About healthy dieting

Is your dieting course healthy? Read about the different types and which is healthy and right for you.

Is Your Dieting Course Healthy

“It’s easy to buy into some pretty popular nutrition misconceptions- myths and half-truths that ultimately find us making far fewer healthier food choices than we realize.”
~ Samantha Heller, MS, RD (New York University nutritionist)

We are constantly bombarded with information that supports the importance of a healthy diet. People are becoming more and more aware of the importance of maintaining good health; and are taking steps to do so. But that doesn’t mean that their choices are always right.

It’s important that you get the right information. Do your research properly and verify the information you receive. Choose a diet plan that is not only healthy, but easy to follow as well. This will ensure that your diet plan is one that you will stick to for life. When people have a lot of access to information about something, they assume that it’s easier to make the right choices, but it’s actually the other way around. In the information-overloaded world of today, it’s very easy to be misled.

Beware of blindly following fad diets. And just because something happens to be in the health food section doesn’t automatically make it good for you. Always take time to read the label. Remember, not all diet plans suit everybody. This is because people’s needs and activity levels vary. For instance, if you’re overweight, you will be interested in a weight loss diet. Athletes interested in building muscle mass will have to have a diet rich in proteins. Some people suffer from diseases that require a specific diet plan; people suffering from diseases like diabetes, hypertension, hypoglycemia and cancer, come into this category. Pregnant and lactating mothers require a very nutritious diet, with healthy development of the baby in mind.

Medicinecabinet.com lists seven most common nutrition mistakes that people make. (The information they published was based on information obtained from the American Dietetic Association.)

Assuming dietary choices are better than they actually are
Being confused about carbs
Eating too much
Not eating enough- or not often enough
Taking too many supplements
Excluding exercise
Believing everything they read about nutrition and weight loss

MayoClinic.com lists the following as the essential elements of a healthy diet. This information is based on a 2000 calorie diet:

Carbohydrates  
·45% to 65% of daily calories

Proteins
·Between 10% to 35% of daily calories
·50 to 175 grams a day

Fat
·20% to 35% of daily calories
·40 to 70 grams

Saturated fat
·Not more than 10% of daily calories
·20 grams

Trans fat
·Not more than 1% of daily calories
·2grams or less

Cholesterol
·Try to limit to about 300milligrams

·Fiber
·Women need about 21-25grams a day
·Men need 30-38grams a day

Sodium
·Between 1500-2400milligrams a day

It’s best however, to visit a qualified dietician. A qualified dietitian will be able to come up with a diet plan that will suit your needs. Today, with more than 100 diet plans listed on Wikipedia alone, there are more chances of you making the wrong choice.