Nearly all weight loss eating plans put different emphasis on fats, carbs, and protein. The Keto Diet, Atkins Diet, Vegan Diet, Mediterranean Diet, Paleo Diet, and the Low Glycemic Diet all emphasize different foods and different macro ratios. Of these approaches to eating, which is the best for long term, sustainable weight loss? 

The following four studies will show you the long term effectiveness of different approaches to eating.

In this randomized clinical trial among 609 overweight adults, aged 18 to 50 years, were randomly assigned to a healthy low carb and healthy low fat diet for 12 months. Of the 609 participants, 481 completed the study.

The researchers from Stanford found that after 12 months, there was no significant difference in weight loss between the two groups. 

They found that eating healthy whole foods had more to do with the weight loss than they type of diet the participants were on. 

Both diets also led to improved lipid profiles and lowered blood pressure, lower insulin, and lower glucose levels. 

811 overweight adults were randomly assigned to one of four diets in this study(4). Each diet had a different macro (fat, carb, protein) makeup. The foods in the diet were relatively the same, but the amounts of fats, carbs and protein were different. The participants also participated in nutrition and health training sessions throughout the study.

At 6 months, participants assigned to each diet had lost an average of 13 pounds. At the 12 month mark they began to regain weight. Among the 80% of participants who completed the study, the average weight loss was 8 pounds after 2 years. No one macronutrient combination produced superior, long-term weight loss results than the other.

Satiety, hunger, satisfaction with the diet, and attendance at group sessions were similar for all diets. Interestingly enough, attendance at the health training sessions was strongly associated with the most weight loss.

CONCLUSION: The final conclusion by the researchers of this study was that it didn't matter what the macronutrient (fat, carb or protein) makeup of the food was, having the willpower to consistently stick to their healthy, whole food eating plan was the biggest driver to losing weight and maintaining that weight loss. 

What the researchers found was that, in the short term, there were certain diets that DID result in better weight loss, but over the long term, none of the diets produced any substantial difference in weight loss maintenance.

All the researchers who conducted these studies concluded that having the willpower, the ability to train and control your thought processes, to stick to a specific whole food based diet plan was the highest predictor in successful long term maintenance of weight loss. 

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, said, "Almost anyone can make short-term changes in their eating behavior and lose at least a little weight. 

But unless they make changes in their thinking, they will never be able to sustain their new eating behaviors and they’ll gain weight back."

The ability to strengthen your willpower to consistently repeat healthy eating behaviors is the key to long term weight loss success. Using Willpower Systems™ will help you to systematically repeat your healthy behaviors long enough to the point in which they become habits. 

Willpower Systems™ accomplish this by helping you to strengthen your willpower so that you can have the motivation you need, when you need it to repeat your healthy behavior. 

TAP THIS LINK if you'd like to learn more about how Willpower Systems™ work and why they are so powerful.   

Christopher D. Gardner, PhD1; John F. Trepanowski, PhD1; Liana C. Del Gobbo, PhD