Know which diet keeps you in tip-top shape

Melisa Southern-Garcia, Dietitian, Jakarta

If you are a regular reader of my articles, you know that I am in no way a proponent of fad diets, in fact, I am very much against them. I regularly have clients ask me about a particular diet they may have heard about or have tried. Many of these diets have actually helped them, or someone they know lose weight.

Many diets help you lose weight on a short-term basis, however, when you go off the diet and return to your former eating habits, the weight just creeps back on. Diets that force you to eat only one thing for a long period of time (the famous "grapefruit diet" comes to mind) or that ask you to cut out a major food group (Dr. Atkins) are not only harmful to your health long term, but are also something you cannot keep doing for very long.

When you are tired of eating the same food or simply can't live another day without a bowl of pasta, you return to your old habits and gain the weight back. Even if you have lost some weight following a particular diet, if you haven't been given smart eating tools for the long term the weight will come back.

In other words, when you lose the weight and go off the diet, you are left with no knowledge to continue to keep the weight off.

So what type of diet should you follow if you are serious about losing weight? Everyone's case is different and if weight is a medical problem, your individualized diet plan should be monitored by your physician and dietitian.

However, there are some general guidelines that any good diet plan should include. The first and most important rule of any diet plan is that it must teach you something. A good diet plan will give you tools in the form of knowledge so that you can apply them to your individual needs.

A diet that tells you exactly what to eat at every meal not only gets tiresome in the long run but also limits your choices. If you go to a restaurant, or if you are invited to someone's home you most likely won't be able to follow the exact guidelines proposed by your fad diet. However, if you have learned guidelines to making wise dietary choices, you will be equipped to pick up a menu and chose on your own.

The following three basic guidelines should form part of any diet you follow:

Watch your portion sizes: Most servings are truly far more than we actually need to eat at one meal. Restaurants in particular have created a trend towards large portions. It has even become "fun" or "trendy" in many places to order the biggie or extra large platter. One of the most difficult portion sizes to control is meat. One serving of meat should be the amount that fits in the palm of a woman's hand, or the size of a standard deck of cards. Most adults only need two to three servings of meat per day as a general rule.

Ironically, it's not uncommon to be served the equivalent of three or four servings of meat at one meal. Another simple rule to follow is to visually divide your plate into one half. The upper half of your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables. The lower half should be divided in half once again. In one section place your meat. If it is larger than one quarter of your plate, then decrease your portion and save it for later or share with a friend. The other quarter of your plate should contain a starch such as bread or rice. If your portion of bread or rice exceeds one quarter of your plate, it should also be decreased.

Concentrate on healthy fats. Our bodies actually require fat to function properly. The problem arises when we eat too much fat and it's stored as excess weight. Healthy fats are those products which contain mainly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Not only are they important to maintaining a healthy heart, but they can also indirectly help you lose weight. These good fats include avocado, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Since fat takes longer to digest, it provides a feeling of fullness for a longer time. So using your quota of fat in a wise way, may actually help you avoid getting hungry too soon and bringing on high calorie snack foods.

Eat plenty of fiber. Eating foods with natural fiber such as fruits and vegetables, natural grains such as whole wheat or oats, and legumes such as beans or lentils will help fight weight in several different ways. The first and simplest way that fiber helps your diet is by providing a sense of fullness.

Fiber provides bulk and not only helps regulate your digestive system, but also keeps your blood sugar at even levels. This means less cravings and less appetite surges due to changes in your blood sugar. Fiber in your food also removes about 5 percent of the fat in an average meal.

There are many different diets and each one of us needs to learn what is best for our bodies, our lifestyle and our medical condition. It's important to remember that just because a particular diet may have made you or someone you know lose weight, it may not be a permanent change. Only a diet that teaches you how to make your own wise decisions for a lifetime -- not just a few weeks or months -- can help you make a permanent healthy lifestyle change.