Statements like this tend to be said with sighs of regret. After all, we think of dieting as a punishment from above, or - at best - a necessary evil. It's as if the words 'Dieting Is Evil' are carved in stone. We've come to accept them without question. After all, what can be pleasant about being on a diet?

Yes, there's so much media hysteria about the latest variation on the (unhealthy?) dieting theme: zone diet, low-fat, lactose free, cholesterol lowering... All these and many more. Most people aren't naturally attracted to the latest dieting fads, but in despair they'll try anything. Especially when they promise to be good for us!

But can we rely on them?

At first you could be elated by a rapid loss of weight. But sorry to say... all evidence suggests that most people quickly give up these diets. Not only that, they revert to their old eating patterns - and then some! This shouldn't surprise us. How long can you expect to avoid practically everything you like and keep your spirits up?

Give Me Answers Now!

Do you remember the old song by Queen: 'I want it all, I want it now'? We've become so used to this mentality that we apply it to dieting regimes as well. Are we sick of the sight of our bodies? Is our weight affecting our health? Okay, let's put it right - here and now! Often we suspect a certain program can't be good, but the advertisers and copy writers know how to push our buttons. So we part with our cash, telling ourselves we'll just give this rapid (but unhealthy) dieting plan a try.

The drive to reduce weight rapidly can be so strong in some dieters that they will choose stomach bypass procedures. They know these operations were designed for the extremely overweight, but they nevertheless choose to ignore their own doctor's advice and seek private treatment.

Counteracting Unhealthy Dieting

At risk of sounding old-fashioned and stating what readers don't want to hear, there are some facts that can't be overlooked: in order to lose weight and have a healthy, trim body in the long-term, you need to moderate your diet by eating healthy foods and perhaps eating less; you also need to take some exercise.

Think about it. This is really great news! You won't need to avoid your favorite foods. You won't need to go hungry. You can eat what you like in moderation, and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that your health and weight are going to be right.

So wave goodbye to all those unhealthy dieting plans and the physical and emotional pain that accompany them. Say hello and welcome to a new shape, better health, higher self-esteem, improved moods and emotional well being. Yes, you can enjoy that cookie or piece of chocolate, so long as you know you're sticking to your plan and taking moderate exercise. Unhealthy dieting plans! Who needs them?