I get asked a lot, “What’s the best diet for losing weight?” There are so many options—from keto, to the Mediterranean diet, the newest supplement, to meal replacement shakes, and so many more! It can be overwhelming! In my opinion, the best diet is the one that you can manage to stick with long term. Lots of fad diets will help you lose weight in the short term. However, if you are looking for long term weight loss so that you can live a healthy life, then you need a lifestyle change that you can stick with for the long haul. It boils down to a rather simple idea–calories in must be less than calories out to lose weight. You need a calorie deficit to drop pounds and a balance to maintain. Combining reduced calorie intake with regular physical activity is your best bet for shedding the pounds and keeping them off, as well as improving your mood, joint health, and cardiovascular health. Some people may need a special diet due to medical conditions—diabetics should lean toward lower carbohydrate diets, kidney patients have to be cautious with protein, and the DASH diet is good for folks with hypertension. These issues may steer you a certain direction as you plan. Your eating plan has to be practical as well. Busy moms may not have time for extensive meal prep and complicated recipes. If they go this route, they will often “fall off the wagon” pretty quickly. Someone who is on the road a lot may not be able to cook their own food often. Intermittent fasting may be something to look into for these folks to reduce their overall calorie intake—combined with making overall healthier choices in foods and getting active. Take a few minutes to think about your health goals. What do you want to achieve in changing your diet? How much time and money do you have on your hands to devote to your plan? Set yourself up for success! Choose an eating plan that is livable, practical, and possible to continue lifelong!