In theory, losing weight should be simple—burn more calories than you eat. But in real life, old habits and busy schedules often get in the way, and weight loss can feel impossible. That’s why it’s important to have a plan you can stick with.
In this Q&A, Taylor Stein, Associate Researcher and Registered Dietitian at The Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, shares how to develop an effective weight loss program that will help you achieve your goals in the long term for a healthier you.
Note: It is important to consult your physician before starting a weight loss program, especially if you have health issues.
Taylor Stein, RD
What does a safe, long-term, effective diet plan consist of?
You need to customize your weight loss plan to your personal needs, and that includes taking into account any food preferences, health issues, or physical limitations you may have when it comes to diet, medications, and exercise, respectively. While an effective weight loss plan varies person to person, the basics of burning more calories than you eat is still true. How to do that effectively depends on your personal goals and lifestyle. Setting realistic goals that fit into your lifestyle is important because losing weight in a healthy, sustainable manner can take longer than you think. Instead of trying to make huge changes, focus on making small adjustments to your current routine you can gradually increase over time, which will allow you to maintain a healthy weight, and habits, for life.
How can I create goals and stick with them?
First, you need to establish why that goal is meaningful in the first place. Let’s say you want to lose 15 pounds. Why does that mean something to you? Ultimately, knowing your “why” will help you persist through difficult times on your weight loss journey. That might mean focusing on health goals—for example, reducing your cholesterol or lowering your blood pressure, instead of achieving a smaller waistline. Once you establish your “why,” the next step is to choose the framework that will define how you plan to reach your goal. A popular framework for goal setting is SMART goals.
(S)pecific: Instead of establishing a goal to lose weight, establish a specific number of pounds you want to lose.
(M)easureable: Determine how you will measure your goal, whether it’s weighing yourself, measuring your body composition, or increasing muscle mass.
(A)ttainable: Your weight loss goal should be one you can achieve. For example, losing one pound a month is much more attainable than losing five.
(R)ealistic: Make your goal challenging but also realistic. For example, instead of exercising for one hour five days a week, start with 20 minutes for three days a week, and gradually increase. Or start a walking program instead of jumping into a running routine.
(T)ime-bound: Give yourself a realistic deadline—for example, losing a certain number of pounds by the end of six months.
Will fad diets help me lose weight?
According to research, there are no fad diets that are more effective than traditional methods. Some popular fad diets include the ketogenic, or keto, diet, in which you reduce carbohydrates to 20-50 grams a day (based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet), and intermittent fasting, where eating is restricted to certain windows of time during the day or week. These diets may help you lose weight in the short term but are not meant to last because they are generally quite restrictive and may also come with certain side effects. For example, the keto diet is high in fat, which isn’t good for someone with high cholesterol. That said, a diet that works for one person won’t necessarily work for you, and vice versa. People also tend to have misconceptions about diets. For example, with intermittent fasting, they may think that eating within a smaller window of time will force them to eat less, which isn’t necessarily the case. Ultimately, the best diet is one that works for you, supports you feeling well, and is one you can follow.
For those who lose weight successfully, what do they typically do right?
They discover behavioral changes that work best for them. Maybe they decided to stop drinking alcohol, learned how to meal plan, or developed an exercise routine that they love. In other words, they made changes they could maintain, rather than looking at weight loss as, “I’m doing this for six months and going to go back to my old ways.” They also tend to establish a new relationship with food. Many people, especially those who are overweight or obese, have a disordered relationship with food—for example, they may eat to soothe negative emotions. Identifying those triggers and reestablishing what it means to eat healthfully and enjoy food is important for long-term weight loss.
How many calories do I need to cut?
It depends on your individual metabolism, but generally, you want to start small, for example, by reducing your calories from your baseline (the number of calories you burn at rest plus calories burned through planned exercise and daily activity) by 250 calories. Depending on how much weight you need to lose, you may want to reduce even more calories gradually over time. We do not recommend cutting more than 800 calories, or eating less than 1,000 calories, a day. What you eat also matters. Eating more fruits, vegetables, and nuts, both as snacks and in meals, is effective for losing weight. Keep in mind that as you lose weight, you will likely go through periods where your weight stabilizes (known as “plateaus”), and may even periodically gain some weight. This is normal and even beneficial, so please do not get discouraged. Cycling between periods where you cut and increase calories can help you overcome plateaus.
The Mount Sinai Physiolab provides a range of tests that can help you understand how many calories you need to eat and how to exercise more effectively for weight management based on your personal metabolic needs.
What else can help me lose weight?
Other factors that affect weight loss include managing stress, getting enough sleep, and having a good support system. Stress and lack of sleep can affect each other, and that in turn can affect your eating habits and energy levels. If you find that you are unable to lose weight through diet and exercise, bariatric surgery and medications are options to speak to your doctor about. For many people who struggle with being overweight or obese, losing weight is a lifelong process, and you should find providers and practitioners who can support you over the long-term.