Studies have shown that low-carbohydrate diets, such as Atkins, don’t really help you stay thin. In fact, when comparing some of the bestselling diet programs, including low carb, low fat, and reduced calorie plans, nearly every user started to regain the weight after six months and after twelve months, there was little difference between the groups.

I hate to burst your bubble, but admit it, deep down you knew that all those promises were just a pipe dream.

Ok, so maybe that’s being a little cynical, but we are living in a world where commercialism aims to keep us confused, distract us from the truth, and facts are hard to come by. Losing a few pounds is hard enough with all these obstacles they expect us to sort through.

So how are we expected to deal with all this dietary mumbo-jumbo? Here is a idea. Ignore the hype. Find a safe and healthy diet that makes good common sense and stick with it for life. While this might not seem like any great revelation, it’s amazing how many dieters beat their heads against the wall, hoping that “this time” the results will be different.

History shows that those who fail to learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them. If this describes your experience with dieting, maybe you are following the wrong plan and need to consider a different approach.

How many times you have heard that to lose pounds, you must be “disciplined” in your approach? In other words, what they are really telling you is that you have to be willing to give up your favorite foods or eating in your favorite places (fast foods are definitely out of the question). While this may sound like good advice, if we could all do that, then obesity would no longer rank as one of the leading health problems.

Pounds finding their way back home

It’s not that Atkins, Jenny Craig, South Beach or any other program plan can’t help us to lose weight. Ask almost anybody and they will tell you it’s easy to lose a few pounds. And, as a matter of fact, it is! You should have no problem at all dropping a few pounds on virtually any plan. The problem rears its ugly head when you step on the scale six months down the road. All of those high hopes and aspirations get crushed when you realize that all those pounds has found their way back home.

Take a minute to consider this fact. According to a nationwide survey, it is estimated that more than three-quarters of all women between the ages of 25 and 54 make the decision to lose weight each year. In this same survey, nine out of ten of them reported disappointing long-term results.

Weight loss is easy! Anyone on basically any plan can do it. The tricky and difficult part is in keeping it from creeping back on over time.

We have been given just about every possible explanation and cause for gaining weight. If it’s not our lack of commitment, then it’s our low self esteem, failing to plan, or for some other half-cocked excuse. You name it, and there’s an explanation out there! But, if you want to know the truth, when it comes to getting and staying slim, most of these “explanations” don’t make much sense.

What really, really matters in the long run is whether our daily energy intake is in-balance with our everyday energy expenditure. If you consume more than your body can use, the unused energy is stored as fat.

Ultimately, the reason 95% of commercial diets eventually fail is because they ignore this simple principle. They are designed for the “quick fix”, not for normal everyday eating that can last a lifetime.

It usually takes a little time and effort to start and follow most commercial plans. With the increasing demands on our time, both at home and work, trying to find even an extra 10 minutes a day can be a challenge. Spending hours, or even days trying to adjust to a new plan is not only unrealistic, but is a total waste of precious time!

We all love the novelty and intrigue of trying something different, including the next new “fad” diet plan. We are convinced that this time it will be different. This one will work. But unfortunately, the outcome for most of these plans is disappointing. Once the novelty and excitement wear off we’re usually right back where we started.

We soon find that the restrictions and requirements that are placed on us by our new diet are incompatible with our normal habits. Before we even realize what’s happening, we’re back to our old unhealthy, but more convenient way of eating. And the pile of dieting books and other special paraphernalia we have spent all of our hard earned money on continues to grow.

The bottom line is this; beware of meal plans that come loaded with all sorts of gimmicky and strange requirements, difficult recipes, and attempts to change our normal eating behavior. They are doomed to fail right from the start.

When searching the various diet programs, find one that is practical, nutritious and in-balance with your everyday energy requirements.

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