Everywhere you look today you hear about some new diet that promises almost instant results. Do these fad diets work$1 If they worked so well, there wouldn’t be so many of them, would there? And people wouldn’t always be on some sort of diet or other. The truth is, the best way to lose weight is the old fashioned way. Eat right and exercise. In addition, fast weight loss is not even good for your health. Losing one to two pounds per week is best for your body. Losing weight too quickly causes your metabolism to slow because it goes into “starvation mode,” fearing your body is not going to get enough to eat. Losing weight too rapidly can also be hard on your heart. There are a number of “diet aids” out there. Diet pills can help suppress the appetite, but they often contain caffeine and other undesirable ingredients. There are also now a number of herbal and “natural” diet pills on the market. Make sure you know what is in the pills you take. It is advisable to use diet pills only under the supervision of your doctor; don’t take over-the-counter diet pills unless your doctor tells you to. Then there are the “diet shakes." You replace meals with a liquid supplement that contains protein and other nutrients but is low in calories. These are relatively healthy, but rarely leave you feeling full. There are other plans that want you to purchase their meals in order to lose weight. These can be quite costly. There are many diet foods available at the grocery store. There are also many fad diet plans. You have no doubt heard about the low carb diet. A low carb diet can help you lose weight and can also be helpful if you have diabetes. However, our bodies need a certain amount of carbohydrates in order to function properly. Don’t cut out all carbs from your diet. If you want to go on a low carb diet, you should discuss it with your doctor or a licensed dietician first. Finally there is gastric bypass, or weight loss surgery. This is usually only an option for those who are at lease 100 pounds over weight. In this surgical procedure, part of the stomach and part of the small intestine are removed. That way you feel full more quickly and fewer calories are absorbed. This is a serious weight loss measure and should be undertaken only after other weight loss methods have been tried and have been unsuccessful. This surgery is performed under general anesthesia, which carries a number of risks. Again, the best way to lose weight is often the tried and true method of proper diet and exercise. Eat low fat, low calorie meals that contain plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Cut back on snack foods and desserts. Get some exercise everyday. In addition to losing weight, you will improve your BMI (body mass index) score and overall health.