After I made those changes, I was less tired, less cranky and less resentful of the program. I stopped worrying the night before a weigh-in about what would happen on the scale the next day. Once I started to treat my body better, the weight loss started to happen regularly. Soon I was dropping two pounds every week.

By the time I wrapped up in week 10, I weighed 150 pounds—a 13-pound loss. Not the 20 I’d aimed for initially, but the fact was, I’d moved a needle I had long thought was stuck. Overall cost: $75, for three flubbed weight goals.

And here’s the ridiculous part. It took losing money for me to realize that the expert advice I’ve known all these years actually works.

Melinda Dodd is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Next: Celebrity Detox Diets

Want the latest beauty, fashion and lifestyle tips? Click here to sign up for our fabulous weekly newsletter!