Diet

Decades of fads diet that don't work. High-protein, low carbohydrate diets don't work. Neither do low-fat, high suger, high carbohydrate diets. What does work is moderation.

The goal of a proper diet is to stay healthy, this goes beyond just keeping the weight off. It goes beyond even the food you eat -- you must get proper exercise and sleep as well.

The five major components of a diet:

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are divided into two groups, simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are sugars and are digested rather quickly. Complex carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables and take two hours to consume. It is a good idea to have a snack, like a piece of fruit, to refuel your burnt up carbohydrates between meals.

Fat: Fats are high energy density foods that take a while to burn, often eight hours or more. Low fat diets have been proven to have lackluster performance in losing weight. But still, high fat diets are not good either.

Protein: Protein is a required structural material for your body. Sometimes protein is burned in the body for energy but not usually.

Fibre: Fibre is not used for energy in the body. But it is necessary for digestion.

Water: Water is a lubricant your body needs to maintain all your systems. It is important to consume a good quantity of water before and/or after a meal. Even more important in terms of losing weight is to consume foods high in water.

Tips: Listen to what your body wants. If a food seem montonous because you have being eating a lot of it lately, then you likely should eat a different kind of food.
Plan portion sizes.

Reduce Calories, Stave Off Hunger With Water-Rich Foods -- Not Water
Processed food are no good.
High fat, high energy foods are a stress reliever for some people. But dieting is stressful making successful dieting difficult.

Red meat has political consequences! (Rise and Fall of the Cattle Culture, Jeremy Rifkin)

http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/pdf_pubs/NUTTAB.PDF