Diets, the good news and the bad

With the nations growing concern for healthy living and weight gain it is hard to read a magazine or listen to the radio without hearing another factoid or story. Super-sized meal options, lack of exercise, stress, the cost of nutrient dense foods and more provide justification to the problem.

Unfortunately, people often find diets hard to sustain, in part because they tire of avoiding certain foods, loading up on others or feeling deprived and hungry. And their diet is often temporary, something to endure for a while before returning to the old habits. The result, lost pounds return once the diet stops.

When it comes to weight loss, there's no shortage of advice. Check any magazine rack or bookstore and you're bound to discover that latest and greatest cure for being overweight. We cling to the hope that science will save us with the discovery of some magic pill.

But until then here are some tips:

• Try eating water-dense foods like salad and fruit at the beginning of a big meal.

• Push your plate away before you feel full; this will give your stomach time to send signals to your brain that you've had enough and really don't have room for seconds.

The Mayo Clinic has an excellent article explaining the different diet options and lots of helpful information on what works well and what doesn't. And WebMD.com offers this article with solid advice to help those determined to change their health this year.

Read more:
Mayo Clinic
WebMD.com