In January a lot of people decide to go on a diet. This is not the only time of year that happens. A few months before summer (the bathing suit season) starts, many women decide to lose weight. There are so many diets around. It seems to me that too many of them are extreme diets: You cannot eat any carbs. You need to eat mainly protein. You can eat all the fats you want. I am afraid I do not go for any of these extreme diets. They are too radical. At first you are all excited and follow the diet. You might drop a few pounds quickly. Then the weight loss slows down and you lose your enthusiasm. Does that sound familiar?

I am a proponent of moderation. Take fats for example. We associate fat with fats . The truth is that some fats are good for you. True, fat has more than twice as many calories as carbs or protein. It has 9 calories per gram. In some ways fat is good for you. It is filling because it takes longer to leave the stomach than other foods. Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated lower bad LDL and increase the good HDL cholesterol. Olives and nuts are examples of monounsaturated fats. Fish and many oils have polyunsaturated fats. Want an avocado with your salad? Have one. It is an example of a good monounsaturated fat. Other good examples of this are sardines, herring, salmon, corn oil, soy oil and olives. A good tip is to replace animal fat with plant fat.

What about carbs? Sometimes they get a bad rap. We need them for energy (grains, fruits and vegetables). Whole grains and produce provide us with vitamins minerals and fiber, all essential for our health. The bad carbs (the ones we sometimes loveI am as guilty as anyone else.) are full of empty calories. We may have to cut back on the amount of carbs we consume, but we should not cut them out. The latest food pyramid from the USDA even separates the good and bad carbs.. The fiber in good carbs will help control weight gain.

The third category is protein. I am sure you have seen some diets that do not allow any protein and others that say you should eat as much protein as you can. Here again, I believe in moderation. Your body needs some protein to repair itself, but it should only be about 20% of the calories you consume. Poultry, egg whites and fish lead the field because they contain minimal saturated fat. Lean pork and beef, nuts and lowfat dairy should be included in the proteins you favor. Try to stay away from fatty meats and dairy products. Also watch out for those energy bars. Always check the calorie count. It is amazing how many calories are in some of them.

I am not a doctor and have no training in the medical field. I can only tell you about my commonsense thoughts on diet. I believe that by following a moderation diet (eat the good fats, carbs and proteins and avoid the bad ones) AND increasing your exercise, you will be healthier and fitter this year. Not only that, but because it is not extreme, this adjustment in your lifestyle will be easier to do over a long period of time. Good luck to you!