Fad diets come and go. There have been diets focused on grapefruit, cigarettes (Lucky Strike's "Keep a Slender Figure"), and even parasites (banish fat with "sanitized tapeworms in a jar").

But over time, extreme diets don't help you maintain a healthy weight or extend your lifespan.

That's why "The Dr. Oz Show" has formulated a research-based, healthy-living plan for the new decade. It’s called System 20.

It's not a diet, but it's designed to help you lose 20 pounds, reduce your risk for heart disease and diabetes by 20%, and ease chronic pain.

How? By adopting measures to assess healthy eating, sleep monitoring, manageable exercise, and mental health.

You can get the entire program at www.doctoroz.com, but here are the basics of healthy eating to help you get started.

Whenever you're preparing a meal, make sure it has four elements: protein, beans, greens, and flavor. Proteins include tuna, shrimp, and salmon; beans range from chickpeas to navy; greens include spinach, Swiss chard, and kale.

At www.doctoroz.com you'll find a "System 20 shopping list" and related recipes from Daphne Oz.  

Eat your first meal at 11 a.m., and stop eating at 7 p.m. You can take a cheat day once a week. Have that snack you really want, as long as it's within reason.

Do that, and you'll make this the first year of a decade to thrive.