You can't stop eating altogether, so you have to come up with a logical way to supply what your body needs. Some juice fasts and even water fasting can be beneficial for a short time, but chronic fasting will endager your health.

The body burns a certain amount of calories in any given day, so taking in less than you use will cause you to lose weight. The problem is - how much is enough and how much is too little? Three meals of 400 calories each will give a total of 1200 calories for the day. This is very low for most men and women, but you should lose weight, assuming you are not eating "empty" calories found in junk food. To prevent hunger between meals, you should add a mid morning snack, a mid afternoon snack and a snack after supper. These snacks, however, should be only 100 calories from things such as low fat yogurt, apples, berries, etc. Be diligent in checking how many calories are in the snack so that you are not eating a quick snack that totals 250 calories by itself!

Some fat is healthy and helps fill you up and keep you feeling satiated for a longer period of time. But foods without fat tend to have many more "fillers" in the form of sugar and starch. Sugars and starches are processed by your body quickly, which means you will be hungrier again sooner. And many people make the mistake of thinking as long as they're not eating fat, they can eat "non-fat" products anytime they would like. Foods with sugar have empty calories and should be avoided.

There are fats that should be drastically limited in your diet. These are considered to be "bad" fats, and are called saturated or trans fats. These types of fats can cause health problems and increased weight.

Eliminating carbs was all the rage years ago, but that's not a wise move, as time has shown. Most fruits and vegetables have some carbohydrates in them. It is better to limit or restrict your carb intake instead of trying to eliminate it all together.

Healthy carbs are what you find in vegetables or organic cheese. Eliminating quick, simple sugars, starches, and carbs from your diet will regulate your body's insulin production. It will also force you to eat alternative foods, which fill you up better and keep you full longer.

All of these common approaches to weight loss work together, and they all work best when you eliminate simple starches and sugars from your diet. Cutting your carbs very low for just a few days will kill your cravings for sweets, and it may also kill your appetite. In the end you actually consume fewer calories overall, because you will not be hungry as often and you will not be getting hit with sugar cravings. A low carb diet will turn into a low calorie diet over time.

The same applies to low fat diets. If done well, you will find yourself eating more fiber rich foods to help you feel full longer. Foods which are naturally high in fiber are also naturally lower in carbs and calories.

Choose healthy fats and healthy carbs, eliminate simple starches and sugars, and you will lose weight. Add some consistent exercise and you will tone your body and feel good.

Joyce Kisling