oclv110 has it spot on, burn more calories than what you put in, full-stop. Most of these "off the shelf" diets do work, but that's only because they stick to the above principle. Problem is it's not sustainable because who the hell wants to chow cabbage for 6months . Your balance of Carbs & Protein need to be correct as you want to promote muscle growth as well. Find out what your base metabolic rate is, work out a food eating plan that will provide less than that and away you go. Generally, something like this will work if you're in training: Breakfast = 1x Oats so easy & Protein shake Tea = 1 x Apple Lunch = Protein & Carb eg. Tuna or Chicken on Wholewheat bread Tea = 1 x Fruit Supper = Protein & Carbs eg. Fish, Chicken or Pork with steamed veggies Add plenty water and snack on Almonds if you need something to tide you over between meals. Btw, often people gain a kilo or two in the beginning of a diet but don't stress. If you're training hard you normally experience some muscle growth if your diet is correct (remember, muscle weighs more than fat) before the fat burning begins.
