There are plenty of healthy weight loss programs out there but there can be a problem finding them. If you've been tempted by the kind of diet which restricts you to one food type or insists that you eat a grapefruit at the beginning of each meal, then you'll know what I mean.

Those sorts are not healthy weight loss programs! Don't go for the sort of program which promises that you'll lose ten pounds in a week because you won't. If your weight loss even approaches that much then most of it will be fluid which will be replenished.

Healthy weight loss programs will offer you a balanced diet and a course of exercises which result in you using up more energy than your intake.

The diet should include a little of all the food groups including fats, carbohydrates and protein plus lots of fruit and vegetables. The programs should make sure that you know which are the healthy fats and carbohydrates and which are the forbidden ones. They should also make sure that you know which are healthy snacks in case you get a bit hungry between meals. In fact some of the best programs are based around lots of small meals so that you don't get those hunger pangs which can lead to bingeing.

The program you choose should also offer a selection of toning and aerobic exercises both to help you lose weight, tone up your muscles afterwards as well as improving the performance of your heart and lungs.

Healthy weight loss programs should also mention the importance of drinking lots of water especially in hot weather. Did you know that by the time you actually feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated? This is bad news because it can slow down the body's metabolism, cause short term memory vagueness and undue tiredness. Get in the habit of drinking a glass of water every hour; it can be still or fizzy, from a tap or bottle. It doesn't matter where it comes from but be sure that you drink plenty of it.

As an aside, another advantage of drinking lots of water is that it can ward off hunger pangs but better still it can considerably reduce the risk of developing certain cancers and can help relieve joint and back pain.