Almost everyone has been on a diet at one time or another in his or her lives and unfortunately, the success rate on diets are poor with very little permanent weight loss. By following the guidelines below, those hard to get rid of pounds and inches could finally disappear.

The Guidelines to a healthy diet

Breakfast - Never skip breakfast, as it really is "the most important meal of the day". When we are sleeping, our metabolism slows down and upon waking; we need to speed it up and breakfast is the way to do this. Remember that what you choose to eat for breakfast is as important as having breakfast. Even though a donut or leftover birthday cake tastes great, it is not a good choice for breakfast. Stick to foods such as yogurt, fruits, wholegrain cereals and breads.

Amount of Food - When a person gains weight it does not necessarily mean they eat the wrong food but they may eat too much of the right food. By cutting the portions we eat down, we can loose weight without being on a strict diet.

Water and Rest - Drinking water is one of the very best things that we can do for our bodies. When on a diet, water is even more important as gives us a feeling of being full so we do not feel hungry. When people drink lots of water, they have less room for soda, coffee and other drinks that add calories to our diets. Studies show that getting the proper amount of rest is beneficial when dieting. Lack of sleep makes it more difficult to lose weight.

Losing Weight Quickly - Gaining weight is often a slow process that takes years and losing weight should be the same. Bodies resist sudden changes and this resistance called homeostasis. When we get too hot and start to perspire, this causes us to cool down and that is how homeostasis works. When we diet and lose weight too fast, homeostasis kicks in and slows down our metabolism. Loosing muscle tissue and body fluids are a result of severe dieting and this is not healthy.

Extremes - As with almost everything in our lives, going to an extreme is not a good choice. That applies to dieting to lose weight also. Diets that have you cutting out foods, such as all vegetables or carbohydrates should be checked carefully before starting. Extreme diets are not only unhealthy but also dangerous so always check with your doctor first.

Calorie Counting - Counting calories and knowing what your body requires to maintain or lose weight is important. Counting calories when dieting lets you know your calorie intake and adjust your diet.

Foods We Do Not Like - Some diets require us to eat foods that we do not care for. It is very difficult to stay on a diet of that nature for more than a week or two.

Eat healthier foods, drink lots of water and cut down on the servings to lose weight gradually over a reasonable length of time.