TIP 4 - Portion Control

It's easy to lose track of how much you've eaten when you drink or eat straight from container. Stay on track by carefully measuring out serving sizes before you begin eating. When you do buy items like chips or pretzels, locate appropriate serving size on nutrition label. As soon as you arrive home, divide larger bag into individual servings in small plastic baggies.

TIP 5 - Make Your Own

There's no rule that says only store-bought, pre-packaged foods are convenient. Take time on weekend or on days off to do some conscientious grocery shopping and cook one or two large meals of something healthy that you enjoy. Separate into serving sizes and refrigerate (or freeze) as necessary. Voila! Now you have your own frozen dinners (or lunches, or snacks) with much healthier contents.

In conclusion, choosing ideal convenience food to help with weight loss is not a simple task in today's world of fast-paced living. But there sure are many helpful planning solutions available to fit every budget both online and in real world. And by choosing foods to help with our individual health issues and concerns, and reaching out for support, information and dietary planning when needed, not one of us has to "go it" alone.

Great weight loss on a low-carb diet is evident because of fact that carbs hold water in muscles at a ratio of 1:3. As carb intake decreases then so, too, does water retention. Much water flushes as a result of lack of glycogen to hold water molecules. Moreover, by increasing protein intake, excess nitrogen flushes with even more water since kidneys use water to dilute concentration of nitrogen. Once leaving a low-carb diet and muscles refill with glycogen, fluid concentrations increase and dieter regains some of weight.

Low calorie diets of 400-600 kcalories that consist primarily of protein have same problems as fasting and low-carbohydrate diets: proteins are used for energy and weight loss comes largely from water. Low-cal diets must be supervised properly by a medical professional and only as a last resort for those who cannot seem to lose weight by other methods. However, even those individuals tend to regain most of their weight back once they return to a balanced diet.

Beverly Hills Diet – a diet consisting of grapefruit, eggs, rice, and kelp; it is deficient in minerals and vitamins.

Cambridge Diet – a very low kcalorie (300-600 kcal/day); protein/carb mixture with mineral imbalances; dieter is close to fasting.

Complete Scarsdale Diet – this diet is unbalanced nutritionally; some days are calorically restricted; dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat; diet consists of low carbs (20-50 g/day), and high fat and protein; diet has a high meat (saturated fat and cholesterol) content.

Dr. Atkin’s Diet Revolution – this diet is unbalanced nutritionally; some days are calorically restricted; dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat; carbs are very low (20-50 g/day), whereas fat and protein are high; there is high meat (saturated fat and cholesterol) consumption.

Dr. Linn’s Last Chance Diet – this diet has a very low kcalorie intake (300-600 kcal/day); it consists of a protein/carb mixture with a mineral imbalance; dieter is close to fasting.

Dr. Reuben’s The Save Your Life Diet – this is a calorically dilute diet consisting of high fiber (30-35g/day); diet is low in fat and animal products; there is poor absorption of minerals because of too much high fiber.

"Fake" Mayo Diet – this diet consists of grapefruits, eggs, rice, and kelp; it is deficient in minerals and vitamins.

F-Plan Diet – this is a calorically dilute diet consisting of high fiber (30-35g/day); it is low in fat and animal products; there is poor absorption of minerals because of too much fiber.

LA Costa Spa Diet – this diet promotes weight loss of 1-1_ lbs/day; there are various plans of 800, 1000, and 1200 kcal/day composed of 25% protein, 30% fat (mostly polyunsaturates), and 45% carbohydrate; diets includes four food groups. Medifast Diet – this diet is balanced nutritionally, but provides only 900 kcal/day; use of liquid formulas makes this diet monotonous and expensive.

Nutrimed Diet/Medifast Diet – this is a nutritionally balanced diet, but it supplies only 900 kcal/day; use of liquid formulas makes this diet monotonous and expensive.

Optifast Diet – this diet is nutritionally balanced, but supplies only 900 kcal/day; use of liquid formulas makes this diet monotonous and expensive.

Pritikin Permanent Weight-Loss Diet – this is a nutritionally unbalanced diet; some days are calorically restricted; dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat; diet consists of high protein (100 g/day); unless foods properly chosen, it may be low in vitamin B12.

Prudent Diet – this is a balanced, low kcalorie (2400 kcal/day) diet for men; it is low in cholesterol and saturated fats; a maximum of 20-35% calories are derived from fat with an emphasis on protein, carbohydrates, and salt; there is ample consumption of fish and shellfish, and saturated fats are substituted with polyunsaturated fats.

Quick Weight Loss Diet – this diet is unbalanced nutritionally; some days are calorically restricted; dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat, although there is low carbs (20-50 g/day), and high fat and protein; there is high meat consumption (saturated fat and choclesterol) with this diet.

San Francisco Diet – this diet begins at 500 kcal/day, consisting of two meals per day of one fruit, one vegetable, one slice of bread, and two meat exchanges; second week limits carbohydrates, with most food coming from meat group and with some eggs and cheese, and a few vegetables; week three includes fruit; in week four there is an increase in vegetables; week five dieter add fat-containing foods (e.g., nuts, avocados); week six includes milk; week seven includes pastas and bread, where diet is maintained at about 1300 kcal/day; this diet avoids issue of saturated fats and cholesterol.

Slendernow Diet – this diet is unbalanced nutritionally; some days are calorically restricted; dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat; protein is generally high (100 g/day); unless foods are properly chosen, there may be a deficiency in vitamin B12.

Weight-Watchers Diet – this diet is balanced nutritionally, at about 1000-1200 kcal; use of high nutrient-dense foods are consumed; economic and palatable food makes it one of most successful diets with no real health risks.

Wine Diet – this diet is about 1200 kcal/day, containing 28 menus together with a glass of dry table wine at dinner; besides medicinal components of wine, it is believed that individuals reduce portion sizes when wine is consumed with a meal; diet is low in cholesterol and saturated fats; there is a focus on fish, poultry, and veal with moderate amounts of red meat.

Yogurt Diet – this diet consists of two versions, being 900-1000 kcal/day, and 1200-1500 kcal/day; plain low-fat yogurt is main dairy dish, consumed at breakfast, lunch, and as a bedtime snak; diet is high in protein, and it is low in cholesterol, saturated fat, and refined carbohydrates.

Diets that do not provide 100% of U.S. RDA for 13 vitamins and minerals:

Atkins Beverly Hills Carbohydrate Craver’s Basic Carbohydrate Craver’s Dense California (1200 kcal)California (2000 kcal) F-Plan I Love America I Love New York Pritikin (700 kcal) Pritikin (1200 kcal) Richard Simmons Scarsdale Stillman