If at first you don’t succeed – try again!

The Newspoll study of more than 500 men and women aged 25 to 49 years, commissioned by Australia’s peak nutrition body, the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), shows 55% of adults in this age group have tried to lose weight in the past 12 months.

With so many Australians trying to lose weight, DAA says it’s a sad reality that only 20% of these adults say they have been successful.

Women (34%) and those aged over 40 years (36%) are more likely to say they find it hard to be a healthy weight.

According to the survey, one in four adults who had tried to lose weight in the past year had gone on one of the eight listed popular diets such as meal replacement shakes, fasting and the Atkins diet. Men and women were equally likely to have tried one of these fad diets.

Dr Clare Collins, DAA spokesperson, says many Australians can become disillusioned from a failed weight loss attempt. However, Dr Collins, who has headed up many weight-loss trials in Australia, says the key to losing weight is to ‘never give up’.

“Like most Aussies who have tried to quit smoking, it can take more than one attempt to be successful when it comes to losing the weight for good,” she says.

Dr Collins’ three-step plan to a healthy weight:

• Put health first. Many diets may promise weight loss but are far from healthy. The best diet is different for everyone but should always include all the core food groups: fruit, vegetables, breads and cereals, dairy and alternatives, and meat and alternatives.
• Start small. If you’ve been unsuccessful at weight loss, remember, there’s no one plan that will suit everyone. Start by making small positive changes that are realistic and sustainable for you. It could be as simple as eating a healthy breakfast every day.
• Get support. It’s often hard to tackle a challenge on your own. If you’ve tried a diet and it didn’t work for you, speak with your local dietitian to work out a healthy, sustainable and individualised meal plan that’s tailored just for you.