The problem with diets isn't that they don't produce weight loss. They do, but they're impossible to follow forever so extra pounds return. There's only one way to lose weight and keep it off: Change your habits. These three tricks make it easier to develop new habits that produce permanent weight loss.

1. Drink to Your Health

We all know that soda isn't a healthy beverage but diet soda has few or no calories so it's not so bad – or is it? Diet soda doesn't offer any health benefits. In fact, those who drink it are more likely to be overweight than people who drink regular soda, according to an eight-year study of 1,550 people.

Water is an obvious healthy alternative and can be flavored with just a spritz of real lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit juice without adding significant calories. If that doesn't seem appealing, consider tea or coffee. If caffeine bothers you, both come in caffeine-free versions and both have health benefits in addition to taste.

Tea, black or green, can help to burn calories more efficiently and prevent heart disease and cancer. Coffee can help to prevent type 2 diabetes, and if it's brewed by dripping through a paper filter, it doesn't raise blood pressure. As long as these drinks don't contain loads of added sugar or other high-calorie flavorings or toppings, such as whipped cream, they can be pleasant and healthy beverages.

2. Give Real Food a Chance

The human body thrives on food -- real food, that is. When you feed it stuff that has been manipulated by machines and chemically altered to a point where its source is pretty much unrecognizable, your body gets overfilled with empty calories without getting the fuel it needs.

In the simplest terms, eat food that clearly comes from an animal, plant, fish or bird. Grill a lean piece of meat or fish with some vegetables and season your food with tasty herbs. Take leftovers to work for lunch the next day. Eat some real oatmeal or eggs for breakfast.

Don't let labels confuse you. An apple is real food; it has a roundish shape and a crispy texture. An apple tart you pop into your toaster is usually rectangular and soft inside and it doesn't grow on trees. Real apples don't fit into toasters.

3. Get Exercise You Enjoy

The world we live in is so full of labor-saving devices that exercise has become a chore most people would rather avoid. Time is one obstacle but motivation is an even bigger one and for good reason. The stereotypical good-for-me workout is huffing, puffing and pumping in a gym, activities that don't appeal to everyone. If a visit to a health club, or just the idea of it, makes you feel more, rather than less stressed, choose a different path.

The most important thing about exercise is to do it regularly and if you take part in some activities you enjoy, they can be fun and relaxing. If you like playing a game, whether it's golf, tennis, baseball, Ping-Pong or something else, play it. If you enjoy dancing, do it, in a club or local community center, at a party, or in your living room. If walking sounds boring, try doing it with one or more friends or co- workers; you can keep each other on track and perhaps find new and interesting places to explore on foot.

If you want to play a sport but feel too out of shape, start slowly and work up to it instead of being a weekend warrior who gets defeated by an injury or sore muscles. The key is to think of one or more activities that appeal to you and make them a part of your life. That way, you're much more likely to stay active and healthy -- and that's a game worth playing.