When setting out on a weight control strategy, checking out some diet reviews is a good first step. While this is the starting point for many people, this step is often not understood well enough.

Understand that virtually all product reviews comment from a particular point of view. For example; the review may be comparing several low-carb diets, or perhaps several reduced calorie diets, or comparing two types of dieting pills, and so on.

In light of this, gathering some information about what kinds of diets are out there seems like a good move. And in fact, many people do arrive at this conclusion on their own. This is particularly true of the experienced dieter. Unfortunately, it is also a fact that most people don’t go far enough at this stage.

In thinking about types of diets, people usually think about:

Some Well Known Options

* Diets Focusing on Fast Weight Loss

* Low Calorie Diets

* Fat Reduction Approaches

* Diets Focusing on Portion Control

* Food Exchange Approaches

* Diets Focusing on Fixed Menus

* Pre-packaged Meal Approaches

* Prepared Formula Drinks and Bars

* Increasing Physical Fitness Through Exercise

Some Less Common First Thoughts

* Pharmaceuticals

* Nutrition and Supplements

* Herbs

* Affirmations

* Attitude Change Through Hypnosis

* Subliminal Messages

Some “Last Measure” Ideas

* Weight Control Via Surgery

* Weight Control Via Therapy

Yes, there are probably more options for weight control. However, this list is still rather extensive. As long as we focus on the items on the list, we will fail to see the real issue, which is the list itself.

Thinking about diets in this common way, causes us to consider diets in a simplistic, one dimensional manner. It’s as if we were simply making a choice about color preferences.

Selecting a diet is more like selecting perfume. It is the combination of your chemistry and that of the perfume that creates the final scent. That is why you put some on your skin rather than simply smelling the perfume in the bottle.

Diets are much like perfumes in this regard. Diets are also ineffective by themselves. It is your uniqueness and the diet together that will create the end results. Unfortunately, you are the one aspect the most product reviewers do not consider in their reviews.

A more effective approach to deciding on a diet is to take a more general perspective in the beginning. You can group diets by certain features. Then you can make your decision based on what’s important to you. Obviously there are multiple methods of groupings are possible. Let’s build one version of groups so that you get a feel for this activity.

These are some useful diet groupings:

1. Counting, logging and Journaling (Tracking Calories, Carbohydrates, etc.)

2. Exercise Oriented

3. Food Strategies (Using food characteristics to advantage.)

4. Chemistry Based (Supplements, Herbs and Pharmaceuticals.)

5. Behavioral Modification (Affirmations, Hypnosis, etc.)

6. Professional Services (The Use of Surgery and Therapy.)

So, let’s say that you hate numbers and paperwork to the point of needing stress leave if you’re over exposed to the stuff. You don’t like writing and the idea of keeping a diary or a journal makes you go brain lame.

If this was your view of the world, then it doesn’t really matter what any reviewer has to say-if the diet falls into category 1, it’s not a good choice for you. You would probably be better off with something in category 3 and maybe mixed with something from category 2.

We don’t have space here to cover this topic in depth, but I think you can see how important it is to find diet types that match your temperament and inclinations. This will put you in a much stronger position to succeed in your dieting endeavors.