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Is there really a diet that is better than the rest? One that can promise the best results?When it comes to choosing a weight-loss diet to follow, things aren’t always clear-cut. From Atkins to Mediterranean there are so many options promising fast results that it can be difficult to decide which is best for you. Well as it turns out, it probably doesn’t matter which diet you follow if your goal is to kickstart weight loss.

In a new study published in The BMJ, researchers separated 14 popular diets like Weight Watchers, South Beach, and Atkins into three groups: low-carb, low-fat, and moderate-macronutrient. They looked at the results of 121 randomized trials—a total of 21,942 people following the various diet plans—to find out which are the most effective for weight loss and overall health.

Compared to people who weren’t given any specific diet instructions to follow, those who followed any of the low-carb or low-fat diet plans had similar weight-loss results (about 8-11 pounds) and better blood pressure after six months. People on moderate-macronutrient diets still had some improvements, just slightly less.

The bad news is that after the one-year mark, none of the weight-loss or cardiovascular effects were obvious, except for the lowering of the LDL (bad cholesterol) with the Mediterranean Diet.

The difference in the weight-loss results between different diets was insignificant, meaning that there was no clear winner according to the study’s authors. So don’t sweat over which diet to try next and which will give you the results you are looking for. Instead go with a plan that appeals more to you and one that is more suitable to your lifestyle.

If we put some thought to the fact that a year after the weight-loss most of the benefits came to a halt, we should probably invest some more time in creating a plan for maintenance. The authors of the study advise that you take it easy on sugar, salt and alcohol and eat more vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Shocker?? I certainly hope not. But if this is news to you, you better go to your fridge and kitchen drawers and get rid of all the junk. Now go repopulate it with some of those healthy ingredients.