The
limited
research
on
popular
weight-loss
plans
drives
home
two
messages:
(1)
weight
loss
is
hard,
and
(2)
finding
the
optimal
diet
for
you as
an
individual
is the
only
way to
succeed.
Here
is
some
common-sense
advice
on how
to
choose
a diet
that
suits
you.
Long-term
weight
control
is
based
on
changing
your
eating
patterns
(and
your
physical
activity
habits)
for a
lifetime.
Anyone
can go
on a
diet
for a
couple
of
weeks,
or
even a
couple
of
months,
but
those
who
lose
weight
and
keep
it off
adopt
a diet
plan
they
can
sustain
(with
some
calorie
adjustments)
for
years.
Here,
then,
are
some
tips
on how
to
choose
a diet
that
suits
you:
-
diet
Tip
1 --
Do a
self-assessment.
Most
overweight
people
eat
out of
habit
and in
response
to
emotions
rather
than
because
they’re
hungry.
To
learn
what
leads
you to
overeat,
observe
your
usual
diet
for a
week:
Keep
track
of
what
you
eat,
when
and
where
you
eat,
who
you’re
with
when
you
eat,
and
how
you’re
feeling
when
you
eat.
Also
make
note
of
your
portion
sizes
(many
overweight
people
eat
larger
portions
and
more
calories
than
they
think).
This
process
will
give
you an
idea
of
your
trouble
spots
and
help
you
decide
what
diet
plan
will
work
best
for
you.
For
example,
if
your
portion
sizes
are
too
large,
you
might
find
that a
diet
program
that
provides
prepackaged
or
prepared
meals,
because
you
won’t
need
to
make
decisions
about
portion
size.
If you
are an
emotional
eater,
a diet
plan
that
offers
counseling
or
support
groups
might
be
best
for
helping
you
cope
with
the
emotional
issues
that
are
driving
you to
overeat.
-
diet
Tip
2 --
Find
a
diet
that
fits
your
personality
and
lifestyle.
You
might
be the
type
of
person
who is
most
comfortable
with a
diet that
provides
daily
menus
and
recipes
-- or
you
might
prefer
a plan
that
offers
lists
of
foods
from
which
you
can
pick
and
choose
(or
even
provides
prepackaged
foods).
You
might
require
a diet
plan
that
addresses
some
of
your
health
concerns
-- the
need
to
lower
your
sodium,
cholesterol,
or fat
intake
-- or
allows
you to
eat
meals
away
from
home
because
you
travel
a lot.
-
diet
Tip
3 --
Choose
a
diet
that
is
well
balanced.
Trendy
diets
such
as the
Atkins
plan
may
produce
quick
weight
loss,
but
they
don’t
offer
the
full
complement
of
vitamins,
minerals,
and
other
nutrients
your
body
needs
to
stay
healthy
-- and
they
typically
lead
to
weight
regain
when
you go
off
the
diet.
These
diets
are
also
hard
to
stay
on for
the
long
term
because
they
strictly
limit
the
types
of
foods
you
can
eat.
The
best
strategy
is to
go on
a
calorie-controlled
diet
plan
that
includes
all of
the
food
groups
and
doesn’t
deprive
you of
your
favorite
foods.
