“When it comes to weight loss, many approaches work, but the key is sustainability,” says Sean Hashmi, MD, a nephrologist and obesity medicine specialist in Southern California, a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and a member of Everyday Health’s Health Expert Network.
Other experts agree.
“When I’m helping patients find a plan for weight loss, I’m not saying, ‘Hey, let’s try this for 10 weeks and then switch,’” says Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, an obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “We’re trying to find things someone will do consistently for the rest of their life.”
While consistency is crucial, Dr. Stanford says that doesn’t mean a person’s approach needs to be inflexible or oversimplified. According to the survey, people who lost weight tended to employ more tactics overall than people who did not lose weight. They also tended not to be rigid or routine about diet and exercise. “I tell people the flavor can change, but the structure should be the same,” she says.
For example, Stanford says people who are incorporating exercise into their weight loss plan should feel free to switch up their workouts from time to time. The important thing is that they continue to exercise regularly. “I need variety when I’m training in order to stay motivated and excited about working out,” she says.
Likewise, dietary approaches to weight loss shouldn’t be too narrow or overly prescriptive. If your plan requires that you weigh all your food and count every calorie, Stanford says you will have a hard time sticking with it.
Finally, experts said that the tactics a person employs to lose weight shouldn’t be solely related to diet and exercise (although those are important). “We should broaden our focus to include things like stress levels, sleep quality, and mental health,” says Kayli Anderson, RDN, a nutrition expert and a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and Everyday Health’s Health Expert Network.
For those interested in the newest weight loss medications, our experts say they’re worth considering. While the survey found that more than half of respondents were not interested in trying these medications, those who had tried them found them to be very effective.
“It’s not just hype,” Stanford says of these drugs. “Patients on these medications tell me they don’t even have to think about eating less.”
Key Finding 2: Arm Yourself With Information
Among the people in our survey who successfully lost weight, 70 percent started their weight loss journey with “a higher level of knowledge” on how to lose weight — compared with 52 percent of those who maintained or gained weight.
Also, according to our survey, 6 in 10 people reported they knew how to lose weight. Ten percent said they didn’t know where to start.
The survey also showed that a conversation about weight loss with a healthcare professional might be worthwhile: Fifty-nine percent of all respondents said their doctor or other healthcare provider had talked to them about losing weight, while 53 percent of all respondents said they had not asked their doctor or provider for help with weight loss.
Even if you feel you have a good handle on the best approaches to weight loss, consulting with an expert — either a registered dietitian-nutritionist or a medical doctor who specializes in weight loss — is a good idea. “They are trained in helping people set realistic health goals,” Anderson says. “They can also educate people about nutrition and help them develop personalized plans.”
Another reason to consult with an expert: Even evidence-backed weight loss strategies aren’t going to work for every person and every situation. “Treatment of excess weight doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer,” says Deepa Sannidhi, MD, an associate clinical professor at UC San Diego Health in California.
Key Finding 3: Understand Your Motivation and the Connection Between Weight and Mental Health
Of all the hurdles that stand between a person and their weight loss goals, survey respondents were most likely to highlight stress and motivational problems.