Food Lovers' Diet

Many dieters will tell you, "I could lose weight if I didn't love food so much." Now there is no excuse. The Food Lover's Diet, featured in "Fitness" magazine, promises to help dieters do just that.

The Basics

A balanced diet works best for long-term weight loss and maintenance.

The basics of almost any diet is the consumption of lots of fruits and vegetables. The Food Lover's Diet is no different. According to "Fitness" magazine and registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer, the best food plan is one high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, extra lean protein and contains foods low in saturated fats. This well-balanced approach will supply your nutrients and help drop pounds.

The Food

Getting enough food will keep you nourished so your weight loss is healthy.

Dieters often will sacrifice nutrition for a few calories. If you exercise, "Fitness" magazine recommends you don't eat less than 1,500 calories a day, or you're probably not getting enough nutrition to maintain a healthy body. A typical low-fat breakfast should be about 400 calories. Lunch should be about 500 calories, and dinner should be about 600 calories. On days you exercise, "Fitness" recommends one 100-calorie snack.

Examples of a typical breakfast on the Food Lover's Diet would include a whole grain cereal with some fruit. Lunch could include a salad with a low-fat dressing and a lean protein such as turkey. Dinner might be chicken fajitas with corn tortillas, broiled chicken strips, vegetables and brown rice. A snack could include a cup of air popped popcorn or 5 ounces of a dry red or white wine.

Exercise

Cardio and strength training are essential to healthy weight loss.

One key to weight loss on the Food Lover's Diet is the inclusion of exercise. Combining strength training and cardio is best. Cardio will burn fat, while strength training will boost your metabolism so you burn more fat. More lean muscle means more fat burning.