Checklist for selecting an eating plan to lose weight

The claims sound believable, so it can be tempting to try the latest diet you hear about. While a diet plan may sound tempting, an eating plan should be the goal. To manage your weight and maintain a healthy nutritional status, it would be wise to consider these questions:

Does the plan promise weight loss without exercise?

For most healthy adults, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends the following exercise guidelines: Aerobic activity ? get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity; muscle-strengthening exercises ? two or more days a week. Keep activity exciting by doing different things you enjoy.

QUESTION: Are there particular foods, or food groups, excluded or consumed excessively? Use MyPlate (www.choosemyplate.gov) to guide your food intake. All food groups are important.

QUESTION: Does the plan require you to purchase pills, bars, or shakes? A sustainable eating pattern is based on food readily available in grocery stores and farmers markets.

QUESTION: Does the plan promise weight loss of more than 1?2 pounds per week? Losing 1?2 pounds or less a week is gradual, healthy weight loss. Weight lost more rapidly than this tends to be regained even faster.

QUESTION: Does the plan sound too good to be true? If it does, it probably is.