How To Choose A Diet Plan

There are many diet plans out there for you to choose from.  The best known are things like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig but beyond that there seems to be a diet plan in every magazine you pick up.  So, how do you choose what diet plan is best for you?
The best way is to do an honest self appraisal.  What are your weak points when it comes to sticking with a diet plan?  For me it was hunger and lack of variety.  I also didn’t want a plan that included a lot of hard to find, expensive food items.  I wanted a diet plan that included foods I could easily find in my neighborhood grocery store, things that wouldn’t break my budget.
I needed a diet plan that was livable and reasonable for my way of life.  I just don’t have time to be preparing special meals that needed a lot of ingredients and took a lot of time.  I didn’t want to have to eat differently from my family.  I wanted to be able to stick with the diet plan when I went out to eat or in social situations.  I didn’t want to stand out.  And of course, I wanted it to include foods that I enjoyed and wanted to eat.
I also needed to look at the foods that caused me the most problems.  For me that was things with a lot of sugar and refined carbs.  I wanted a diet plan that included healthy food that wasn’t processed or filled with additives.  Just good, basic whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes as long as they were simple and easy to prepare and didn’t include a lot of ingredients.  I enjoy trying different spices and flavor combinations and I am challenged to find healthy ways to make old favorites.  I need a diet plan that leaves me satisfied and doesn’t bore me.