People who need to lose weight are constantly searching for diets that work. It’s not really difficult to find diets that work, but finding a diet a person can stick with is the trick. The diet industry is huge. Including books, diet food programs, trainers and nutritionists, spas, and all the other parts of the health and diet industry a lot of money, over 46.8 billion dollars in 2005, was pulled in not from people becoming healthy or losing weight, but rather from people attempting to become healthy or lose weight.

Because the money comes from repeat business, the focus is surely on methods and products that work for a short period of time but result in return business.

So you want a diet that delivers? Here’s one. Combine limiting caloric intake to 1000 calories a day with at least 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 times a week. It’s a given you’ll drop pounds. But there are two issues.

The first is that cravings will ruin the diet. 1000 calories and all that exercise will eventually lead to big hunger and binge eating. One piece of cake, or just one bag of chips, or one extra hot dog will soon steer you to end the diet.

Secondly, the diet eventually ends. You soon go back to eating the identical old way. Next beach season, or next time to put on that dress or tuxedo, or next vacation, or simply the next time you glance at a mirror on the way out of the gym it will be once again be diet time.

The best diet is one making a change to overall diet, permanently. A lifestyle change to healthier eating habits and more exercise is the best way to lose weight and keep off the unwanted pounds. The Sonoma Diet, created by Connie Guttersen, discusses ten power foods. The power foods are almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes and whole grains, combined with the diet of the Sonoma country, which includes Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean influences. The diet is full of real food, and real portions, combined into enjoyable dishes to help motivate someone to stay with it .

Want a diet that works? Move your mind from a short term diet to a long term style that’s part of an overall healthy and active lifestyle. That way you won’t put on the pounds in the first place.