Sensa System Diet

There are many ways to lose weight. The Sensa Weight-Loss System offers one more alternative, and the promoters behind this one promise that you won't have to change your diet or activity levels to drop unwanted pounds. According to the Sensa Web site, if you follow the Sensa Weight-Loss System plan, you'll be able to lose weight without dieting or exercising.

How it works

• Dr. Alan Hirsch, the founder of the Sensa Weight-Loss System, has long studied the effects that people's sense of smell has on their appetite. That's why his Sensa plan operates on the principle that you'll stop eating sooner if the food you are eating somehow tells your brain that you are full.

  If you decide to follow the Sensa system, you'll sprinkle a colorless, odorless and tasteless powder on your food. According to the Sensa Web site, it's like sprinkling salt and pepper on your meal. These Sensa "Tastants" -- as they are called on the company Web site -- send a signal, through your sense of smell, that you are getting full. You are then likely to eat less, according to the company.

  This way, the theory goes, you'll lose weight while still eating your favorite foods. You won't even have to increase your activity level because you'll be eating less, the company says.

Clinical study

• The Sensa Web site cites a study of 1,436 men and women. Those following the Sensa Weight-Loss System lost an average of 30.5 pounds in six months. Those in a control group lost only an average of two pounds, according to the company.

Is the program right for you?

• If you only need to lose a few pounds, the Sensa Weight-Loss System might be for you. But Sensa might not be the right choice if you need to change your eating and lifestyle habits. The Sensa system isn't cheap--a six-month starter kit costs $235--and if you stop using the system without changing your eating habits, you'll gain back all that weight you lost.

  The only proven method for losing weight and keeping it off is a simple one: live a lifestyle in which you burn more calories than you take in on a daily basis. To do this, you'll have to exercise regularly and eat healthy meals. The Sensa system, while it may encourage you to eat less, won't inspire you to ride your bicycle or take a long walk.

  Only you can determine if the Sensa Weight-Loss System is right for you. If you need a quick weight-loss boost, this diet plan might be the right choice. If you need to change your eating habits and lifestyle, though, the odds aren't good that you'll succeed in keeping the weight off by using this product.