Many people fight a daily battle with keeping their weight under control. The American diet which is so focused on high carb convenience foods makes the fight to stay slender even more daunting. Diet and foods have come in and out of favor over the years with few weight loss schemes standing the test of time. The reality is that the people most successful at controlling their weight are people who eat a healthy diet consistently and avoid fad weight loss plans and diets.

The average person is bombarded with fad weight loss plans and weight loss schemes that make pie-in-the-sky promises they can’t deliver on; but advertisers know just what buttons to push and it’s easy to get sucked into the emotions of it all. By the time they show you the before-and-after photos, offer you three easy payments, two free bonuses, and next day shipping, you can’t get your credit card out fast enough. But, when the package arrives, reality sets in and you realize it’s either going to take some work on your part or it’s not going to work – period.

Even worse are fad weight plans that come with a diet pill or weight loss supplement. They usually promise weight loss without hunger, dieting, or exercise. It’s as simple as taking a pill. But, what’s really in that weight loss supplement? Recently, the FDA investigated a variety of weight loss supplements sold in drugstores and purchased through the mail. They found that some of them contained prescription medications that were undisclosed on the label and could cause serious or even fatal reactions. Weight loss supplements have been known to cause electrolyte imbalances, elevations in blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, heart attacks, and strokes. Plus, there’s not way to tell what you’re really getting when you purchase one since there’s so little regulation.

Even if you’re fortunate enough to buy into a fad weight loss plan that isn’t dangerous, the chances of it being a long term solution to weight control are pretty small. Most likely it will just lead to frustration and disillusionment when it work.

The solution? Turn off the television and stop listening to the latest fad weight loss plans and weight loss schemes. Make a commitment to stop dieting and start eating healthy. If you need help understanding what to eat, check out the book “Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy” from the Harvard Medical School. It cuts through the hype and the hyperbole. Make time in your day for a thirty to forty minute walk. If you have trouble finding time to do it during the day, do it as soon as your wake up. Instead of following fad weight loss plans and weight loss schemes, make a lifelong plan to be healthy. It’s the only way to get the results you’re looking for.