Five Ways to Tell If Your Diet Is Safe...KEYWORDS: diet safety tips safe dieting tips how to evaluate a weight loss program AUTHOR: Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE More than 45 million American adults try to lose weight each year, spending more than $100 billion on a variety of weight-loss programs and supplements. With so many weight-loss programs available, how do we go about choosing a plan that not only works but is healthy too? We can talk to our friends and neighbors, but what works for one person is not necessarily best for another.

Is This Diet for You?

Before you start yet another weight-loss plan, ask the following questions. If you can answer "yes" to all five questions, the plan is most likely safe and worth a try: Does the plan include all groups of foods? If a weight-loss plan excludes a whole group of foods (grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy), you are in real danger of missing out on essential vitamins and minerals. Also, a lack of variety will make it hard to continue the plan in the long term. Remember that the changes you make to lose weight are the same changes that will maintain your hard-won weight loss. Does the plan allow reasonable calorie levels? Most experts agree that women need at least 1,400 to 1,600 each day to maintain a healthy body; men require at least 1,800 to 2,000 calories. And even at those levels, it's almost impossible to obtain all nutrients from the diet. Eating at least 2,000 calories a day is a safe bet for everyone. Does the plan include your favorite foods? For example, weight-loss plans that outlaw sugars are difficult to follow at holidays and celebrations. If your favorite foods aren't included, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Does the plan fit your lifestyle and budget? By one estimate, losing 25 pounds at Nutri/System could cost more than $1,000. If you can't afford a plan, you won't be able to stay with it for long. Is daily activity emphasized? Research clearly points to the importance of daily activity and exercise in both losing weight and maintaining weight loss. Plans that promise quick weight loss without exercise are misleading. In addition, the following guidelines will help with any weight-loss program:

Go for gradual weight loss. A loss of about two pounds a week is recommended.

People who require more rapid weight loss for health reasons should be under a physician's supervision.

Weight-loss programs should address the amount and type of food eaten, activity levels and the relationship between emotions or situations such as stress and eating.

Be wary of programs that promise quick and easy results that do not require changes in food intake or activity levels.