How to keep the weight off

Let's get real: it’s not about losing the weight… it’s about keeping it off

Every one can lose weight - temporarily. The problem is that 80% of us will pile it all back on again. But what if you could find an eating plan that fits you and your lifestyle, and helps you keep the weight off year after year? With the help of our unique quiz and expert diet advice, that dream can now be a reality.

The bad news, as any serial dieter will tell you, is that most diets will help you lose weight - but only short-term. The real trick is to find an approach that delivers on weight loss and helps you keep those extra pounds off permanently. In fact, several major studies comparing low carb, low fat, low GI and a host of other approaches found that dieters lost weight regardless of how they did it but, significantly, most started to regain it after six months.

‘It is important to find the diet that suits you and your lifestyle, and you may have to try several to find the right approach. The most important thing is that it's sustainable in the long term because maintaining your weight loss is the trickiest bit,' explains Dr David Haslam, chair of the National Obesity Forum and Good Housekeeping's weight-loss expert. The bottom line is that if you stick to your diet, you will lose weight. But, more importantly, it's only if you eat for your new weight that you will keep it off. The challenge is to find a way to do this that suits your personality, your lifestyle and your purse.

Find the diet that will work for you
Answer these four questions, circling the statement that rings most true for you.

How do you feel about food?
L Food is important. I enjoy sharing it with family and friends
S I often eat when I'm bored or stressed rather than hungry
K Cooking and eating with the family makes losing weight difficult
O I'm organised, I plan meals and always shop ahead
D It's important to be able to eat what I enjoy - I hate feeling deprived

What helps you lose weight?
D Complicated systems that involve weighing food and counting calories
are too much trouble

L Looking and feeling healthy is the most important thing for me
O Eating less and exercising more doesn't work - I need rules to follow
S It makes me feel better when I know other people are in the same boat
K I've tried so many times - I can't see any way to make it work for me

Which is your diet personality?
D I hate the idea of joining a group to talk about losing weight
S I find it difficult to face new challenges on my own - I need other people on board
K I get discouraged and give up when I don't see rapid results
O As long as I have something that works and don't have to think about it, I'm happy
L A diet has to slot into my home and work life, not the other way around

What stops you keeping it off?
S As soon as I have a blowout and gain a few pounds I give up
D I don't want to feel as though I'm always on a diet and can't eat what I like

K I never lose enough to give me the impetus to carry on
L Counting calories doesn't fit in with the way I live
O I'm not sure - I go back to normal eating and all of a sudden the weight is back

How you scored
Count up how many of each letter you chose. Each one corresponds to an eating style, which will indicate the best diet approach for you. Follow the link at the bottom of the page for the right diet for you. Don't worry if your score isn't clear cut - incorporate elements of the other approaches into your long-term weight-management plan. 

Mostly L
Lifestyle Your home and work schedules are central, so a diet has to fit in and adapt easily to your normal eating pattern. Anything that smacks of deprivation won't work for you.
Try: A low GI diet, Mediterranean diet or Total Wellbeing diet, combining daily exercise with portion control.

Mostly O
Organised Never mind cutting down a bit, you thrive on organisation and do best with the discipline of a clear plan. If you know what you have to do, you can stick with it.
Try: WeightWatchers, Slimming World, Weight to Go or online slimming plans like Weight Loss Resources.

Mostly S
Support You can't do it on your own and it's a relief that other people feel the same. You need a planned style of eating that suits you, plus the support to see it through.
Try: WeightWatchers, Slimming World, Rosemary Conley diet and fitness clubs, or online groups at Weight Loss Resources, LighterLife.

Mostly D
Diet-averse You don't have the time or inclination to master a complicated diet plan, deprive yourself or spend precious evenings at a support group. You need long-term lifestyle changes that deliver a slow, steady result.
Try: Low GI diet, Mediterranean diet, Total Wellbeing diet, online plans,
exercise and portion control.

Mostly K
Kickstart And that's exactly what you need. You don't feel confident in going it alone and you need an aid that delivers rapid results to give you the motivation to carry on.
Try: LighterLife, Cambridge Diet, Weight to Go or Alli.

A complete mix of letters
Although you desperately want to lose weight, there always seem to be reasons why you can't. The fact is, it's up to you - you are the only person who can do it and no diet will work unless you can totally commit yourself to it and address the issues that are standing in your way. Look back at the diets you've tried before to see what worked and what didn't, then see how the different approaches listed here would fit into your current lifestyle. Whatever diet you choose, build in some support and/or counselling to address your reasons for overeating.

Click here to discover a weight-loss plan that will work for you

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