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Home / Blog / SCIENCE INSTEAD OF DIETS Why diets don't work: Sustainable weight loss doesn't start with a diet

SCIENCE INSTEAD OF DIETS Why diets don't work: Sustainable weight loss doesn't start with a diet 01.12.2026

In 2022, 50.6% of people aged 16+ in the EU were overweight. In the Czech Republic, too, the problem affects a large part of the population – according to the OECD/EU profile, obesity among adults was 19.3% (2019), and at the same time, 20% of 15-year-olds were overweight or obese in 2022.

That's why we created the Science Instead of Diets series . Not to give you more rules to follow, but to show you a system that works in practice: diagnosis, individualization, and a plan that can be maintained even outside of the "ideal week."

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New Year's resolutions. Why do most diets fail?

Let's start simply: most diets fail not because people lack discipline, but because they go against biology.

Our nutritionist Oliver Najman's experience is that a short diet can quickly change the number on the scale, but if it's not built into a sustainable regimen, the body often takes the results back. That's when people start to doubt themselves. But the problem is usually with the method, not with you.

In the first part of the series, we therefore set expectations: we are not looking for a miracle in 14 days. We are looking for a strategy for months and years.

Why we start with a diagnosis: you need to get to know your body first

The second thing we do differently: we don't guess. We measure. Because weight alone (and often BMI) is only an approximate number — it doesn't tell you how much fat you have, how much muscle, or where the fat is stored. BMI is useful for screening, but it is not a direct measurement of fat and does not give the whole picture on its own.

We see this all the time in practice. Two people can weigh the same but have completely different body compositions, metabolic profiles, and risks. That's why we start with what makes sense and saves time: blood, hormones , including insulin, and InBody. Not to turn people into a laboratory project, but so we don't waste weeks on blind experiments.

What diagnostics typically tell us (in simple terms):

  • InBody/bioimpedance: gives an approximate indication of body composition (fat vs. lean mass, water) — when used correctly, it is a practical tool, but it has its limitations (e.g., fluctuations in hydration).
  • Blood: basic metabolic indicators (e.g., sugar/fats) — so that the plan makes sense from a health perspective.
  • Insulin and selected hormones: help to understand whether the brake is more in the mode, stress, or metabolic regulation.

The result? Fewer assumptions, more certainty, and a plan that is based on your body, not on a universal table.

"Sustainable weight loss is not a diet." This sentence is key: sustainable weight loss is not "enduring a regime."

Sustainability in practice means:

  • simplicity (so that it can be lived with during a normal week),
  • flexibility (so that one celebration doesn't ruin the whole month),
  • real food (not a regime based on prohibitions and substitutes).

Universal plans often don't work. Not because they are always poorly written, but because they ignore the reality of the individual, their daily routine, sleep, stress, health context, and preferences. The goal is not to be perfect. The goal is to be repeatable.

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL OFFER

Start & Reset – Tailored Nutrition

The package includes: 

1x initial consultation (60 min)

  • Assessment of nutritional needs and requirements
  • Evaluation of eating habits, approach to diet, and relationship with food
  • Recommendations for dietary changes with regard to prevention, performance, and a healthy relationship with food
  • InBody body composition analysis

3 consultations (30 min) 

  • Regular progress monitoring 

Customized meal plan

  • Creation of an individual meal plan

Price: CZK 7,600

The price is valid only until April 30, 2026. Packages must be used by July 31, 2026.

More information about nutritional therapy at MY CLINIC


Book a consultation – join us

 

The gut as the basis of metabolism

Weight loss isn't just math. It's also about regulating appetite, energy, digestion, and stress responses. This is where the gut and microbiome play a big role, influencing metabolic signals in the body and potentially affecting how easily you stick to your regimen.

Simply put, when the microbiome doesn't get what it needs over the long term, you often see it not only in your digestion, but also in fluctuations in energy and appetite. An important part of this puzzle is fiber, from which bacteria produce metabolites (e.g., SCFA) that are also related to intestinal satiety hormones such as GLP-1 and PYY.

What to improve in reality (without extremes)

  • Variety + fiber every day (vegetables, legumes, whole grain side dishes) – in small steps, but regularly.
  • Regularity in eating (less chaos → less evening snacking).
  • After antibiotics, return to basics and gradually reintroduce variety (antibiotics can significantly disrupt the microbiome).

In this series, we put this part into practice: what to change simply and sustainably so that it is not just another short-term "project" but a new standard.

The 5 most common myths and why they don't work

The internet is full of "guaranteed" advice. But many of them lead to a dead end or the yo-yo effect.

Myths are dangerous because they sound simple. And when they don't work, people feel that the problem lies with them. In reality, the problem lies with the method.

1) "I need a detox/cleanse"
Detox diets have little clinical evidence that they actually "cleanse" the body; your liver and kidneys do most of the detoxification work.

2) "Low-carb is the only way"
Low-carb can work, but in the long run, the results are often similar to those of low-fat diets—sustainability and adherence to the plan are the main factors.

3) "The less I eat, the faster I lose weight"
Very low-calorie diets only make sense in selected cases and should be under professional supervision (due to risks and weight regain).

4) "You can't eat after 6 p.m."
Timing can play a role, but it is not a universal rule that "after 6 p.m. = you gain weight"; overall intake and habits are more important (late meals often mean extra food).

5) "Fat burners and supplements will solve the problem"
Many "weight loss" supplements have problems with both effectiveness and safety — the FDA repeatedly warns about products with hidden drugs/ingredients.

"Success begins after reaching your goal." This is perhaps the most important part of the whole journey.

Losing weight is one phase. Maintaining it is another, and often much more important. The most common mistake is to "turn off the system" after reaching the goal. But after a change, the body naturally tries to return to its old ways.

That's why we work consciously on maintenance: checkpoints, a realistic regimen, prevention of the yo-yo effect. The goal is not "to get the number down." The goal is for the result to last.

Order: join us

If you want to stop trying new diets and instead have a plan based on diagnostics and the reality of your life, join us.
 

Book a consultation – join us
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Mon - Thu 7.30-18.00, Fri 7.30-16.00

Bc. Oliver Najman, MN. Nutr

Oliver Najman is a sought-after nutrition consultant working at MY CLINIC.

His practice is based on an evidence-based approach and the belief that nutrition must be individualized, sustainable in the long term, and practical.

Focus at MY CLINIC:

  • sports nutrition (including performance maximization and working with weight categories),
  • body composition change (fat reduction/muscle mass gain),
  • weight reduction and prevention (optimizing nutrition for health prevention).


How it works:
  • based on the individual situation and preferences of the client,
  • uses InBody body composition analysis and, if necessary, comprehensive blood diagnostics to ensure that recommendations are based on real data.

The information in this article is general and does not replace individual examination or personal recommendations. If you have health problems or are taking medication, discuss changes to your diet and regimen with a specialist in person.