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What are the Different Types of Diet and Exercise Plans?

Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

As it becomes more and more apparent that diet and exercise are an important part of a long and healthy life, there is a greater focus on diet and exercise plans. The fields of diet and fitness are flooded with various diet and exercise plans, some that are quite straightforward and others that are incredibly strict and unusual. The most common diet and exercise plans include keeping a balanced diet that includes low amounts of salt, sugar, and fats and regular exercise that keeps the heart healthy, the joints lubricated, and the muscles strong.

Some of the most common diet plans include low-carb diets, low-fat diets, and diet plans based on a system that calculates the number of calories that are consumed. Low-carb diets are important for people who are looking to shed pounds while only doing light or moderate exercises. This kind of diet may also be used to help keep weight off after a period of intense exercise and weight loss. A low-fat diet may be a bit higher in carbs, which is useful for people who are working out on a regular basis and need the carbohydrates to fuel their exercise.

Lean chicken, which is a good source of protein, can be included as part of a healthy diet plan.
Lean chicken, which is a good source of protein, can be included as part of a healthy diet plan.

Diet and exercise plans that count calories usually allow dieters to calculate both the calories that they consumed and the calories that they expended. This can be a useful tool for people who go through periods of regular exercise and periods of less regular activity. By being able to adjust one's eating on these kinds of diet and exercise plans, changes in daily life can be accounted for.

Calorie counting, combined with exercise, can lead to weight loss.
Calorie counting, combined with exercise, can lead to weight loss.

Some of the most common exercise plans include cardio exercises and strength training exercises. Also, exercise classes in yoga, pilates, and different kinds of dance area also sometimes are incorporated into diet and exercise plans. Cardio exercises can help to shed pounds while strength training exercises help to build muscles. Some people combine the two in order to get the benefits of both.

Drinking bottled water may be part of a diet plan.
Drinking bottled water may be part of a diet plan.

It is important that diet and exercise plans complement each other. A very low-carb diet, for example, is not a good choice for someone who is training for a marathon and running many miles every day because this sort of exercise requires one to have carbohydrates to burn. Finding diet and exercise plans that complement each other while also working with one's goals and daily life is ideal and can be done with a little research and a bit of experimentation.

Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.

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Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.

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    • Lean chicken, which is a good source of protein, can be included as part of a healthy diet plan.
      By: Viktor
      Lean chicken, which is a good source of protein, can be included as part of a healthy diet plan.
    • Calorie counting, combined with exercise, can lead to weight loss.
      By: Minerva Studio
      Calorie counting, combined with exercise, can lead to weight loss.
    • Drinking bottled water may be part of a diet plan.
      By: Givaga
      Drinking bottled water may be part of a diet plan.
    • A variety of foods containing carbohydrates, protein, and fats make up a balanced diet.
      By: Eugenio Chelli
      A variety of foods containing carbohydrates, protein, and fats make up a balanced diet.
    • Any well-balanced diet plan should include several servings of fiber-rich grains and fresh fruits daily.
      By: kentoh
      Any well-balanced diet plan should include several servings of fiber-rich grains and fresh fruits daily.
    • Eating only leafy greens is one beneficial diet plan.
      By: Ana Blazic Pavlovic
      Eating only leafy greens is one beneficial diet plan.