Most know that the main tool in maintaining a healthy body is a balanced diet, but not everyone can pull it off and succeed in implementing such a dietary system. The state of hyperactivity that we find ourselves living today has left us with almost no time to be picky regarding what we eat. With more people are living this unhealthy life, nutrition and lifestyle related diseases are continuously spreading. One of the mild complications of this phenomenon is fatigue, which results from inadequate nutrients and food intake, as harmless as it sounds it can prove to be a huge problem, decreasing productivity and laying the way for other health hazards. But that's not the only problem, according to World Health Organization reports and previously published reports in Saudi Arabia, incidence rates of obesity and diabetes are steadily increasing in the Kingdom. Again, thanks to unhealthy diets and lifestyles. It seems that the only resolution for this gloomy reality can be found in balanced diets that provide essential nutrients that are scattered in a wide variety of foods. A consistent diet plan also offers a regular supply of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients that ensure the optimum function of all body systems and increase energy and productivity. Shops that offer diet plans and healthy food are spreading in Jeddah, offering their services to almost every one in town. Even those who suffer from medical conditions can find something that suits them in these shops. “In a balanced diet carbohydrates and fibers are of great importance. Yet, it's also important to take adequate quantities of proteins, minerals and vitamins. However, nutritional requirements differ from one individual to another, so its really is important to know what will work best for you,” said Dietician Mona Katarji of diet center, Jeddah. “In our center, dieticians take care of clients' diets according to their medical reports and body requirements, as each one has his own needs.” Katarji said that going on a diet based on general or inaccurate information might backfire, leading to serious complications. “Magazines aren't a good source to be taking diet plans from; in fact doing that is quite dangerous. Consulting a dietician is a must before going on any diet, since only a dietician can give you advice based on your needs,” she said “in addition, exercise is a very important factor, you just cannot depend on food to maintain proper balance in your body.” Many dietary problems can be attributed to people's tendency to eat similar food everyday, especially if they prefer a certain type of food. Consuming the same types of food can lead to a deficiency in specific nutrients that are only present in other foods. Katarji adds that diet is the best tool for weight control, helping in weight loss while meeting dietary requirements and maintaining stable amounts of important nutrients in our bodies. Another important tool in loosing weight is exercise, which can't be carried out effectively without proper nutrition. “Here in Diet Center our cooks prepare food according to the dieticians' instructions, which take in consideration individual variances. After checking what would suit our clients best, food is made under the dieticians' supervision,” she explained “most of the time we prefer to give 50-60% carbohydrates, 15% proteins, and only 10 – 15% fats in our diets, but this ratio can be adjusted according to the client's needs.” Nutritional experts advise those who want to go on diet to choose low fat varieties of food that are somewhat similar to their usual choices. Slightly less calories than actual body requirements should be consumed, as long as that amount doesn't fall below 1500calories per day, which should be considered a minimum limit. After losing 3-5 pounds, you can adjust your diet by cutting an extra 100 calories out of your daily consumption.When making your own diet plan there are some important points to consider. A free diet plan should include these basic steps: 1. Estimate calories required to maintain your present weight 2. Calculate your present calorie consumption by monitoring food consumed in an average day 3. Reduce your current daily calorie intake by about 500 calories 4. When weight loss slows, reduce calorie consumption by a further 100 calories per day. 5- Make sure that your daily consumption doesn't fall below 1500 calories per day 6. A diet plan should consist mainly of natural foods, low in calories and high in nutrients, to help avoid any nutritional deficiency. __
