Every now and then a new fad diet hits the headlines with suggestions that some famous Hollywood star or another has successfully lost xxxxlbs using this method. One of the most popular diets used today in order to reduce weight and lose fat very quickly is the high protein diet. There are many different names associated with this type of diet, the Aitkin's Diet probably being the most universally recognised.

Whilst it has to be said that the results of following such a diet can be very encouraging and achieved in a relatively short space of time the big question which has to be answered is can you damage your health?

Many experts will say that such a diet does not provide the body with enough of the essential nutrients found in the other food groups which this type of diet pretty much leaves out completely. One such food group is carbohydrates i.e. fruit and vegetables, cereals and grains. If you completely remove this food group from your diet your body fluids will be depleted very quickly. This in turn can inhibit the bodies ability to burn off fat completely which really defeats the purpose of a diet.

With this in mind I have put together a short list of things NOT to do when trying to lose weight:-

1. DON'T believe everything you read in magazines and newspapers about "wonderful new diets"

2. DON't start the day without eating a good breakfast. To lose weight you need to give your metabolism a kick start in the morning to get the body burning fat.

3. DON'T stick to 3 large meals per day. Eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day instead and keep your metabolism running smoothly.

4. DON'T give up a balanced diet by eliminating food groups completely. Eat a healthy balanced diet which includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and other high fibre items such as brown rice or beans along with lean cuts of meat, poultry and fish and low fat dairy products.

5. DON'T sit on the sofa in front of the television each evening. Get some exercise - walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, cycling, the list is endless.

6. DON'T make dinner your largest meal of the day. Of the 6 small meals you should eat per day keep dinner lite and eat before 8pm to allow the body to burn off some of the calories before you retire for the night.

So you see you really DON'T need fad diets to lose weight. By getting to know which foods help the body to burn more fat and getting some exercise a good balanced diet is all that is required - you can lose up to 5lb per week and you should be able to keep this weight off if you continue with a sensible diet.

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