Losing weight isn’t just a matter of willpower or dedication, according to a new study. Researchers have found that the perceived complexity of a diet plan’s rules and requirements can mean success or failure when it comes to weight loss.

"For people on a more complex diet that involves keeping track of quantities and items eaten, their subjective impression of the difficulty of the diet can lead them to give up on it," reported Indiana University researcher Peter Todd.

The study followed the weight loss success of 390 German women recruited from internet chat rooms dealing with diet and weight management. Half of the participants followed a simple diet plan that provided shopping lists and a meal plan while the other half were tasked with keeping track and assigning values to the foods they consumed every day. The participants were interviewed about their efforts in the beginning, middle and the end of the study.

Researchers say that the more complicated people thought their diet plan was, the sooner they were likely to drop it.

"Even if you believe you can succeed, thinking that the diet is cognitively complex can undermine your efforts," said researcher Jutta Mata.

Some health practitioners have suggested the alkaline diet for those trying to shed extra pounds. It is based on citrus fruits, vegetables, tubers, nuts and legumes.