If you're considering one of the trendy diets, it's important to learn a bit about them first. First, find out if they work so you don't waste time, money, and go through an ordeal for nothing. Second and more importantly, find out if they are safe! Fad diets can be devastating for your health, especially if you're on weight-loss medication.

The Chocolate Diet

It sounds great, but really you only get to eat 1oz of chocolate a day max. Your meals are really regulated, and the chocolate stupidly comes at bedtime, which can cause insomnia. Popcorn is a good diet food, as are the plentiful fruits and vegetables prescribed, but pasta isn't the best plan unless it's whole wheat.

This diet does not guarantee an adequate amount of protein, so I'd beware of this one if you are thinking long-term. The sugar intake is sizable, which is bad for the obese and diabetics anyway.

The Grapefruit Diet

The idea is to eat a combination of foods with grapefruit juice so that the acids in the juice will digest the food and somehow you lose weight. Grapefruit juice is certainly acidic enough to burn some food, but it doesn't mean that you won't absorb calories or get sick from all the acid.

It certainly doesn't mean that the grapefruit juice won't interfere with your medicine, which is often the case.

The Grapefruit Diet is one of those that says you can eat bacon and steak and such. Beware of these diets. You can't become healthy and thin by eating things that are bad for you.

The Blood Type Diet

This diet says that what a person eats should match their blood type. It has something to do with lectins, substances in food that react to antigens in the blood. Type O people should eat mostly meat, type A mostly vegetables with no meat, etc.

The skinny on this diet is that all of science rejects it.

As long as you are meeting your nutritional needs, this diet is okay. However, high levels of meat and dairy can disturb your hormones and mess with medication, while vegetarian diets need to include lots of nuts, soy, and other beans to get enough protein.

The Macrobiotic Diet

The emphasis is on health, so the weight-loss comes easily and naturally.

It is a 10-stage diet that goes for simplicity. It is mainly vegetarian, but fish is allowed. It centers around whole grains - specifically brown rice - as well as vegetables and soup. By the last stage you are down to just brown rice and water.

During the last stage, protein, iron, and potassium become a real problem, so consult a doctor if you are going to try it.

For the most part, this is a very healthy diet and the general principles can be observed for a lifetime to reap rich rewards of health and heartiness. This is the sign of a truly good diet.

If you're on Meridia, be careful before adopting an extreme diet long-term. Meridia should be combined with diet and exercise to lose weight, so ask your doctor if a certain diet is right for Meridia treatment.