Yes they are but only if you make exercise and dieting part of your everyday lifestyle. Of course the weight's going to come back if you stop doing the things you did to achieve that weight loss.
And I speak from experience as someone who's been 15-20 lbs. overweight my whole life and am now at my perfect weight. How was it done? I ate less and moved more.
I ate less and moved more.
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It takes REAL change. Most people call it “discipline” but they can only muster it for short periods of time, because it’s not discipline, it’s accepting lifestyle changes and normalizing them.
It’s not always about eating less, it’s about types of foods and quantities. Eat a huge salad or big plate of veggies is fine as long as not lots of dressing and sugary stuff, cheese or other worthless calories.
Less processed food and empty calories seems to work for me. I even have some nights I didn’t get to eat dinner till 2 hrs later than normal, half dozen times I’ve had a big amount of fried chicken I picked up on way home and still lost weight next morning and kept on losing.
Lots of people cut back too many calories and it can take longer to lose because the body starts slowing metabolism and holding onto fat stores because the body is being deprived of some nutrients or sufficient calories for basic functions.