March is National Nutrition Month.

To registered dietitians like Roberta Anding, too many people waste money on weight fads and gimmicks that just don't work. Yet Anding says the most effective way to keep the pounds off is achieving a healthy lifestyle that's "fad free."

"If you eat less, you will lose weight," says Anding, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "The question is, can you maintain a healthy lifestyle over the long term of your life? The real key to reaching long-term goals is to focus on your overall health."

The association created National Nutrition Month in 1973 to highlight healthful eating, practical nutrition guidance, informed food choices and  physical activity.

Anding provides these tips to go "fad free:"

•  Develop an eating plan for lifelong health. Too often, people adopt the latest food fad rather than focusing on overall health. Anding recommends using the federal government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid.

•  Choose foods sensibly by looking at the big picture. A single food or meal - if consumed in moderation and in proper portions - won't make or break a healthful diet.
 
•  Learn how to spot a food fad. Unreasonable or exaggerated claims that eating or not eating specific foods, nutrient supplements or combinations of foods may cure disease or offer quick weight loss are key features to keep on your radar.
 
•  Find your balance between food and physical activity. Regular physical activity is important for your overall health and fitness, plus it helps control body weight, promotes a feeling of well-being and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

•  Seek out food and nutrition information from reputable sources.

The reality is no super food or diet approach can reverse weight gain resulting from overeating and inactivity, says Dee Sandquist, a registered dietitian and another association spokeswoman.

"The lure of quick and easy weight loss is hard to resist," Sandquist says. "That's especially true for people who struggle to make changes that will optimize their health. Spending even a small amount of time on the Internet or at the library can tell you much about whether a dietary approach or product is based on science and isn't just a fad."