The weight loss industry makes more than $60 billion every year, in part from convincing people there's a shortcut to successful weight loss. However, health counselor Maya Paul reports that the most successful weight loss is healthy, slow and sustainable. Gimmick diets may produce short spurts of dramatic change, but without healthy practices you're bound to put the weight right back on.
Sustainability
Paul reports that sustainable weight loss is a key to successful, healthy diet practices. Diets that rely on "tricking" your body into losing weight or aggressive calorie deficit, can only be sustained in the short term. According to Paul, this almost always results in putting the weight back on once you go off the diet.
Healthy Diet
A healthy weight loss diet is congruent with a regular healthy diet, just in smaller amounts. Harvard nutritionist Walter Willett warns against any diet plan that suggests avoiding or over-indulging on any one kind of food. Some examples of healthy diet plans include those suggested by Weight Watchers and Body for Life and the Harvard Food Pyramid.
Rate of Loss
Paul recommends slow, steady weight loss for best health and sustainability. According to Paul, the best diets aim to lose just 1 to 2 lb. each week. Although this doesn't produce dramatic immediate results, it remains sustainable while keeping the potential to lose 100 lb. in less than one year.
Long-Term Success
The key to long-term weight loss success is lifestyle change, says Oregon-based fitness coach Ben Cohn. A successful diet doesn't rely on short-term tricks. Rather, it encourages you to change your eating habits over time. Eventually, the diet will simply be the way you eat, rather than a temporary measure. Sustainable and healthy practices are vital to making this work.
Health Benefits
In his book "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy," Willett reports research that shows a direct correlation between healthy body weight and increased health and lifespan. According to Willett, your chances of heart disease, diabetes, joint problems and some cancers go up with every pound you're overweight. A healthy, successful weight loss program directly contributes to this.
References
- HelpGuide.org: Healthy Weight Loss and Dieting
- "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy"; Walter Willett, M.D., et al; 2006
- Ben Cohn; Fitness Coach; Hillsboro, Oregon
- "Body For Life"; Bill Phillips; 2006
Member Comments