There are some fundamental principles of healthy dieting that you need to incorporate in order to get the most out of your efforts. The first is that all forms of diet, be it Atkins or South Beach, should be undertaken for longer periods of time rather than a few weeks at a time. If you break the diet into smaller pieces, you will find it is much easier to stick to and that you can tailor it to your own needs. Once you have adopted a regular regime, you will be more motivated to continue with the eating plan.

In order to keep the diet on track, you will have to make some lifestyle changes. These include adding fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet on a regular basis and increasing your water intake. This combination of changes will help you burn more fat, which will reduce your weight. Staying committed to the diet is the most important element of success.

Once you are on the diet, you should take some time to evaluate what it has had an effect on your lifestyle. It may be that you need to adjust certain aspects of your life in order to meet the recommended daily allowance of protein, fats and carbohydrates. Try to make any such changes gradually to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Another important factor in success with the diet is that you need to set yourself up to make it easy to follow. If you add too many elements to the diet, it can become confusing, especially if you have never had the diet before. It can be tempting to try to make everything fit perfectly, but this can add to the complication of the diet and make you less likely to follow it. Choose a menu that has a balance of all the food groups. Eat several small meals a day rather than two large ones.

A successful diet will require you to find the right balance between protein, carbohydrates, fats, fibre and other dietary elements. Eating more protein will provide your body with the building blocks that it needs in order to build and repair muscles. Adequate carbohydrates will provide the energy you need to carry on with your workouts and avoid feeling tired. Fats and fibre are required for ensuring that you have a balanced diet while still maintaining a low intake of calories.

Finally, it is essential that you keep track of how well you are doing with your diet. Write down your progress on a weekly basis so that you can see how far you have come. Take an accurate measurement of the weight you have lost each week as this should serve as a reminder that the diet is working. By combining the above three suggestions you are more likely to be successful in your efforts to lose weight.