A beginner's guide to diet information

The most effective diet guide combines a twin approach of eating less unhealthy food, and consuming more healthy foods. However, there is much disagreement about just how unhealthy certain foods are in diet plans, and it is wise to be wary of online diets or unattributed dieting advice. For instance, even if a certain foodstuff is good for you, there is no point eating it in exclusion to everything else. The answer is in maintaining a balance. This guide will outline the most important points.

Healthy foods

Fruit and vegetables
It would be rare to find somebody who does not agree that fruit and vegetables are not only good for you, but are exceedingly healthy diets in their own right. The reason for this is simple: while your first reaction to the suggestion of eating a banana instead of a chocolate might be disapproving, the fact is that the banana will provide you with all the nutrients and natural sugars that the chocolate cannot and, crucially will result in you feeling satisfactorily satiated afterwards. White meat
Apart from vegetarians, most meat eaters regard meat as the mainstay of their dinner, or at least the majority of their dinners. That is one reason why so many are put off by diets saying that eating less meat is better for you. However, this is only partly true: white meat - and particularly fish - is one of the healthiest meats that you can eat. In addition, it contains less fats than red meat and, therefore, is ideal for a diet. In addition, meat will give you protein which helps to power your muscles, and thus burn more calories.

Unhealthy foods

Chocolates, pastries and snacks
Nothing will destroy all the good work of a diet as quickly as a craving for junk food, especially if the dieter acts on the craving. Eating one small chocolate or having a biscuit with your coffee is not going to undo your diet, but scoffing down crisps, pastries and assorted other snacks certainly will. Dairy in the form of milkshakes and sweet yoghurt is not going to help the dieter's causes and should be avoided where possible. Alcohol
It is difficult to believe that the innocent-looking glass of white wine that you drink at dinner, or the three glasses of beer that you have at the pub, will add pounds and negate any benefits of having stuck so religiously to fruit and vegetables all day. However, alcohol is a known calorie fiend, and will contribute to extra weight as efficiently as chocolate and sweet desserts.