Diet for weight control has been an effective and accepted method. Dieticians and nutrition specialists have been designing recipes, meals or diets for their clients depending upon their body structure, body mass or weight and the rate of metabolism.

Diet for those with active lifestyle has to be different from those with static or less active lifestyle. When a good dietician or nutrition specialist works out daily meal or recipes for you, he or she takes into consideration the actual body requirements of certain essential ingredients, including carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and fats. Each category of these ingredients also has subdivisions. Like you have good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates.

Body draws its strength mainly from carbohydrates that are also known as energy house.

In early 70s, Dr Robert Atkins came out with a diet, which could help obese and overweight people to lose weight. Originally, this diet gained popularity as it started showing results after it has been used for short periods. Those who had been following Atkins diet plan were reducing weight on expected lines which averaged a little more than 10 pounds a year which by any standards is highly satisfactory.

Basic philosophy of Dr Atkins was to cut down on carbohydrates to shed extra flap. Compared to other weight loss diet recipes, it was accepted fairly well and results, if not outstanding, were fairly satisfactory.

However, subsequent studies conducted on people using Atkins diet were found to be suffering from dizziness, laziness, nausea, bad breath and even constipation. The reason was that instead of carbohydrates – the energy house – body started drawing its power from fats. This diversion from carbohydrates to fats is a process called ketosis that has at times complications and serious side effects.

Controls on diets are OK but they have to be in consonance with body requirements. Body needs certain quantity of carbohydrates every day. Other ingredients cannot substitute this. Also important are fiber-rich fruit and vegetables as they are rich in carbohydrates. Criticism of Atkins diet has been that instead of fiber-rich fruit and vegetables, it allows its clients to consumer high-fat high cholesterol foods because they have less of carbohydrates.