It is best to aim for a weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week. This is more likely to be a sustainable loss, especially if you achieve this through eating a balanced diet and exercising.
In our tech-savvy society, we have become even more accustomed to achieving results quickly. Demanding instant gratification is fine when you're talking about a smartphone, but it's not the best policy when it comes to weight loss.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Fad diets that promise large amounts of weight loss leave you hungry at best, and with unhealthy habits at worstweight gain returned.
So what's the magic number for losing weight and keeping it off? According to
Just because it's possible to lose a lot more weight, at least in the first few months of dieting, doesn't mean it's healthy or that the weight will stay off in the long term.
Loses weightcan be incredibly simple and incredibly challenging at the same time.
Math tells us that if we consume fewer calories than we burn, we will eventually burn stored fat for fuel. One pound is equal to 3,500 calories.
If you want to lose 1 pound per week, you will need to consume about 500 to 1,000 fewer calories. But life is not that simple. There are social events, holidays and celebrations that all revolve around food.
When you're trying to lose weight, a solid diet and exercise plan with the goal of becoming healthier (not just trying on a new outfit or looking good for an event) will help you lose weight and keep it off. It's important to focus on both improving your eating habits and getting more physical activity.
Strength training such as weight lifting or, for some, bodyweight exercisesHigh intensity interval trainingcan give your metabolism the boost it needs to shed extra pounds. Stable conditionaerobic exercisecan also help burn some calories.
“Exercise increases your metabolism and builds more muscle mass, allowing you to continue burning calories after the exercise session,” saysdr. Amy Siegelfrom Austin Regional Clinic.
The good news is that you don't have to lose a lot of weight before you start seeing positive changes in your health. According to
There's a reason it'yo-yo dietingDepriving yourself is not sustainable and will eventually lead to a return to familiar eating patterns.
There's also some science behind why we gain weight after rapid weight loss programs, according to Dr. Peter LePort, medical director of the Memorial Care Center for Obesity at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
“The body reacts quickly if you lose weight so quickly and become hungry. “If you lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, the body will adjust and feel like that's the weight I should be, and then you won't be extremely hungry because of the rapid weight loss,” he says.
The exception to the 1 to 2 pound recommendation is when people have had weight loss surgery. Dr. LePort says many of his bariatric surgery patients are 100 pounds overweight and can lose 20 pounds per month soon after surgery, then about 10 pounds per month, and then 5 pounds per month.
“The surgery forces them to eat slowly and consume less food.”
To lose weight and keep it off, you need a plan that you can stick to.
If you've just started losing weight or have previously had trouble finding a plan to stick to, it's a good idea to seek help. Your doctor may recommend a dietitian who can work with you to develop a healthy eating plan that fits your needs and long-term goals.
A dietitian can teach you healthy habits and ways to ensure you do the samedealing with portion sizesand avoid too much sugar, salt and saturated fat, all of which contribute to health problems such as diabetesheart diseaseIndiabetes.
“A patient often needs help and needs to follow a program. I have a program that I put together in my office for patients that includes education and dietary guidance,” says Dr. LePort.
Both Dr. LePort and Dr. Siegel recommends programs such asWeight Watchersbecause they are useful for learning portion control without having to deprive yourself of certain foods.
To truly be successful, you need to focus on creating a healthier lifestyle for yourself. Eating healthy and exercising should not be a temporary means to an end; they must be regular habits.
“How long it takes for a person to reach their goals depends on the number of pounds they need to lose. The weight did not gain overnight, nor will it disappear overnight” , says Dr. Siegel.
