While fad diets may promise rapid weight loss, they are often unhealthy and unsustainable.
Those looking to lose weight should instead combine keeping active with eating nutritious food to achieve their goals.
Weight loss experts at Harvard Medical School shared "three healthy meals for weight loss", plus their top tips for losing weight.
For breakfast, those who want to lose weight might want to start with a bowl of bran flakes with strawberries and walnuts, topped with no-fat milk.
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'People who have lost weight - and kept it off - usually have made a permanent shift toward healthier eating habits'
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Whole grain bran flakes are a great alternative to sugary cereals, and strawberries provide sweetness plus count as a portion of fruit. Walnuts are rich in unsaturated fats.
For lunch, go for a turkey sandwich on wheat bread for a high-protein midday meal. Serve with a side of vegetables and a dressing made from olive oil and vinegar.
Protein-rich foods are filling so will deter slimmers from reaching for unhealthy, processed snacks later on in the day.
A salmon steak on a bed of spinach makes for a delicious weight-loss-friendly dinner.
Salmon is a great source of protein and, being an oily fish, it is a great source of healthy fats too. Meanwhile, spinach is low in calories and high in fibre.
The experts said: "Instead of embracing 'fad diets', people who have lost weight - and kept it off - usually have made a permanent shift toward healthier eating habits.
"Simply replacing unhealthy foods with healthy ones - not for a few weeks, but forever - will help you achieve weight loss while also offering numerous other benefits.
"A healthy diet favours natural, unprocessed foods over pre-packaged meals and snacks. It is balanced, meaning that it provides your body with all the nutrients and minerals it needs to function best."
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Slimmers should focus on eating more plant-based foods - especially fruits and vegetables - than animal foods
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Slimmers should focus on eating more plant-based foods - especially fruits and vegetables - than animal foods. They should prioritise protein and cut down on sugar and salt. Sticking with a healthy plan will help them keep the weight off permanently.
Despite "fat" having negative connotations when it comes to shedding excess weight, a weight loss diet should incorporate “healthy fats” such as oily fish and olive oil. Avocado is also a very popular source of healthy fat.
For those who want to lose weight but tend to get a little bit peckish in between meals, one doctor recommended three specific snacks.
And dieters need not deprive themselves of desserts either - there is nothing wrong with the occasional sweet treat. Those hoping to lose weight should opt for two yummy puddings if they want to slim down.