When most of us hear the word "diet" we think of starving ourselves to attempt to lose weight; however, literally, we are all on a diet all of the time. A person's "diet" is the sum of all food that is consumed by that individual. A "Balanced Diet" requires the proper ingestion (and equally important, the absorption of) vitamins, minerals, and fuel in the form of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Some people choose a particular diet to achieve weight loss, cardio-vascular health, avoidance of food allergies and occasionally even weight gain for those involved in sports training. Changing your dietary intake, or "going on a diet", can change your energy balance and increase or decrease the amount of fat stored by the body.

Food provides nutrients from six broad classes: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, dietary minerals, and water. Any diet that fails to meet minimum nutritional standards can threaten your overall health and physical fitness. If you are not well enough to be active, weight loss and good quality of life will be unlikely.

Serious Weight Loss has compiled a brief overview of some of the many popular diets available today. This list is by no means all inclusive and does not provide any specific instructions on following the diets referenced herein. Serious Weight Loss does not promote or endorse any of the diets listed in our overview. Changing your diet can make a dramatic difference in your health and like you, we want that difference to be a positive one; so Serious Weight Loss recomends that you consult your family physician before initiating any dietary changes