Have you ever stopped to think about how each new weight loss diet that comes along promises to do the same thing as every other diet out there?  You know, the plan that says it can help you lose weight quickly and easily, sometimes while you sleep? If so, then you’ve probably also wondered why we would need another new diet if the first one, or first one thousand, did what they said they would! The clever trick to this conundrum is that they really aren’t selling diets at all--they’re selling hope. And who doesn’t need a new dose of hope for every few pounds gained?

While having hope is good, getting ripped off both financially and physically when you fall for a fad diet is not. Fortunately, the latest reports indicate we are not falling for fad diets as “quickly and easily” as we have in the past. So now that diet season is in full swing, it’s a good time to carefully examine the platforms of all the contenders in the diet arena to be sure you don’t get stuck selecting one that, just like a politician, will take your money without giving you anything in return but four more years of misery. 

Too Good To Be True

No matter how desperate you are to drop those extra pounds and how little time you may have to do it, there’s no fairy godmother who can turn a pumpkin into a coach, and there’s no diet pill or potion that will let you wake up thin. Losing weight takes effort and a long term commitment.  If you read or hear anything that promises the impossible, it is, and all you’re buying is hope. If you still aren’t sure, ask yourself one question: Could I do this for the rest of my life? If the answer is “no,” then cross it off the list. Remember, you’re not Cinderella and there is no glass slipper. 

Famous People, Places and Products

Just because some people make a living by looking good, or living in an area where nearly everyone is a size 2, does not mean they’re experts on how to eat and exercise so you can look good, too. They have the rare combination of good bone structure, a fast metabolism and talented plastic surgeons, not to mention stylists and image-enhancing photographers, who all lend a hand to put their look together. Taking diet advice from these people is just not a good idea. 

Same is true of important-sounding doctors and medical centers whose names may appear on diets and weight loss products. They may look prestigious, but few bona fide medical doctors are actually writing popular diet books. The legit ones conduct research on weight control and publish their findings in scientific journals where anyone with a flare for writing (or a strong marketing background) can access them and contort the results to make a claim that was never intended by the original authors of the study.  Then before you can say bibbity-bobbity-boo, the new "doctor-tested " weight loss tea, herb, food combo, or eat-all-you-want-and-still-lose-weight formula is in the stores. Buying these products is not a smart investment. 

Weight Loss Trumps Nutrition

Beware of any eating plan that forbids entire food groups or puts severe restrictions on what type, when or how much of certain foods you can eat. Same holds true for plans that require that you eat very specific foods or formulas you can only get in certain places. Losing weight should never have to be at the expense of good nutrition and the good health that comes with a balanced diet. Prepackaged foods and shakes may offer some convenience, but again, if you can’t imagine yourself eating those items for the rest of your life, that’s a sign that you shouldn’t start, because once you stop, you’ll be shopping for hope again. 

UChic Custom Made Diet Challenge

Now that you know what doesn’t work and shouldn’t be tried, what’s left? It’s the diet you design yourself. It should be based on your food likes and dislikes, the amount of time you can spend exercising, your food finances, culinary skills and available support system.  

Your custom plan should be built around a calorie budget --- either daily or weekly --- so you can keep track of your caloric intake while maintaining a consistent level of output.

Decide where you’ll record what you eat and drink, and the portions and calories that go with them, then never stop logging in for the rest of your life.  

It’s also important to figure out a way to eat the things you like while eating all the things you need everyday, like enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat milk products. For example, I like light vanilla yogurt, blueberries and granola, and I get three things I really need when I put them all together for my breakfast parfait. 

Lastly, be sure you have a way to get some emotional support once you begin your program. Maybe it will be a best bud, online group or professional counselor? They’ll serve as your lifeline to help you get over occasional lapses, and you will lapse. But perfection is not the goal and absolute compliance is not realistic. Learning from your lapses and being able to forgive yourself when you do, is. So is the ability to immediately resume your plan as soon as you realize you’ve fallen off the wagon. No waiting until the start of a new week or month. The better you get at this, the better your results will be and the longer lasting since life is full of surprises, but now you’ll be prepared for life. 

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Robyn Flipse, MS, RD

Author, Fighting the Freshman Fifteen

Available at www.FreshmanFifteenBook.com