As a society, we've been programmed to think that losing weight is the best thing we can do for an overweight body and while it's important to drop pounds, there are some conditions in which a solo diet can cause more harm than good.

By 'solo dieting' we mean undertaking a diet without the supervision of a qualified doctor. The three conditions that we often get asked about in regards to solo-dieting are:

- Diabetes

- Pregnancy, including Lactating Mothers

- Teen Dieting

Diabetics: Before attempting any diet it's vital that you seek counsel with your doctor. One of the most damaging solo-diets a diabetic can use is a carb diet which can end in serious consequences for the diabetic, including death. The good news is that by following your doctor's recommendations for weight loss, dropping just a few pounds can reap significant rewards where diabetes in concerned. Blood sugar levels can be better controlled, more energy will appear while mental fog disappears. And losing weight can add years of life for most diabetics.

Pregnancy, Breastfeeding Moms: So many times we are asked, "I'm pregnant/breastfeeding but I really need to lose weight. Is it safe to go on a diet right now?"

We cannot recommend that any pregnant or nursing mom go on a solo-diet. The body is already under stress due to the baby developing in the womb OR nutrients that are being pulled from the nursing mom as the baby feeds.

There are times when a doctor will prescribe weight loss during these periods, and in such circumstances they will want to personally monitor the weight loss progress.

Teen Dieting: Weight issues have become magnified over the past decade where teens and kids are concerned. Because this is the development phase of the maturing child, we discourage solo-dieting as well as parental-monitored diets unless pre-approved by the child's doctor due to specific nutrients required by the developing child.

In Summary

Of course, there are many more conditions in which solo-dieting can do more harm than good, each with its own set of personal circumstances. Although these conditions can present serious consequences when solo-dieting is ensued, dropping the unnecessary weight is vital for a healthy body and a longer life span. While we cannot recommend solo-dieting for these conditions, there are things that every pregnant mom, lactating mom, diabetic and teen can do to drop pounds without going on a diet per say. Here are just a few suggestions:

Dessert time and snack time equals fresh fruit and/or fresh veggie time.

Limit servings at meal time to single servings.

Watch out for the Diet Enemies which include: sugar (including most prepared desserts such as cookies and cakes), butter, margarine, lard, shortening, dips, chips, fatty dairy foods such as ice cream, marbled meats or meats with visible fat, and gravy.

Shake the salt habit.

Omit snacking while preoccupied - such as when watching tv or playing a video game.

Be aware of high calorie beverages. Even healthy juices may contain close to 200 calories per CUP (8 ounces).

Become more active.

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