While losing weight is theoretically simple -- burn off more calories than you consume -- the emotional battle and need for a quick fix often sets us up for failure. Dieters sometimes turn to fad diets to jump-start their weight loss program. While some can achieve moderate results, the weight loss is most often temporary. Fad dieters will usually gain back the weight they lost and sometimes even more in a very short period of time.

For long-term results, stick with a plan that combines proper nutrition and exercise. Statistically, this is the most healthy and effective method of losing weight.

10 Ways to Spot a Fad Diet

A weight loss plan is probably a fad diet if:

• The menu features extremely limited food choices, such as only grapefruits and melon for fruits, or rice and pasta for starches
• You must cut out an entire food group, like carbohydrates
• You choose your meals from only one food group, maybe all protein or all carbohydrates
• The diet eliminates all fats
• It promises ultra-fast weight loss, such as a pound per day or more
• The diet is used to sell a product, such as herbal weight loss pills or a specific food
• The weight loss claims are based on unproven science, such as the idea that combining certain foods can cause you to gain or lose weight
• The diet’s promoters put down traditional medical experts by saying that doctors don’t understand the way the program works
• The promoters make claims that sound too good to be true -- you can lose weight while you sleep or eat lots of fattening foods and still lose weight
• The explanation of how the diet works is simplistic, and promoters say that the true explanation is too complex for most people to understand

Healthy Cooking Tips

• Keep it lean -- remove skin from chicken or turkey; for even less fat, choose light meat more often than dark meat
• Think thin -- choose leaner cuts of meat (sirloin, top round or loin), and trim visible fat before slicing or cooking
• Depending on your calorie needs, you should have 6 to 11 servings of grains -- breads, cereals, rice and pasta -- each day; these foods are naturally low in fat and supply complex carbohydrates, an important source of energy; whole grains, such as brown rice and whole-wheat bread, are also good sources of fiber
• Cut back on fat -- use nonstick cooking sprays instead of oil when browning meats, stir-frying or when a recipe calls for a greased pan or dish
• Cook the low-fat way -- broil, roast on a rack, bake or steam poultry, meat or fish
• Use lemon juice, garlic, herbs and spices to perk up the flavors of vegetables instead of rich sauces made with cream, butter or cheese
• Eat fewer fried foods and drain off as much fat as possible after cooking