As a nutritionist and wellness coach in private practice for many years, I have witnessed the same scenario a thousand times before. Individuals shed a substantial amount of weight using a fad diet, weight that is only to be regained again once the “quick-fix” weight-loss scheme has been abandoned and the individual returns to their old ways (behaviors that got them into trouble in the first place).

You’ve heard it before: we live in a country where tasty, high-calorie, inexpensive food is everywhere; restaurant portions are out-of-control and a sedentary lifestyle is the norm. This is the recipe for an obese nation. So how do we reverse this dangerous phenomenon? What’s the best way to lose weight in a nation bursting at the seams? This is not rocket science here.

Nutrition scientists have proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that to lose weight, human beings need to reverse the calorie equation, namely, we need to burn more calories than we consume. Keep in mind that losing the weight is the easy part. You can lose weight by diet alone; however, to succeed at long-term weight loss, exercise must be factored into the equation.