If you are like most you will have to diet sometime in your life. I know I have dieted off and on for years going all the way back to my bodybuilding days when strict tuna and water diets were the means to attaining as low a body fat measurement as possible. I would like to share with you some of the things I have learned over the years to help with the dieting process.

Regardless of the diet you choose it is essential that you set goals for what you are trying to achieve. When I say goals, I mean written goals. If you don't write your goals down your chances of success are almost nil. Also, set rewards along with the goals. If you reach a certain weight goal in a week reward yourself with a favorite snack, in a small portion of course. Another thing you can do is reward yourself with some new clothes.

Now, let's get into the dieting itself. Many diets are doomed to fail because they make you hungry. Yeah, I know everyone tells you that if you are trying to lose weight you have to be hungry, but you don't have to be feeling like you are starving all the time.

One way to avoid this on any diet is to split your meals into smaller portions and eat every 3-4 hours instead. This is what all professional athletes do because it makes the most efficient use of the food you are taking in.

Another simple method is to realize that your stomach's size is naturally about the size of your fist. Knowing this, when planning a diet the portions you are consuming should be about the size of your hand during each meal. Most of us eat five or six times this amount.

One time tested method I have used in addition to the smaller meals is to drink lots of water. I know you have heard this stressed over and over but not only is it crucial for removing toxins when you are dieting, but it will also help you to feel fuller.

When choosing a diet, investigate it fully and also ask your personal physician about it. There are a lot of scams out there, especially on the internet. If someone tells you that you can lose ten pounds overnight or even every week, don't believe it. The maximum you will lose on a long term diet is around three pounds per week. You have to remember, it took a while to put it on and it will take awhile to take it off too.