Continued from Exercise Sucks.

Roadblock 2 Carbs/fat/protein/fruit put on the pounds.

Success Strategy Focus on calories.

Research suggests that a smart weight-loss plan doesn’t ban bread or peanut butter or beef from your plate. You shouldn’t live without them because you can’t. They contain building-block nutrients that keep your body moving at the speed of life.

Instead of an extreme “eat all the cheese you want but don’t touch bread” approach, focus on curbing portions and choosing whole-grain carbs, fiber-rich foods, good fats, and lean protein.

Not only do these foods give you energy, but they also keep you feeling satisfied so you don’t succumb to between-meal cravings.

The Science Behind The Strategy A reduced-calorie eating plan based on fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats translated to weight-loss success in a Tufts University-New England Medical Center study of 39 overweight women and men.

Study volunteers on this plan lost an average of 22 pounds in 6 months, while those who followed a reduced-calorie diet but ate more refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, snack foods, and sweets, lost just 13 pounds in the same amount of time.