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The proliferation of diets, including low carb, low fat, vegetarian, Mediterranean, and many others, tend to be confusing to a lot of people. Also, the very idea of a diet, being a temporary regimen when someone tries to lose weight, should be considered a fallacy. Too many people go on diets, lose a certain amount of weight, and then gain it right back when they revert to their old eating habits.

The singular fact about weight control is that the number of calories that are taken in has to be lower than the amount that the body burns through exercise and daily activity. When you achieve equilibrium, then you have reached an optimal weight.

Over time we’ve learned that a better way to lose weight and keep it off is to enact permanent lifestyle changes. Those include changing your eating habits as well as developing a routine that involves cardio exercise that burns calories, keeps your heart healthy, and staves off type 2 diabetes.

In this context, it turns out that one diet is pretty much as good as another, though a vegetarian diet or pescovegetarian (vegetables plus fish) diet have the edge. But four factors are involved in controlling calories and thus losing weight. These are:

  • Portion control, which is to say eating smaller amounts of food
  • Reducing the intake of high-calorie foods
  • Regular exercise
  • Behavior modification, including motivation and understanding what causes hunger

The main secret to losing weight and keeping it off is to modify your eating habits to make them second nature. Unhealthy eating is a habit, and therefore, healthy eating is a habit, as well. Add to that a regular, low-impact exercise regimen to lose weight and change your life for the better.