Lasting Weight Loss.

Losing weight is easy. We've all done it a handful of times, if not more. The real challenge in weight loss is maintenance. 

Researchers enrolled 773 subjects who had lost an average of 22 pounds. They put the subjects in one of five groups: low-protein/low-GI diet, low-protein/high-GI diet, high-protein/low-GI diet, high-protein/high-GI diet and a control group. (GI stands for glycemic index; a low-GI diet is one that contains few foods high in suger.) Over the course of 26 weeks, only those in the low-protein/high-GI diet regained a significant amount of weight. Those in the high-protein/low-GI group actually lost additional weight during the maintenance phase! interestingly, they were also the least likely to drop out of the study. "Going slightly higher than usually recommended in terms of protein consumption and lowering GI (sugar and processed carbs) can help people maintain weight loss," lead researcher Thomas Larsen, PhD, told theheart.org. A typical example of a high-protein/low-GI meal would be a skinless backed or grilled chicken breast with roasted eggplant, mushrooms and a side of plain brown rice.