Want to know the real secret to losing weight? Don't eat any of the products that you see advertised on TV.

Admit it, you've probably at least paid a bit of attention to every diet that's ever been invented. We're all convinced that somewhere, somehow, we are one day going to find The One True Diet. You know what I mean...the one diet that really lets you eat all of your favorite foods and still lose weight.

Well I've looked at just about every diet under the sun and I've realized one thing. They all say the same thing. Now, I know what you're thinking. Some diets are low carb, some are high carb, some diets allow you to eat anything you want (as long as you restrict the amount of food you eat), and some diets allow you to eat as much as you want (provided that it's on a list of "acceptable" foods). But really, they all say the same thing.

Don't eat potato chips. Don't eat cakes and cookies, and sweets, or chocolate. Don't eat overly processed foods. Don't eat white flour. In short...Don't eat anything that you see advertised on TV.

Unfortunately, those are the things that we tend to want. Advertisers have done a really good job. I'll be the first to admit that the sweet sweet siren song of Frito Lay has sabotaged many of my dieting attempts. Yet, after losing over 70lbs, I have finally come to terms with the fact that if I want to lose more weight, I have to put down the bag of cookies. Very few people can "have just one" and I'm not one of them.

If you're finally willing to put down the snacks, and are still looking for some more structure in your eating plan, then just chose the diet plan that best fits in with your eating style. There really is something out there that you can work with.

They key is just to avoid those products you see on TV.

About the Author

Shannon Tani is a former fattie, who weighed over 220lbs. She has currently lost over 70lbs. One day she realized that people would rather hear dieting advice from someone who's "been there, done that" than a boring old doctor who's never been fat a day in his life. So she started the website Better Off Fat to share her experiences and ideas.