Healthy Diet Plans can Fail

Diet can mean many things to different people. It is something everyone is on and refers to a regular intake of food. The idea that it is something that you go on in order to lose weight is a misconception.

By virtue of the normal daily food we eat defines that we are on a diet, however, some of us could benefit from modifying our diet and if we wish to reduce our weight then the term 'healthy diet plans' should be used.

For the latter part of the 20th century up until today, healthy diet plans have become very fashionable and commercial in the Western culture. It is estimated that at 25% of the population in the USA are on one type of diet or another.

There are many healthy diet plans on the market claiming quick weight loss - the choice of diet and the claims made are astonishing. It is difficult to ascertain how successful in the long run these diets are as many of these diets are boring, expensive, complicated and tedious after a short period of time.

It is therefore no surprise that 99% of people who start out with healthy diet plans, either give up or fail in achieving their goal weight.

Because the body is complicated, it does not respond well when the regular diet changes. The body actually recognizes dieting as a sign of starvation and slows down the metabolic rate. In slowing down, the body protects the stores of energy (fat) that have accumulated until the starvation period is over.

Healthy diet plans often result in the deprivation of glycogen. This slows the body down resulting in tiredness, depression and irritability. These are all common complaints dieters suffer from

In order to maintain normal levels of Glycogen it is essential that your healthy diet plans follow the rule of thumb that you should be eating at least ten calories per pound of normal body weight. Therefore, if you wish to attain an ideal weight of 150 pounds, the daily calorie intake should contain at least 1500 calories.

Glycogen also controls the appetite. Insufficient glycogen will trigger sensations of extreme hunger, even though you have just eaten. Where there is too little glycogen in the blood the autonomic nervous system is triggered and certain mechanisms are set in motion.

So when starting out with new healthy diet plans, always remember to take things slowly so that the body can adjust at a safe rate.