Not all what works for others can work for you since our bodies respond differently to different foods depending on genetics and other health factors. So finding what works for you requires time, patience, commitment, and some experimentation with different foods and diets.

A diet after all is something people go on to go off. Most people think of a diet as a means to an end, and few who go on a food-restricted diet to lose weight expect to have to eat that way indefinitely. 

And therein lies the rub, with the current unchecked epidemic of obesity as the sorry result. Here are 4 popular weight-loss strategies:

When you cut calories, you drop weight for the first few weeks, and then something changes. You eat the same amount of calories but you lose less or no weight at all. 

That’s because when you lose weight, you lose water and lean tissue as well as fat, your metabolism slows. So in order to continue losing weight, you need to continue cutting calories.

When you eat a meal, carbohydrates from the food enter your bloodstream as glucose. In order to keep your blood sugar levels in check, your body always burns off this glucose before it burns off fat from a meal. If you eat a carbohydrate-rich meal 

(lots of pasta, rice, bread, or French fries, for example) your body releases insulin which prevents your fat cells from releasing fat for the body to burn as fuel and creates more fat cells for storing everything that your body can’t burn off. The result is that you gain weight.

Most low-carb diets advocate replacing carbs with protein and fat, which could have some negative long-term effects on your health. 

If you do try a low-carb diet, you can reduce risks and limit your intake of saturated and trans fats by choosing lean meats, fish and vegetarian sources of protein, low-fat dairy products, and eating plenty of leafy green and non-starchy vegetables.

If you don’t want to get fat, don’t eat fat. Go to any grocery store and get reduced-fat snacks, and packaged meals. So why haven’t low-fat diets worked for more of us?

Because healthy or “good” fats can actually help to control your weight, as well as manage your moods and fight fatigue. Many of us make the mistake of swapping fat for the empty calories of sugar and refined carbohydrates.

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating good fats and good carbs along with large quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish, and olive oil, and only modest amounts of meat and cheese.

We don’t always eat to satisfy our hunger, we often eat when we’re stressed or anxious which can ruin any diet and pile up more weight. So make sure to help yourself get rid of stress or anxiety by finding healthy ways to calm yourself such as yoga, meditation, or soaking in a hot bath.

You should also practice mindful eating, and avoid any distractions which can lead you to eat more than what you want. Instead, pay attention and eat slowly, and stop eating before you are full.

Losing weight permanently requires making healthy changes to your lifestyle, and food choices. To stay motivated, find a cheering section; seek out support whether in the form of family, friends, or a support group to get the encouragement you need. Set a goal to keep you motivated, use tools to track your progress, and get plenty of sleep.

Most of us consume unhealthy amounts of sugar and refined carbohydrates, such as; white bread, pizza dough, pasta, pastries, white flour, white rice, and sweetened breakfast cereals. Since your body gets all it needs from sugar amounts to nothing but a lot of empty calories and unhealthy spikes in your blood glucose.

You don’t have to eat less food just because you’re cutting calories. Fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are high in fiber and take longer to digest, making them filling and beneficial for weight loss.

Eat as much fresh fruit and non-starchy vegetables as you want—you’ll be happy before you’ve consumed too many calories.