What Is the Most Effective Diet Plan?

Americans are spending billions of dollars on weight-loss products each year in search of miracle weight loss plans. Some estimates place the annual figure as high as $35 billion. These so called "quick fixes" don't seem to be putting much of a dent in the obesity epidemic. Diet plans that do work require changes in lifestyle, commitment and plenty of time.

Weight-Loss Industry

• The weight-loss industry is profiting big time from the ever-growing plumpness of the population and the desire to lose weight as quickly and painlessly as possible. If you need to shed a few pounds or more, you are not alone.

  Recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say an astonishing 66 percent of adults over age 20 in the United States are overweight and an estimated 32 percent are considered obese.

What's the Most Effective Way to Lose Weight?

• Most experts agree that fad diets and crash or starvation diets don't work. Neither do excessive workout regimes. They don't work because they can't realistically be maintained for any period of time.

  What does seem to work is a slow, but steady, improvement in physical activity and nutritional habits. Some people prefer the group support that is provided and the accountability that is required by programs such as Weight Watchers where weekly "weigh-ins" are required to document progress.

A Numbers Game

• In essence, weight loss boils down to numbers. There are 3,500 calories in one pound. It takes time to lose a pound. On average, an individual can safely lose two pound per week. A 35-year-old female who is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 130 pounds and is considered moderately active must consume approximately 2,000 calories a day to maintain her weight. If she ate 300 fewer calories per day or burned an additional 300 calories through additional exercise, It would take her about 12 days to lose one pound. If she did both, it would take only six days to lose the pound.

  There are no quick fixes when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off. It's only practical to take small steps over a long period of time. It is the healthiest and most effective approach to weight loss. Consider eating a lighter lunch than you are used to. Eat smaller portions at dinner and reduce or eliminate alcohol intake.