I’ve been trying to lose weight and have come across various methods like intermittent fasting, tracking diet and exercise, and mindful eating. What strategies have worked best for you in achieving sustainable weight loss?
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Hi Grace!
Here are some effective strategies for sustainable weight loss:
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Balanced Diet: Focus on eating whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. Avoid extreme diets that heavily restrict certain food groups.
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Regular Exercise: Incorporate physical activities you enjoy into your daily routine, such as walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing. Consistency is key.
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Mindful Eating: Pay attention to what and when you eat to recognize hunger and fullness cues, which can help prevent overeating.
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Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day, as thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
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Adequate Sleep: Ensure you get enough sleep, as poor sleep can affect your metabolism and hunger hormones.
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Support System: Having a support system, whether it’s friends, family, or a support group, can provide motivation and accountability.
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Avoid Sugary Drinks: Replace sugary beverages with water or other low-calorie drinks.
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Portion Control: Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid consuming more calories than needed.
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Set Realistic Goals: Set achievable and specific goals to stay motivated and track your progress.
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Consistency Over Perfection: Focus on making consistent, healthy choices rather than striving for perfection.
It’s important to find a combination of strategies that work best for you and fit into your lifestyle.
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Ensure you’re maintaining a caloric deficit, which means you burn more calories than you consume regularly. Healthy weight loss doesn’t occur instantly; focusing on your diet and establishing a consistent workout routine will help you achieve your goals gradually.
Estimate your daily caloric expenditure with a basal metabolic rate calculator and a rough estimate with an exercise calculator (basically lethargic, mildly active, active). Add them together and set a diet (e.g. a spreadsheet with foods you want to eat and how many calories per item) with a caloric deficit, 3500 calories is roughly 1 pound. So if you want to lose 2 pound per week, eat and drink 7000 fewer calories per week than you estimated. Measure your weight at the same time every morning nude, before you gain or lose weight by e.g. drinking water, write it down and track it. Then make small adjustments to your diet to adjust the number you want after a few weeks. If you want to lose a lot of weight quickly, talk to a doctor.
That’s all there is to it.
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Estimate your daily caloric expenditure using a basal metabolic rate calculator and an exercise calculator (which typically includes categories like sedentary, moderately active, and active). Combine these estimates and create a diet plan (e.g., a spreadsheet listing foods and their calorie counts) with a caloric deficit. For reference, a deficit of 3,500 calories roughly equals 1 pound of weight loss. To lose 2 pounds per week, you would need to consume 7,000 fewer calories than estimated over the week. Weigh yourself at the same time each morning, preferably naked and before any significant changes like drinking water, and record your weight. Track your progress and make small adjustments to your diet as needed over time. If you aim to lose a significant amount of weight quickly, consult with a doctor.
That’s the basic approach.
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What is deemed sustainable will vary for each person. The key is to determine what is sustainable for you individually. To put it simply, don’t adopt any weight-loss strategies that you’re not willing to maintain for the long term. That’s how you ensure it’s sustainable. So, consider what small, manageable changes you can make to eat healthier and lose weight that you can maintain indefinitely.
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That’s exactly why I appreciate CICO (Calories In, Calories Out) so much. Initially, it can be challenging to figure out your meals, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll have a general sense of your calorie intake and can stop meticulously recording everything.
If your weight starts to creep back up, you can always return to this method.
That’s also why I weigh myself every few days, even when I’m not actively trying to lose weight. It’s much easier to shed 5 pounds than 20.