Weight-loss goals can be fueled by a variety of factors—New Year’s ambition, a looming wedding, the simple desire to feel and look your best—but no matter your motivation, the stats are stacked against you when it comes to slimming down: Research shows that only about 1 out of 6 dieters successfully loses weight and keeps it off. But despite that depressing data, it is possible to overhaul your lifestyle for good, and one way to ensure success is to follow a sensible diet that works for you, says Dawna Stone, health and wellness expert and author of The Healthy You Diet. Not sure if you’re picking the right plan? Here, Stone shares 7 signs that your new diet will fail:

  1. You have to give up your favorite foods.Any diet that asks you to forsake your faves won’t work in the long-term. It’s fine to skip cookies, ice cream, pizza, and other indulgences for a short period of time to help break unhealthy eating habits, but any diet that completely bans your most-loved meals won’t work. Why? Most people can only go without their favorite indulgences for so long until they succumb to their cravings—at which point they usually go overboard. Not only does this inevitable junk-food binge mess with your diet goals, but it also leaves you feeling guilty and defeated. The right weight loss program will focus on wholesome and nutritious meals, but also allow occasional indulgences.
  2. It’s not something you can do in the real world.In order for a diet to work, it has to work with your life. Opting out of a girls night, saying no to a dinner date, or making excuses for not joining the family for its next gathering is a recipe for disaster. If your diet doesn’t provide alternative meals or tips for how to handle these situations, it’s not a program that will work for you. Look for a weight loss program that offers tips on how you can take part in social gatherings of all kinds without feeling guilty or sabotaging your goals. (Check out these 5 healthy eating tips for real-life challenges for help.)
  3. You have to eat stuff you don’t like.Any diet that leaves you unhappy with your plate is sure to fail. If you don’t like the food you’re eating on a program, you won’t stick with it for long. Find a plan that’s flexible and encourages you to make substitutions, which allow you to eat the foods you enjoy.
  4. The program lacks essential nutrients.Media Platforms Design Team Photo by Gerenme/Getty Images You may be losing weight on your new diet, but if you’re drastically cutting calories or your new plan is lacking important vitamins and minerals, it’s not a program for life. The right diet will include a variety of fruits, veggies, and other nutritious foods, and you should notice positive benefits beyond weight loss such as better sleep, more energy, glowing skin, and enhanced mood.
  5. The program is too extreme.There are many extreme diets on the market, and although they may show quick results, they’re not sustainable or healthy in the long term. Most people only last a short period of time and often gain back the weight they lost on the diet, plus a few extra pounds. Use common sense when selecting a diet—if it sounds too good to be true or if it sounds downright crazy, skip it and find a healthier program.
  6. You’re always hungry.If your stomach’s always growling, you wont last long. The right diet should satisfy your hunger and have you looking forward to each meal. Look for a plan that provides at least three meals and one snack per day. 
  7. You have to count calories.Although counting calories is doable in the short term, it’s not something you’ll want to do forever. When you eat a clean diet, you no longer need to count calories. A balanced plan will incorporate fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy grains. These foods will help you drop pounds for good—no tedious math required. The article “7 Signs Your New Diet Won’t Work” originally ran on Fitbie.com. MORE: How To Pick The Perfect Diet Plan For You