First, understand that there’s no such thing as “good” food or “bad” food. Any food that isn’t poison and to which you aren’t allergic is a good food. Diets, on the other hand, come in several varieties. There are good diets; bad diets; and bad, BAD diets.

The human body requires certain nutrients in order to function correctly. It needs vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that keep all of the parts clicking along and all of the pipes clear and in good working order. When the body is denied the needed nutrients, it first looks around to any of the missing elements that might be stored. If it finds none stored, it simply cannot supply the needed nutrient to the organs that need it, and the results aren’t pretty.

A good weight loss diet provides healthy, nutritious foods that supply all of the body’s needs while supplying fewer calories. Needed nutrients come from a diet that contains protein, carbohydrates and fat — yes, fat. We need some fat — the good kind, however; not the bad kind.

A good weight loss diet is not a starvation diet. It’s not a diet that leaves the dieter constantly hungry and unsatisfied. It’s not a diet that consists of only one food, one or two foods, or a diet that leaves one food group completely out.

There are lots and lots of weight loss diets out there. You can’t pick up a newspaper or a magazine, or turn on the TV, without seeing advertisements for one weight loss diet or another. There are a great many choices, and in order to choose wisely, you need information.

Good weight loss diets will include foods from all of the food groups. Granted, the portions allowed in some food groups might be much smaller than those allowed from other food groups. But a good diet also advocates exercise. There are two parts to weight loss. Eating fewer calories is one of them. The other one is burning more calories through exercise.