Eat smart without the typical diets (SALAD DIETS)

You're human. And you're busy. Chances are you've occasionally ordered greasy takeout while crunching a deadline, or scarfed down a candy bar as you rushed to a meeting. Real life interferes with diets—and maybe that's why a UCLA analysis of eight studies found that about 40 percent of the typical salads & fruits dieters regain lost weight or even exceed their prediet weight after 4 or more years. It's tough to stick to a diet like that doesn't adapt to your life. Another problem with diets: They're usually built on self-denial, and people (most people, at least) aren't masochists. "Anytime you withhold something enjoyable from somebody, whether it's television or affection or pizza, they'll resist it for only so long," says Brian Wansink, Ph.D., the author of Mindless Eating. "Those are deprivation diets. Effective in the short run, but not sustainable." So we came up with an antidiet. Our plan is flexible enough to fit your schedule and realistic enough to keep you from feeling deprived. We've started you off with a day of nutrient-dense eating. Turns out you don't have to be superhuman to shrink your belly.