Think you ought to take out fat and carbohydrates from your diet? Does eating several small meals a day really help you lose weight? Isn't sleep counter intuitive to shedding those extra pounds?

There are right ways to do dieting and weight loss just as much as there are wrong ways to do it. Here are some dos and don'ts of dieting to guide you on what to eat, when to eat and how to eat.

DO weigh yourself often.

New research shows that people who weigh themselves often are more successful in losing weight and keeping it off. A study led by Dory Steinberg of the Duke Global Health Institute showed that daily self-weighing, together with a weekly email containing tailored feedback and information on reducing calorie intake and physical activity, could result to significant weight loss. Another study led by Jessica LaRose, an associate professor of Social and Behavioral Health at VCU School of Medicine, revealed that people who weighed every day lost more weight, on average, than those who didn't.

Daily weight monitoring provides immediate and concrete feedback on how eating and activity behaviors impact weight, prompting you to make changes as needed to stay on track with your weight loss goals.

DON'T avoid fat.

Contrary to popular belief, consuming too much fat isn't really linked to weight gain. What really matters is the number of calories in the diet, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. For instance, while Americans today take in less fat than Americans 40 years ago, rates of obesity have sharply increased.

This was further demonstrated by the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial, where women assigned to a low-fat diet did not lose, or gain, more weight than women who were in a non-low fat diet.

This is not to say that following a low-fat diet won't lead to weight loss. Low-fat diets can actually lead to weight loss in the short term, but so can a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet or a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. Almost any diet that helps you to take in fewer calories can help you lose weight in the short term.

A prudent approach on fat intake is to do it in moderation with an emphasis on helpful, unsaturated fats. Fat is highly satiating and including this in your diet will help you feel more satisfied with your meals.

DO drink more water.

Studies show that increasing your water intake can aid in weight loss. The results of a clinical trial presented at the 240th Meeting of the American Chemical Society in 2010 showed that participants who drank two cups of water before each meal lost an average of 5 pounds more than those who did not increase their water intake. The study was over a 12-week period with the participants placed under a calorie-controlled diet. The researchers alluded the outcome to the sensation of being full even before you start eating, thus resulting in fewer calories consumed in a meal.

A new review of several water studies led by Rebecca Muckelbauer of the Berlin School of Public Health also point to greater weight loss for dieters who increase their water intake. Aside from increased fullness, Muckelbauer posited that a process called water-induced thermogenesis could also be the reason for the increased weight loss as water increases the body's energy expenditure.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research indicated that water-induced thermogenesis resulted in a decrease in body weight, body mass index and body composition of people who are overweight. The study was conducted on 50 overweight girls over an 8-week period, in which they were asked to drink 500 ml of water, three times a day, 30 minutes before each meal. By study end, the participants on average lost 3.17 pounds of body weight, 0.58 BMI and 3.045 mm of body composition.

DON'T skip meals.

Don't skip meals when trying to lose weight. Skipping meals will only heighten your hunger and make you more apt to raid the fridge or nibble on snacks-running your day's calorie total higher than intended.

Skipping meals also do not equate to faster weight loss. Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that within a 12-month study period, women who kept a food journal lost 6 pounds more than those who didn't, but dropped 8 pounds less when they skipped meals than women who ate regularly.

Do also avoid eating multiple small meals in a day if you're not going to watch the calories that you take in or you will ramp up your total calories. Researchers from the University of Warick in the U.K. found that despite the popular belief, eating multiple small meals do not aid in weight loss. Rather, what matters most for losing weight is counting calories.

There were 24 lean and obese women who participated in the study. The researchers analyzed the number of calories burned by women who ate meals a day compared to those who ate five meals a day, and found no difference in metabolism. Both groups burned the same amount of calories over a 24-hour period.

DO eat slowly.

It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to register satiety. So if you put your fork down between bites and pace yourself, you'll give your brain more time to register fullness and tell your stomach it's full and resulting in fewer calories consumed.

A recent study conducted by researchers from Texas Christian University confirms this by exploring the relationship between eating speed and calorie intake. The researchers also looked at the volunteers' feelings of hunger and fullness before and after the slow-paced and fast-paced meals. The study revealed that people who ate slowly, on average, ate 88 calories less than people who ate quickly, while overweight people ate only 58 fewer calories on average.

DO plan your meals.

Weight loss experts recommend planning your meals and snacks to ensure that they fit in a well-balanced diet plan. Without a plan, it's easy for you to fall for the silent sirens of the nearest bakery or snack machine.

Dietician Lyndel Costan cites some of the benefits of a meal plan, including helping people cope better with difficult situations, such as what to eat at work or suitable snacks; aid in portion control; and help keep meals nutritiously balanced but fewer in calories to aid in weight loss, according to Weight Loss Resources.

DO keep a food journal or diary.

Studies suggest that keeping a food journal or diary aids in weight loss. One of the longest-running weight loss trials ever conducted indicated that keeping a food journal can double a person's weight loss. The study was participated by nearly 1,700 volunteers and was coordinated by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research.

Food journaling makes you aware of what and how much you're really eating and lets you see and fix the bad patterns.

DON'T take out carbohydrates from your diet.

Despite what low-carbohydrate diets may lead you to believe, our body needs carbohydrates to work. Carbohydrates supply our body with glucose, which is converted to energy used to support bodily function and physical activity.

The Harvard School of Public Health suggests that carbohydrates should not be taken out all together, and that be wary of the type of carbohydrates that you eat. It's best to cut down carbohydrates from refined sources like white bread, pastries, French fries, sodas and other highly process or refined foods. These items contain carbohydrates that are easily digested and absorbed by the body, thereby contributing to weight gain.

Healthy sources of carbohydrates include unprocessed or minimally process whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits. Aside from the vitamins and minerals that they contain, these items are rich in fiber which helps in making you feel satisfied longer.

DO get enough sleep.

When you're dieting, sleep may be the last thing on your mind. However, research suggests that adequate sleep can actually assist in weight loss and should be made part of a weight loss plan.

A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that total sleep time and quality of sleep can predict the loss of fat in people enrolled in a weight loss program.

Authors Drs. Jean-Philippe Chaput, Children's Hospital Of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, and Angelo Tremblay, Laval University, notes that lack of sleep is a contributing factor to obesity. Inadequate sleep increases the urge to consume more food and raises appetite-regulating hormones. Therefore, they recommend adding adequate sleep in the recommended mix of diet and exercise in a weight loss program.