The best diet? One that works for you

February 26, 8:19 AMWeight Loss ExaminerGail Gedan Spencer

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Biggest non-story of the day: The best diet is one you can stick to, reports the New England Journal of Medicine.

It's calories in, calories out.

Yawn.

C'mon, isn't there a magic banana diet? Some sort of bacon and butter plan? Seaweed and seitan? Hey, if you can stick to one of those diets and lose weight, then more power to you.

"Find a diet type that is comfortable for you," says study researcher Frank M. Sacks, MD, a professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The study tested 4 ways of eating:

• A low-fat, average-protein diet
• A low-fat, high-protein diet
• A high-fat, average-protein diet
• A high-fat, high-protein diet

Everyone lost weight at the same rate. All their diets were around 1,200 calories a day. Who had the largest weight loss and the best chance of staying on their plan and maintaining? Participants could attend sessions where dieticians educated them and group sessions where they discussed their experiences with one another. The people who attended those meetings the most had the most success.

The takeaway? (And I'm not talking about moo shoo pork) Any diet will work if you're comfortable with it and it's low enough in calories with group support.

Hmmm, sounds like Weight Watchers to me.