Keep the Weight Off
Avoid Common Diet Traps That Cause People to Regain Weight

             

Take it off. And now that you've got it off, keep it off. The first part is easy. The second sometimes seems nearly impossible.

Yes, this is about those extra pounds. You know the ones. You lost them last year, and the year before that. Yet they come back year after year like reruns of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Last year you tried the latest miracle diet. You bought that hot new diet book right off the best-seller shelf. And maybe the pounds didn't exactly melt away as promised, but at first you did lose weight. Then the weight loss slowed down. The fad diet didn't seem so new any more; the special diet food packs were expensive; the new diet just didn't feel healthy; you nibbled a few sweets and felt too guilty to continue.

You aren't alone. For every 20 dieters who lose weight, only one keeps the weight off. Don't despair -- you can beat those odds.

Diet Traps

The U.S. FDA says most people trying to lose weight fall into diet traps. The diets promise quick and easy answers. The diet industry makes $30 billion a year by telling people what they want to hear: that modern science has at last discovered effortless ways to lose weight.

The Most Common Diet Traps

Here are some common diet traps:

Diet Programs

There are lots of diet programs out there. Before you sign up, the FDA suggests that you ask these questions:

The Sensible Approach: Get Real

You don't have to join a diet program to lose weight and keep it off. You do need to make a plan. This plan must be realistic. If you can lose a pound a week, that's great. If all you are able to do is stop gaining weight, you're still ahead of the game.

Here are the first steps:

Take Charge

WebMD has a lot more information that can help you take charge of your weight. This includes information on the most popular diet programs, weight-loss tools, and expert advice. Click here to Evaluate the Latest Diets.

original article posted at http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/11/1671_52694.htm
Medically updated December 2005.