Although this is true, for people who have a large amount of weight to lose, reducing their usual daily intake by 1000-2000 calories a day is a depressing task. Such dieters feel deprived before even starting a new diet. Even for people with small amounts to lose, cutting their usual intake from 2200 or 2500 to 1200 calories can be a shock to the system. A quick glance at any women's magazine reveals at least one sample menu for weight loss. Upon comparison, the amounts of food seem very small and usually include uninteresting foods such as yogurt, cottage cheese and chicken breasts.
Diets go wrong by requiring the dieter to change the type of food eaten.
Humans are creatures of habit and usually eat the same foods over and over. Granted, overweight folks are eating too much of the wrong foods. Using a sample week's menu of meals can result in buying unusual ingredients, using a small amount for one recipe, then often wasting the rest. Diets go wrong by making it difficult to prepare food and to eat. Most diets suggest using fresh foods, cooked from scratch at home.