(KUTV) It’s the time of year when many people decide it’s time to diet. Not all diets work and even those that do won’t be effective if you can’t stick to it. In our Healthy Living report some strategies for making dieting work for you.

Exercise is important, but if you want to lose weight you also have to watch what you eat. Dietitians say picking just any diet may not work. The new trend in nutrition is finding the right diet for you.

?Dietitians call it Nutrigenomics. It’s a long word that means everybody’s different, everybody has a different nutrient profile, different nutrient needs,? said Rachel Jones, Dietitian, University of Utah.

The key is finding a diet that includes foods your body needs and choosing a plan that you can live with. One example, a person who doesn’t like to exercise may find more success with a diet like South Beach that limits carbs.

?If you?re not real active, you’ll be more successful moving to that 45 percent of total carbohydrates,? said Jones.

Plans like Weight Watchers will work best for people who like variety, but tend to eat too much.

?Sticking with a plan you can be successful with, that’s the secret,? said Jones.

Certain nutrients are also important for success:

  • Zinc found in seafood or nuts
  • Vitamin C
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium found in green leafy vegetables are power foods that will help you lose weight.

?They?re so important for boosting your metabolism and helping rev your engine at a higher rpm and really helping to build muscle,? said Jones.

No matter what plan you choose, keeping track of what you eat and burning more calories than you consume is crucial to success.

?It’s just like watching your checking account and making sure you’re not bouncing a check and using overdraft. You need to know how many calories you can afford and how many you can expend,? said Jones.

Dietitians also say the most important meal of the day when you’re on a diet is breakfast. Many people make the mistake of skipping breakfast or eating too small a meal.

For more information on healthy eating go to our health page and click on Check Your Health.

Source: Kutv.com