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The truth about diets

With new research suggesting that most people never hit their weight loss targets, we look for an answer to your diet dilemmas

It’s no mystery that it’s difficult to stick to a diet, but new research suggests that it’s much harder than anyone thought. Working with Total Greek Yoghurt, parenting website Mumsnet surveyed its online community across the UK, receiving more than 1,000 replies. Incredibly, only 13% said they don’t give up on their diet plans until they have reached their target weight. That’s a staggering 87% who never get through their diets. This suggests that diets in general simply don’t work – not a great thought for the millions who have kicked off 2010 trying to lose weight.

It’s not as if most people are failing to complete their diets just before the finish line, either, as nearly half of those surveyed (46%) give up less than a week after starting. So are diets a waste of time? Or is it simply that people are choosing the wrong plans for their situation or personality?

Finding the right plan
“It’s probably more a case of people not really planning their diet out properly,” says food expert Franco Beer at Ador Food. “Often, of course, if we all paid closer attention to what and how much we eat, there would probably be no need to lose weight anyway. We should all really be aiming for a well-balanced low-fat diet, and take regular exercise. That said, there are a lot of good diet plans around, so it’s about finding the right one for you.”

Nutritionist Fiona Hunter agrees, adding that aiming to lose weight too quickly can be self-defeating. “However tempting crash/faddy diets may seem, they are difficult to follow and are unnecessarily strict – which often leaves people hungry and irritable,” she says. “Restricting calories too severely can lead to food cravings and bingeing, and can also lead to nutritional deficiencies.”

Resisting temptation
One of the biggest enemies to successful dieting is craving calorific food. Acknowledging when you’re likely to be drawn to the biscuit tin can be a major factor in helping you stick to your regime.

Nearly 70% of respondents to Mumsnet’s survey said the danger zones were mid-afternoon (34%) and late evening (35%), with the next most popular time when cravings hit identified as mid-morning (9%). Finding out when you’re most vulnerable is one thing, but what can you do to counter the problem?

“The urge to eat late in the afternoon is usually driven by a combination of low blood sugar levels and tiredness,” explains Fiona. “Having a small healthy snack such as a low fat yoghurt, some fruit, or a couple of oatcakes between 4pm and 5pm will prevent blood sugar levels from dipping late afternoon, and will help to prevent cravings for more calorific foods.”

Help at hand
The key to beating cravings is to snack on something that won’t leave you wanting more, according to Franco.

“The problem is that most foods that provide this slow release energy are not something many people would choose to snack on,” he says. “That’s why we launched our range of chocolate that naturally keeps you fuller for longer, which comes in snack size 135g bars.”

But Ador’s snacks aren’t the only options. Tests show that Danone’s new yoghurt Shape Lasting Satisfaction also significantly reduces short-term appetite, because it’s enriched with protein and guar gum fibre. What’s more, Marks & Spencer has recently introduced an entire food range, Simply Fuller Longer, that’s high in protein to help stop you from snacking between meals. This could be the answer for those who are hit by late evening cravings.

So the next time you’re thinking of dieting, find a practical and sensible plan to follow. Then get to know your cravings and guard against them. That way you’ll stand far more chance of successfully hitting your target weight, and not add more pain to what is already a depressing time of year.

Click here for more about M&S Simply Fuller Longer range