It’s that time of year again. Summer is just around the corner. The season of shorts, sundresses, and, oh yes, the dreaded swimsuit. You know the drill. You look in the mirror and think, “I have to lose 10 lbs (or 15, or 20) before I can even think about going to the beach.” Or, “This time I really am going to start a diet plan and stick with it”. Sound familiar? If this has become a yearly ritual for you, it’s time to stop the dieting madness and start getting real about your weight.

Have you ever wondered with all the popular diets out there today, why are people in the United States heavier than ever? It seems you can’t read a magazine or watch the news without hearing about “low-carb living” or the South Beach Diet. And yet, according to the American Obesity Association (AOA), close to 65% of Americans can be classified as overweight, obese, or severely obese. And this epidemic isn’t limited to adults. Currently 15% of America’s children can also be classified as obese. Also, in a 2004 study conducted by the University of California, they showed that over 60% of clinically obese women went on their first diet before the age of 14. When you read these statistics your conclusion should be fairly clear. Diets simply don’t work.

The question is, why are people so reluctant to believe this to be true? If you tell people that the only true way to lose weight is by eating less and exercising more, you can see their eyes glaze over with indifference. But, if you tell them that they can quickly lose weight by taking a “magic pill” each day or by drastically reducing certain types of foods from their diet, then they become interested. I think this sense of denial prevails because for the most part, people are impatient by nature. Everything we want, we want right now. So, when a popular diet plan claims to guarantee results within a short period of time, people pay attention.

Also, let’s face it, eating less and exercising more isn’t a very sexy concept. There’s no “magic formula” behind the theory. And yet, if you were to ask any reputable medical professional they would tell you that a lifelong program of eating a moderate amount of calories combined with daily exercise is the only effective and healthy way to take weight off and keep it off.

I can hear people groaning already. But luckily there are steps you can take to make the transition to a healthier lifestyle. Permanent weight loss can be a reality, but it’s going to take an overhaul of the way you currently think about food as well as adopting a regular plan of physical exercise. The following is a basic guide to help you on your way.