A good diet program is made up of two main components—a balanced menu plan and an exercise program. A simple diet program philosophy should include eating healthy foods in moderate quantities and raising your activity level. If you need herbal supplements or diet pills, consult your doctor. These sometimes have unwanted side effects and they sometimes lead to regaining the lost weight. Fad or crash diets do not constitute a healthy long-term diet program.
Several general guidelines will aid in the development of a good diet program. Avoid saturated fats which raise your cholesterol level. Foods to avoid include fatty cuts of meat, chicken or turkey with the skin, whole milk, lard, and vegetable oils such as palm or coconut oil. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are low in saturated fat. Eat foods which are low in fat or fat-free. If you have to cook with fats, use unsaturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fat, such as that found in olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn, or soybean oils. Eating saturated fats can increase your risk of heart disease and breast or colon cancer. Eat foods which contain starch and fiber. These foods are naturally low in saturated fat and cholesterol and they are sources of vitamins and minerals. Some high-fiber foods like oats and barley contain antioxidants which will lower cholesterol levels. The antioxidants in these foods prevent cholesterol from damager artery walls by moving into the lining of blood vessels, rather than staying in the blood. Avoid dietary cholesterol which comes primarily from animals. Many of these foods also contain high levels of saturated fat. Increasing physical activity will raise HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol. Improved fitness, lower blood pressure, reduced stress, and loss of weight are other side effects of increased exercise.
A diet program must be supplemented with exploration of the behaviors and led to a problem with obesity. Behavior modification and a life-long commitment are necessary to the success of any diet program
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