Diets don't fail, people do This rant is inspired by a conversation with fat co-workers.  To ensure workplace tranquility, I changed the subject. Fats love to say diets don't work and site some research project they proves 95% of diets fail. (Assuming there were such a research project). Then say even trying to lose weight is a waste of time.  If the failure rate is 95% or 9.5% or only 0.95% the reason for the failure is the same: People went back to their old habits of over eating.  CICO is everything.  Fats like to say 95%, but it proves nothing.  The only people that would be part of a weight loss research project would be fats that have no self control, that is the people most likely to go back to their old habits.