Some days will be harder than others when sticking to a weight loss or maintenance program. A successful weight-loss program requires the individual to persevere and not give up when self-change seems too difficult.
Some people might need to reset their goals, potentially by adjusting the total number of calories they are aiming to eat or changing their exercise patterns.
The important thing is to keep a positive outlook and be persistent in working toward overcoming the barriers to successful weight loss.
Successful weight loss does not require people to follow a specific diet plan, such as Slimming World or Atkins. Instead, they should focus on eating fewer calories and moving more to achieve a negative energy balance.
Weight loss is primarily dependent on reducing the total intake of calories, not adjusting the proportions of carbohydrate, fat, and protein in the diet.
A reasonable weight loss goal to start seeing health benefits is a 5–10 percent reduction in body weight over a 6-month time frame.
Most people can achieve this goal by reducing their total calorie intake to somewhere in the range of 1,000–1,600 calories per day.
A diet of fewer than 1,000 calories per day will not provide sufficient daily nutrition.
After 6 months of dieting, the rate of weight loss usually declines, and body weight tends to plateau because people use less energy at a lower body weight. Following a weight maintenance program of healthful eating habits and regular physical activity is the best way to avoid regaining lost weight.
People who have a BMI equal to or higher than 30 with no obesity-related health problems may benefit from taking prescription weight-loss medications. These might also be suitable for people with a BMI equal to or higher than 27 with obesity-related diseases.
However, a person should only use medications to support the above lifestyle modifications. If attempts to lose weight are unsuccessful and a person’s BMI reaches 40 or over, surgical therapy is an option.
Overview
Lose WeightMaintaining weight loss involves a commitment to a healthful lifestyle, from which there is no “vacation.” Although people should feel free to enjoy a special meal out, a birthday celebration, or a joyful holiday feast without feeling guilty, they should try not to stray too far from the path of healthful eating and frequent physical activity.
Those who do may find that they lose focus. Gaining back lost weight is easier than losing it.
Achieving and maintaining weight loss is possible when people adopt lifestyle changes in the long term.
Achieving and maintaining weight loss is possible when people adopt lifestyle changes in the long term.
Regardless of any specific methods that help a person lose weight, individuals who are conscious of how and what they eat and engage in daily physical activity or regular exercise will be successful both in losing and keeping off excess weight.
Quick weight loss can sound pretty enticing. That's especially true when fad diets and social media make it seem more realistic than it really is to drop 10 pounds in 10 days. In fact, "yo-yo dieting" or "weight cycling" is associated with an increased risk of death. The truth is, for many people, it's not easy to lose weight for a myriad of reasons, including life-stage, body composition, physical activity, genetics and hormones, among other factors. Plus, weight is not the end all be all and is only one of several factors that impact our overall health.
Extreme calorie restriction and excessive exercising is something our nutrition and fitness experts would never recommend for health reasons, but they also note that you'll likely gain all of your weight back faster than you lost it if you try those approaches. Losing weight by improving your overall diet and lifestyle is without a doubt the healthiest way to go.
If you're looking for sustainable weight loss, there are a few healthy tips that hold true for almost all of us across the board — and they’re concepts that we can put into practice beginning right now.
Editor's note: Weight loss, health and body image are complex subjects — before deciding to go on a diet, we invite you to gain a broader perspective by reading our exploration into the hazards of diet culture.
Instead of restricting different foods and food groups, focus on incorporating an abundance of nourishing foods that you can add into your diet to promote overall health and weight management. The water and fiber in produce adds volume to dishes and are naturally low in fat and calories but nutrient-dense and filling. You can create lower-calorie versions of delicious dishes by swapping out higher calorie ingredients for fruits and veggies. Think cauliflower rice in place of starchy white rice or doing 50/50. If you think about making any meal mostly veggies (at least 50% of anything that you’re having), you’re on the right track to better health.
A balanced breakfast — one that is stacked with fiber, protein, healthy fats, coming together in a delicious dish — will revolutionize your day, especially if you are currently skipping it and still find yourself struggling to prioritize a healthy lifestyle. Skipping breakfast may influence your hunger hormones later in the day, leading to you feeling "hangry" in the afternoon which makes it harder to refrain from oversized portions or cravings for sugary and refined carbohydrate foods. The best, heartiest breakfasts are ones that will fill you up, keep you satisfied, and stave off cravings later in the day. Aim to eat anywhere between 350 and 500 calories for your morning meal, and make sure you're including a source of lean protein plus filling fat (think eggs, unsweetened Greek yogurt, nuts, or nut butters) and fiber (veggies, fruit, or 100% whole grains). Starting your day with a blood sugar-stabilizing blend of nutrients will help you slim down.
We just don't feel full by liquid calories in quite the same way as we do real food. Drinking a juice or caramel coffee drink just isn't as satisfying as eating a bowl of veggie- and protein-packed stir-fry. Skipping sugary beverages is often the easiest way to lose weight faster, and bonus, it's good for things like heart health and diabetes prevention too. Monitor your intake of juice, soda, sweetened coffee and tea and alcoholic beverages. If you consume each of those beverages during the day, you'll have taken in at least 800 extra calories by nighttime — and you'll still be hungry. (Incidentally, alcohol may suppress the metabolism of fat, making it tougher for you to burn those calories.)