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Quick weight loss diets prey on people’s intense desire to finally get the body they’ve always wanted. Unfortunately, any results that they see are too often temporary at best.

There are a number of absurd-sounding diets ? eat nothing but cabbage and lose weight! Eat nothing but grapefruit and lose weight! Most people can lose weight if that is all they are putting into their bodies.

The reason so many of these diets fail is that they do not foster a lasting change in your lifestyle, which is what you really need to lose weight and keep it off.

If you struggle to lose weight, quick weight loss diets are very tempting. They appeal to us because we are so frustrated with our efforts so far -and our failures- that we are willing to try anything, and there is always the hope that finally we found the solution we’ve been searching for.

We also want fast results. When you’ve battled your weight for years, losing ten pounds in a week is a dream. We’ll take it, even if deep down we know it won’t last.

If you are still tempted to try a fad diet, consider the reasons why they don’t work:

1. They’re boring!

Often, quick weight loss diets don’t provide our bodies and appetites with a variety of foods. We end up eating the same foods, day after day.

Eating the same food all the time becomes a chore. It does not encourage us to consume less, rather we?

2. Cheat a little

If you’ve been doing well on your fad diet, eating the same foods in the same amounts for days, you figure you’ve earned the reward of a sugary, high calorie treat. That one little treat, a tiny harmless cookie, can lead you down the road to overeating.

Quick weight loss diets lead to cheating which leads to overeating.

3. They can be hard to stick with.

These quick weight loss diets are fraught with danger. From overeating to food boredom, you can quickly loose interest and motivation.

4. The risk of gaining weight.

Many people actually gain more weight when they go on a quick weight loss diet. Whether it is because it is so easy to cheat or you overeat when you stop the diet, your body tends to pack on pounds.

Nothing is more frustrating that being back at square one.

The alternative to quick weight loss diets? The answer is healthy eating habits and regular exercise.

There is no getting around it ? these are the only things that work to help you lose weight and keep it off.

By adding some of these tips, you can see real results that last:

* Add more nutrient-dense vegetables to every meal.

* To keep your body healthy and help it burn fat, eat more fiber.

* Eat smaller meals more frequently.

* Make breakfast your big meal and dinner your small meal.

* Exercise. Get active! Anything ? from playing tag with your kids to taking the stairs at work ? can help get you in better shape.

* Make the commitment to work out most days of the week. Three or four short sessions per day works just as well as one.

* Eat more whole grains.

* Make better calorie choices. Opt for nutrient-dense foods to get the most benefit from each calorie. Eat quality before you reach for empty calories.

There are hundreds of other ways to make changes. If you make a commitment to integrate these little steps into your lifestyle, you will see big changes in your body and your health.

Having a healthier life, one in which you eat nutritious food and exercise regularly, can make weight loss easier, more effective, and permanent. Don’t ?diet.? It doesn’t work.

Why settle for temporary solutions offered by quick weight loss diets? They are full of empty promises.