last but not least.  The real answer to long term health, is not dieting at all, it’s healthy eating.  Ever put the weight straight back on after dieting?  The secret is to make a permanent change to healthy eating as opposed to a short term change, ie dieting.