Finding a weight loss program that works takes time. Chances are that if you have been struggling with extra weight for months or years, I am fairly certain you have tried numerous diet plans and weight loss methods.

You have probably invested a fair amount of money, plus lots of time and energy that would have been worthwhile if you had gotten the results you wanted. Maybe you have even seen results from time to time, but nothing seems to hold.

If you are reading this, you are probably still looking for an answer to the question:  How can I lose the pounds and keep them off?

Below are a few things to keep in mind as you continue searching:

We have touched on this already, but I am going to repeat it.  The basic rule of losing weight is that you must burn more calories that you need. Excess calories are stored in your body as fat. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as it sounds (as we all know).

Every Body Is Different

Every person’s body and physiological makeup are different and finding a weight loss method that is a good fit for your body can be challenging. Doesn’t it make sense that if there were one perfect weight loss method that worked for everyone, the number of overweight and obese people would shrink dramatically.

Obviously, that is not the case – in fact, obesity is on the rise – moving toward to epidemic proportions.  So, if you really want to lose weight, you will have to continue with the trial and error method of finding something that works for you.

My good message today is that you can increase your chances of finding the best solution by doing two things:  1) Determine what type of eater you are. In other words what foods do you like (or don’t like) and can (or cannot) eat. 2) Be realistic.

Choose a Diet that Fits

Let’s say you rarely eat meat – it’s OK, but far from your favorite. Once or twice a week is more than enough for you.  But, your friend lost a lot of weight on a high-protein diet and you are considering doing the same.  Does that really make sense? How long do you think you would be able to sustain that kind of diet?

Another scenario . . . you have a health condition that limits what you can and cannot eat.  Look for diets that correspond with those requirements. If you see that the primary foods for a particular diet are on your “do not eat” list, discard it immediately as a possibility.

Do not try to bend your lifestyle to fit a diet just because clever marketing convinces you that “this is the diet” for you.  Unless you actually put yourself realistically into the picture of how the diet will play out, you will be setting yourself up for failure.  Any diet or weight loss method you decide to try, must fit your personal needs.  When it does, the chances of success increase dramatically.

What about Fad Diets?

There is a new fad diet introduced every other minute.  And . . . every single one claims to be the BEST way to lose weight.  Even with a smidgen of common sense, it should be easy to see that those claims cannot all be true.

That does not mean they are all scams. The reality is that almost every diet will work – if it is followed correctly; and if it fits the needs of the person following it.

The issue is that even if there are studies that prove the method works (positive results), it is not a guarantee that it will work for you.  Dieting and weight loss is not an exact science. There are too many variables, which make it impossible to predict which ones will work for you, and which ones will not work.

Is the Diet or Weight Loss Method a Healthy Choice?

Be sure that any method you choose to follow is based on principles of healthy eating. Extremely restricted diets are not usually a good choice.

The Magic Bullet of any Diet

You actually have to follow through.  If you begin any diet half-heartedly, cheat all the time, or try it for a few days and declare, “I gave it my best shot, and it doesn’t work” – who are you really kidding?

If you do not follow through on the diet, there is no way you can assess whether it works, or not.  No one can force you to follow through. If there were a perfect diet available that could guarantee results – it would not work for you, if you could not (or would not) follow through.

Success for any weight loss method or diet depends on your commitment to follow it precisely and stay on it for as long as it takes. Those are the two factors that always determine success or failure.

However, when you find a diet that fits your lifestyle and health needs; and you make that commitment to stay with it until you get the results you want . . .  you, and you alone can take all the credit for the successful outcome.

So, keep looking! Keep the faith and you will be able to do it.