Low calorie diets

In many ways, low calorie diets are the simplest way to lose weight. If increased weight is the result of eating more than you need over a sustained period, then it follows that losing weight requires that you eat less for a while.

There are pros and cons to following a low calorie diet. The biggest advantage is that it isn't complicated - following a low calorie diet simply requires that you calculate your food portions.

You'll need some basic kitchen measures, a pencil and paper, and maybe a calculator.

What makes this approach so easy is that all packaged foods are required to show their nutrition information. Simply use the information to calculate how many calories you get from your chosen serving size.

When you eat foods that aren't packaged, such as fresh meats, fruit and vegetables, there are numerous books and websites that provide this type of information.

Even eating out shouldn't be a problem either, as many restaurants provide calorie information on their website. Another advantage of low calorie diets is that there are no particular foods that are forbidden. You can eat a range of whatever foods you like, as long as your total food intake stays within the daily limit.

There are downsides to this approach, however. The principal one is that it makes no distinction between the nutritional values of different foods. So you could eat nothing but Mars bars and fizzy drinks and still remain within your daily limit - but you'd miss out on a host of important nutrients.

Other potential problems include restricting your food intake too much, which again incurs the risk of missing essential nutrients, and also losing weight too fast. Gradual weight loss is not only healthier, but in addition, those who lose weight more slowly tend to keep the weight off. Around a pound per week is considered a safe average.