From Low Carb to Low Fat: How to Find Your Balance

Despite what we've all invariably heard, cutting out an entire section of the natural diet for humans can't be healthy. We are told to eat nothing but bread, white meat, and vegetables; then we are told to eat nothing but steak, eggs, and bacon. But, when you apply a little common sense to both theories, well, they just don't really hold up. Here are a few tips for finding that healthy balance that may not "guarantee" to make you lose 30 pounds in as many days, but will certainly put you on track for a healthy lifestyle.

Ignore the fad diets, (Atkins, etc.) and base your eating habits off of good, sensible decisions. You know, for the most part, what is good for you and what isn't. So, simply think about it a little more.

Remember that food, especially old staples, have always been very popular and very edible for a reason. Fruits and vegetables have been eaten in some way more or less since the beginning of mankind. So next time you feel that pang, warm up a Tupperware container filled with your favorite veggie, or nab a fresh apple.

As a general guideline, eat the naturally good stuff. A great example of this is reaching for the whole grain loaf of bread instead of white next time you go to the supermarket.

For the most part, stick to lean meats with high concentrations of protein. Tuna, turkey, and chicken are all excellent sources. And that extra protein they pack takes a lot of metabolic effort for your body to digest.

And, of course, make your favorite drink water. It can't be beat for its value. Most sodas, hydrating drinks, and even juices are packed with refined sugar, and even the ones with the fake stuff may give you cancer.

So, as you can see, these tips are nothing revolutionary. Hopefully, they were common sense. But every once in awhile it never hurts to have a little reminder to keep on track. That isn't to say we can't all splurge once in awhile, but in essence you really have to go with what's in your (insert terrible joke here) gut. Eat until you're not hungry instead of bursting full, stay physically active, and you're pretty much guaranteed to be in decent physical condition. It's just that simple, yet just that difficult. A little common sense goes a long way in the world of weight maintenance.