Any food, eaten in excess, will make you gain weight, which includes foods made from soy. That doesn't mean that soy is inherently fattening, though; in fact, many soy-derived foods have nutrients that actually help with weight control.

The Herbal Life Diet is a program designed for weight loss while maximizing nutritional needs, such as protein and fiber intake. The manufacturers of Herbal Life claim their products are natural, low calorie and low fat and can maintain a healthy weight loss when used in conjunction with the dietary guidelines.

The Kemetic Diet refers to an eating plan adhered to by modern followers of Kemet, an ancient Egyptian set of religious rules that governed every aspect of its followers lives, from their spirituality to medical treatment to the foods they prepared for daily meals.

Water is important for regulating body temperature, cushioning your joints, strengthening your muscles, providing moisture for your skin and other tissues, and for carrying nutrients to your cells.

Losing weight is an obsession in the U.S.: in 2008, 26 percent of women and 16 percent of men claimed to be dieting, according to “The Boston Globe.

Basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is the bare minimum number of calories needed if you were to stay on the couch all day and do nothing. Your BMR decreases as you age. It also decreases in response to eating less food in an effort to lose weight. Your BMR naturally slows down later in the day.

Assessing your weight helps you determine whether you're at risk for chronic disease or if you have compromised immunity. Too much fat, even on a person of normal weight, can have deleterious health effects.

A seven-week lifestyle makeover can help you feel energized and healthy, but it may or may not be enough time to slim down your face and stomach significantly. You can, however, lose enough weight during this time frame to make a noticeable difference.

Your grandpa or dad may have a large belly, but that doesn't mean you should develop one as a teen. Belly fat, even in your youth, raises your risk of developing chronic health conditions that are normally only seen in people much later in life -- including type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Your caloric intake need is based on your estimated energy expenditure, which varies based on your ideal body weight, activity level, age, height and gender.

According to the official Seventh Day Adventist Dietetic Association website, SDAs have been vegetarians for over a century. No meats are allowed in their diets, including beef, chicken, fish and wild game.

Approximately 2 percent of people in the United States are underweight, and some of these people have trouble gaining weight no matter what they try. You could be one of these people, or you could be underestimating how many calories you're burning during the day or overestimating how much you're really eating.