Dieting                                         Return to Health and Fitness By LifeAdviceSite.com  The word "diet" has taken on a negative connotation in our society in recent years. Extreme dieting, crash dieting, and otherwise poor eating and exercise habits have adversely affected our health. The dictionary defines diet as: The usual food and drink of a person or animal. A regulated selection of foods, as for medical reasons or cosmetic weight loss. Something used, enjoyed, or provided regularly: subsisted on a diet of detective novels during his vacation.

Although it should be the first definition that is most commonly known and referred to, it is actually the second definition to which the word most often applies. Generally speaking, "dieting" is not a healthy habit as it applies to a gross percentage of the population who go on a diet for weight loss and then go off the diet and then go on a diet again. Rapid and repetitive changes in food consumption or exercise level causes distress to the system. Our bodies are designed for regularity. We sleep each night. We wake each morning. We eat every day. We drink every day. We need to exercise every day.

It's been said by everyone because it's true: Moderation is key.

Your body is a machine, and it needs consistent, regular care. In order to perform at your best, you need to feed your body quality fuel. You wouldn't stuff twinkies in the gas tank of your car and expect it to run properly. The same goes for your body. You need to fill your body with whole, nutritious foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and cheeses - these are the foods our ancestors ate, and these are the foods that will keep your body performing at its best.

Don't torture yourself with constant dieting to make up for the junk you consume. Make your "usual food and drink" healthy choices. Eat from the earth every day. Processed foods and those with preservative and chemicals should be eaten in moderation. Choose one day a week to have one or two of the treats you really want, and then go back to fresh, whole foods.

Take the time to explore the foods offered to you from this earth, and all of ways they are good for you.