To achieve your goals you need a diet that takes into account who you are and what you want.

People diet for lots of reasons, and with lots of aims in mind. No matter what your aims are, the most effective diet to achieve them is a personalized one. A personalized diet which suits you is what you need, whether you want to improve your health, or just lose weight.

A personalized diet plan can be obtained from a multitude of sources. Provided you have no major health problems and your trying to lose weight (as opposed to lowering cholesterol which will probably require a more specialised diet) then one of the many diets offered by the major fitness and diet gurus will do the job perfectly. Just pick the diet that best suits you. Advice can also be obtained at your local gym where there will usually be a knowledgeable person who can help you find your perfect diet.

This is due to the fact that everybody operates differently, so you're likely to lose weight at a different rate than any of the other people you know even if you do eat the same things. Therefore, make sure that the food you eat is right for you.

However, if you're thinking about changing or specializing your diet due to a health problem, then you should go to your doctor first. Most doctors have lists of different foods that are to be eaten or avoided depending on the illness.

Also, since your doctor knows a lot about your health, he or she will better be able to help you determine which diet options will work the best for you. One good example is of people who have a risk of blood clots. If you are on medication to prevent blood clots, then you should avoid green vegetables, especially spinach. Your doctor will best be able to tell you everything you need to know about these dietary restrictions.

Most mass market diets are designed to be 'one size fits all', but in truth we are all different. What works for one person might not work for you. That's why the diet that you can tailor to your self and your body is the best kind of diet. So when you are considering diets check if the diet can be shaped to suit you, this is the kind of diet that will work best.

An issue you may come up against is that some diets recommend or prescribe foods or ingredients that are difficult to find or expensive to buy where you live. You might be expected to buy foods out of season which are prohibitively expensive. You should pick a diet that will allow you to replace problem foods with foods that are readily available in your area.

Of course there is little point in beginning your diet with great determination only to find a week later you dont have the ability to stick with it. It is important that you ease yourself into your diet when possible. Phase out your old diet while gradually adopting your new personalised diet. That way you'll be able to stick with it and get the most out of your new diet.

Avoid diets that force you to completely stop eating foods that you really like. That sort of change in your eating will only tempt you back to your old eating habits, soon you will have abandoned your new diet altogether. A personalised diet should avoid this kind of temptation by incorporating your favourite foods in sensible quantities.

If your diet has an aim - like losing weight or lowering your blood pressure then you should consider making a progress chart. that way you can look at the chart and see how far you've come and how much closer to your goal you are. that kind of encouragement will give you a much needed boost in your confidence, and your resolve to work along the path of your new diet and achieve your goals.

Andrew Banderman is the webmaster of RC Diet Inc -- a premier source of information on diet. Free newsletter.

For more diet information and articles, go to: http://www.rcdiet.com