Finding the right diet

There's no doubt that finding the right diet can be hard. There are many things to consider - does it work? Is it safe? And of course, is it the one for you?

The answer to the first two questions is dealt with in detail in our article "Effects of Dieting", so in helping you in finding the right diet we'll focus on the issue of what might work for you.

To figure out what will be effective in helping you drop some pounds you need to analyse how you currently eat, what it is that has led you to gain the extra pounds in the first place, and your likes and dislikes.

For example, some people are big meat eaters, while others enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables more. If you're a meat eater, then the Atkins diet might work for you, whereas for someone who loves fresh fruit and veg, it would be purgatory.

There's also the question of how restrictive you want a weight loss plan to be - some people need the discipline of being told exactly what to eat and when, others would rebel against that straight away.

Finally, are you someone who thrives on details, or are you more free and easy? For the details person, a plan that involves counting calories, weighing and measuring everything, will be comfortable. For others, there would be no chance of sticking to it.

If you can answer these types of questions, you will find it much easier to pick the slimming plan that will work for you.