When a girl hits puberty, diet is probably the first word that she becomes acquainted with. No matter what age you are in, dieting is most probably deeply embedded in your vocabulary, whether you have one pound or ten pounds to lose.

And why do you think there is such an influx of fad diets? It’s because there’s almost an obsession in our society that the thinner you are, the more attractive you’ll be.

1. Don’t start a new diet plan without consulting an expert.

This is probably one of the most common mistakes that women make. The minute that they see a new diet in a magazine, or if they hear about it from a girlfriend – they immediately get into it without consulting the help of an expert. This is especially dangerous to your health if you have a lot of pounds to lose – because you might not be getting the nutrition that you need.

2. Don’t try to lose weight by dieting alone.

The mantra that you should combine dieting with exercise exists for good reason. If you will not combine dieting with exercise, all your efforts to lose weight will be all for naught.

3. Don’t combine one fad diet with another.

Not only is combining a couple or more fad diets ineffective, it is also harmful to your health.

By avoiding these top 3 dieting mistakes, you can properly choose the best diet plan that will work for you – as long as you combine it with exercise.

Photo Credits: Steps Weight Loss , Corbis, Metabolism Tricks, Belle-Noir