As the weight loss industry becomes increasingly prosperous more and more diet plans have become available. The problem is that a lot of these diet plans are complete nonsense and do not work at all. Sure, some diet plans are effective but do you really want to waste your time and money trying to find the right one? No, me neither! That is why in this article I have done the hard work for you and listed 6 criteria that should be part of any successful diet plan.

1) Honesty:- Many diet plans are full of outrageous claims such as "rub this gel on your stomach and watch the fat melt away". However, can you really trust a diet plan which makes such unrealistic claims? Losing weight is not easy and any diet plan which argues otherwise is likely to be fraudulent and ineffective. Try to look for diet plans which make more honest claims such as "lose 10 pounds in one month" as these are likely to be the ones that really work.

2) Evidence:- If a diet plan really is effective then there should be some clinical evidence which says so. Although clinical trials are not 100% foolproof (they may be sponsored by the diet plan company or the results may have been presented selectively to make the diet plan look more favourable) they are a good indicator of a diet plan's effectiveness. By looking for diet plans which have been scientifically tested you are more likely to find one that works for you.

3) No Forbidden Foods:- When a food is forbidden it becomes all the more tempting. This usually leads to you craving the food to such an extent that you binge eat. For example, lets say your favourite food is cookies but your diet plan has banned them. You manage to resist for two weeks but then you give in and eat a full pack. The end result is that you consume too many calories and sabotage all your good efforts on the diet plan. To avoid this you should look for diet plans which restrict the foods you eat but still let you treat yourself from time to time.

4) No Side Effects:- Even if a diet plan helps you lose weight in a way that works for you, you do not want to be subjected to any unpleasant side effects. For example, going on the Atkins diet has been associated with bad breath, constipation and nausea. Some health professionals even believe the diet can cause more serious health risks such as heart disease and osteoporosis. Therefore, make sure you research any diet plan you choose to ensure that there are no unpleasant side effects associated with it.

5) No Calorie Counting:- Any good diet plan will require you to have a general understanding of calories and the amount you should be consuming each day. However, if you have to count every single calorie that you take in every single day you will quickly become discouraged. The most successful diet plans will teach you to eat healthily and in time you will learn to reduce your daily caloric intake without counting every individual calorie.

6) Affordability:- Even if a diet plan fulfills all the above criteria it will not be a success unless you can afford it. Some diet plans require you to purchase special meals to participate. However, these meals are usually expensive and can quickly burn a hole in your wallet. I recommend that you choose a diet plan which does not require you to buy any special foods and is therefore affordable on almost any budget.

Successful diet plans should help you lose weight and make this process as easy and manageable as possible. They should be honest, unrestrictive, proven and affordable. When choosing a diet plan make sure it matches all the above criteria or else you could find yourself disappointed with the results.