Finding a weight loss program shouldn’t be that hard. After all, each program—no matter how different—is based on the same basic principle, right? Essentially, the idea behind losing weight is to take in fewer calories than you burn. But when you consider the literally hundreds of different philosophies, approaches, and explanations behind the myriad weight loss programs extolled today, finding the weight loss program that works for you can be very difficult.

But the search need not be so difficult. Professor Arne Astrup, of the Institute of Human Nutrition in Copenhagen, Denmark, advises taking the best of the two leading weight loss approaches: low carbs and low fat diets.

According to Astrup, taking the best aspects of low carb diets and low fat diets not only help increase weight loss initially, but will also be more effective and better for you in the long run.

Low Carb Diets

Diets that promote eating primarily protein and minimizing carbohydrate intake—such as Atkins—have seen great popularity. Even Astrup’s report admits that such diets have a greater initial weight loss than low fat diets. However, after Astrup and his colleagues completed a comparative study of different diets, they found that in the long run not only were low carb diets no better at keeping the weight off than low fat diets, they also had several potential side effects.

According to Astrup’s study, people on low carb diets often suffered from diarrhea, muscle weakness, and dehydration. “In the long term,” added Astrup, “we fear that this low intake of fruits and grains could increase the risk of colon cancer.”

As if those side effects weren’t bad enough, low carb diets may also be the culprit behind your halitosis. If, since starting your low carb diet, you’ve noticed people shying away from sharing the same air with you, it may be because of a process called ketosis. Low carb, high protein diets cause your body to burn stored fats for fuel rather than carbohydrates. “As fat burns, ketones build up in the body, and some are released through breath,” explains registered dietician and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, Jeannie Moloo. (If this is the case for you, just eat some carbohydrates and it should clear up.)

Despite all these possible side effects, no one can argue with the results. A study conducted in 2002 by the Duke University Medical Center and published in the American Journal of Medicine reported on the results of a group of participants who participated in an Atkins-like diet for a period of six months. The researchers found that 80 percent of the 50 participants kept with the program and lost an average 10 percent of their body weight. This loss translated into roughly 20 pounds per person. An added-and unsuspected—result of the study also showed that participant’s cholesterol levels also improved.

Unfortunately, if you ask most low carb dieters, the long term results of the diet are all too common. The weight comes back, often with a vengeance, as soon as the diet ends. The more extreme the diet is, explained Astrup, the less likely people are to adhere to it. “You cannot live without carbs for years,” added Astrup. For those that lost weight by cutting carbs from their diet, returning to those carbs spells disaster.

Low Fat Diets

Studies have repeatedly shown that obese and over weight people who cut their fat intake by 10 percent lose weight. The difficulty, however, lies in the time frame. Low fat diets take longer.

In another report published by Astrup, two studies examined low carb and low fat diets. Both studies showed that in the first six months, those on low carb diets lost nearly double the amount of weight as those on low fat diets. Yet, after 12 months, both groups had lost the same amount.

Researchers in this study also warned against cutting whole grains and fruits from your diet, as suggested in most low carb programs. Doing so deprives your body of the benefits of these foods, and may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Additionally, long term, low fat diets seem to be the way to keep the weight off—especially when researchers are still unsure of the long-term effects of low carb diets. An article printed in the Jan/Feb 2002 FDA Consumer Magazine touted low fat diets as the long range way to go if you want to keep the weight off. Of the more than 3,000 American adults who lost 60 pounds and kept the weight off for six years, less than 1 percent ate low carb diets. By and large, the majority of respondents ate a low-fat diet.

Glycemic Index

Astrup’s report spared a word for the recent excitement over the glycemic index (GI). GI measures how efficiently the body metabolizes certain foods and ranks carbohydrates by how much they raise a person’s blood sugar levels. The index works on the assumption that foods with a low GI will help a person lower their blood sugar levels and lose weight. Astrup, however, feels differently, stating that there is little evidence to suggest any difference between low and high GI foods.

The Best of Both Worlds

So what does all this mean? According to Astrup, for your diet to be successful, you should combine the best aspects of both low carb and low fat diets. “Combining some of the good things from the low carb with the good things from the low fat diets seems to be satiating and also to enhance weight loss,” states Astrup.

According to Astrup, your diet should consist of 25-30 percent of your caloric intake from fat, 15- 25 percent from protein, and 45-55 percent from carbohydrates consisting of whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes.

A diet made up of this mix provides your body with all the micro- and macro-nutrients it needs to function properly. Additionally, this diet seems to meet the cravings you may battle when dieting and will address most of the side effects you may also experience, such as weakness and fatigue.

Finally, adopting a mix of the good of both diets represents a lifestyle change that can go the distance. As Astrup reports, diets that go to extremes are harder to maintain and often result in regaining weight. Keeping to the middle ground—while replacing unhealthy foods with healthier choices—will keep you happy with the variety of foods you can eat.

To fully avail yourself of the benefits of this new approach, try these steps:

1. Start out your diet with a high protein approach. Repeated studies show that people lose more weight in the first six months of their diet by using a high protein/low carb diet.
2. Gradually add more carbs to your diet. And this means adding the good carbs. Stay away from processed foods—basically anything that can be described with the adjective “white” as in white flour or white sugar. Use whole grain foods and low sugar or sugar-free foods instead.
3. Pile on the fruits and vegetables. As you make the transition to more carbs, make sure the majority of your carbs come from fruits and vegetables. Most Americans eat only three servings of fruits and vegetables a day, despite the ubiquitous admonition to eat at least five servings. You should be eating between five to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables—not including potatoes, which are actually starches—a day. Shoot for nine servings, or roughly four and a half cups of fruits and vegetables everyday.
4. Spread your meals out throughout the day. Rather than eating three big meals, eat five or six smaller meals. Spreading out your meals keeps your metabolism revved up, helping you to lose more weight and burn more calories. It also helps maintain consistent energy levels.
5. Don’t eat late. Avoid eating late meals. Theoretically, you should allow your body at least three hours after eating before going to bed. Eating and then going to bed doesn’t provide your body with a chance to use the fuel you just gave it, so it stores that food for later use—meaning more fat to have to battle later.
6. Don’t deprive yourself. The cycle of depriving and then bingeing haunts most dieters. Instead, try moderation. You know which foods you shouldn’t eat in copious quantities. Rather than gorging on these foods, take smaller portions and savor them longer. Enjoy the texture, flavor, or whatever makes you like these naughty delicacies. Then go do something active to work off those extra calories.
7. Get active. Food is fuel. Keep that mantra in mind. When you eat, it’s so you can go and do something. And that’s exactly what you should do. Don’t eat and then sit down to watch TV. Eat and then go for a walk. Join a gym or an athletic club. Start jogging. Do something to burn the fuel you bring into your body.

Low carb and low fat diets are wonderful options when it comes to losing weight. But just losing the weight shouldn’t be your only goal. Keeping that weight off is even more important. In order to do just that, follow Astrup’s advice and take the good things from both diets. You’ll be surprised by the outcome.