Every month, a new diet trend seems to make the headlines, promising an easy and quick fix for weight loss. But the truth is, there’s no magic solution.
“Weight management and health management are the same thing,” says Karen Handy, director of adult weight management at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. “By focusing on a healthy lifestyle, weight loss will naturally follow.”
While the theory behind weight loss may seem simple—consume fewer calories and burn more through exercise—the reality is more complicated, according to Mills-Peninsula primary care physician Lisa Hladik, M.D. “Successful weight loss isn’t about drastic changes. It’s about making gradual, sustainable adjustments to your diet and exercise habits.”
“It’s important to be honest with yourself,” says Handy. “Think about what’s standing in the way of your progress and see if you can find a new, more effective approach.” Here are some tips to help you on your journey to better health.
1. Keep a Food Diary
Track what you eat for three to five days—note when, why, and how much you’re eating. Are you skipping meals? Grazing in the fridge at night? Identifying patterns and triggers can help you pinpoint unhealthy habits. Studies show that people who keep a food diary tend to lose more weight than those who don’t. Working with a nutritionist or dietitian can also help you make smarter food choices and set achievable goals.
2. Exercise Regularly
“Don’t wait until a few extra pounds become 10 or 20,” says Handy. “Deal with it immediately by incorporating physical activity, strength training, and weight-bearing exercises into your routine.”
The recommended minimum for overall health is 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, but for significant weight loss, 300 minutes of more intense exercise is ideal. While cardio burns the most calories in a short period, strength training helps increase metabolism, burning calories even when you’re not exercising.
Even small changes make a difference. If you’re not currently active, start with just 15 extra minutes of walking each day. Consider using a pedometer or fitness tracker to gradually increase your daily steps to 8,000-10,000. Apps like MyFitnessPal or LoseIt can help you monitor both your exercise and calorie intake, which research shows can be very effective for breaking old habits.
3. Eat Right
You don’t need a drastic diet to see health benefits. Dr. Hladik suggests that cutting just 100 calories per day could lead to a 10-pound weight loss in a year. Here are some simple changes:
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Eat three balanced meals each day. Skipping meals often leads to extreme hunger and overeating later.
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Skip sugary drinks. Soda, alcohol, and sweetened coffee are calorie-packed but fail to satisfy hunger.
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Add more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to your meals. Try to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, and the other half with a quarter starch and a quarter protein. Having pre-cut veggies and fresh fruit readily available makes healthy snacking easy.
4. Set a Realistic Goal
When setting a weight loss goal, honesty is key, says Tak Poon, interventional cardiologist at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. “Are you trying to achieve a specific weight to look like someone you see in a magazine? Or are you aiming for a healthy weight that fits your body?”
Dr. Poon emphasizes that losing just 7 to 10 percent of your body weight can provide significant health benefits. Gradual weight loss over six to 12 months is the most sustainable approach, which is why fad diets aren’t recommended.
“Rather than focusing on dieting, work on redesigning your eating and activity habits,” Dr. Poon advises. “Don’t do anything you can’t maintain long-term. Your goal is to make a sustainable lifestyle change.”