Carbohydrates are an important ingredient in your quest to lose weight. Low carb diets have become big business in the last decade, and these fad diets have been backed by famous celebrities because of the rate in which they help you lose weight.

The problem with low carb diets is you lose muscle as well as fat, and losing muscle slows down your metabolism. This seems like a good thing while you're on your diet but when you start eating normally again ( which you'll have to do eventually ) the pounds soon pile on, and you end up heavier than before.

Your body needs carbohydrates for energy, and carbohydrates feed your muscles.

Low fat diets are another fad diet. If you have a condition such as heart disease then you almost certainly need top go on a low fat diet. If you want to successfully lose weight then fat is as important as any other nutrient.

Eating fat doesn't make you fat. Eating healthy, unsaturated fats will in fact, help you lose weight. Healthy fats are also important for the regeneration of your body's cells. Fish oils such as omega 3's are now well known for being good for the brain because the brain is largely made of fat. This is the same for most of your body and some vitamins and minerals need a healthy supply of fats to transport themselves around your body.

Protein is important for burning fat simply because it feeds your muscles. When you feed your muscles they get bigger, and then your metabolism increases. You'll never successfully burn fat if you don't increase your metabolic rate. This is the rate in which your body uses energy even in a resting state.

The more energy your body uses in a resting state the more fat your body will naturally be burning even while your sleeping.

On top of your food combining you need to introduce a good exercise program into your fat burning regime. Exercise makes you stronger, and when you get stronger your muscles grow. When your muscles grow you increase your metabolism, and your body burns fat faster then you could have imagined.

All this is achieved without the need of any fad diets, or expensive diet supplements.