by John McGran
Because I’ve worked in the weight loss and wellness sector for the past two decades, it isn’t unusual for a friend or acquaintance to ask, “So, what’s the best way to lose weight?”
Well, after 20 years in the field of diet, fitness and nutrition, I’ve chewed on many definitions and plans of action for shedding extra poundage. Heck, I’ve even dived into a number of highly touted weight loss plans, including those that offer online advice and tools, and those that deliver properly portioned meals to my door.
Yes, I lost weight on all of the diets I’ve indulged in. However, I have also gained back that weight after I “went off” my diet du jour. Yo-yo dieting is a frustrating phenomenon – one I finally broke free of three years ago when I came to my senses and stopped thinking I could use my high intellect to overcome all my problems.
Now that I lean on a higher power and have placed my faith in a far superior way of handling life on life’s terms, the last 65 pounds I lost have stayed off. We all need to decide what path is best for our mental and physical health. I can lead you to the buffet, but I can’t make you eat … or stop eating, for that matter!
So, back to that nagging question: What is the best way to lose weight?
The best way to lose weight is the healthy eating plan that not only creates a caloric deficit but also feeds you the variety of healthy, delicious foods that keep you engaged and feeling satisfied!
Sounds simple, right? It can be.
But there’s more to this weight loss miracle. You also need regular activity to keep your calorie-burning metabolism in high gear and to keep your muscles working and toning. Toned muscles burn calories even when the workout ends. Sure, you can lose weight with diet alone. But you’ll lose more weight through an active lifestyle.
Even though I’ve worked in this field of weight loss and healthy eating for 20 years now, I do not consider myself an expert on such matters. My jobs have always been to write about weight loss, to edit contributions from honest-to-goodness experts and to publish the good stuff that hopefully has helped many people achiever weight loss.
So, here’s what a few experts have to say about the best way to lose weight:
Cleveland Clinic
“To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories or burn up more calories than you need. The best way to lose weight is to do both…
“A positive attitude is very important for successful weight loss and weight management. To lose weight permanently, you must make a commitment to gradually adopt a healthier way of life.”
MSN Health & Fitness
“Talk to anyone who’s lost weight on a diet and you’ll get a multitude of reasons as to which diet works best. There are many individual factors that will determine why you prefer and experience greater success with one diet or another.
“The diet that’s easiest for you to stick to will be one that you feel most comfortable following, so you should like the ingredients and feel like the menus or food plans are easy to prepare or access.”
Mayo Clinic
“You probably know that hundreds of different fad diets, weight-loss programs and outright scams promise quick and easy weight loss.
“But the foundation of every successful weight-loss program still remains a healthy, low-calorie diet combined with exercise. You must make permanent changes in your lifestyle and health habits to lose significant weight and keep it off.”
WebMD.com
“The health and weight loss resolutions that stand the best chance of lasting are the ones that call for minor, doable changes, experts say. The key is to take small, positive steps and move ahead consistently. People need to be realistic about the changes they can achieve.”
Health.com
- Eat real food
- Eat more veggies
- Drink more water
- Eat on a regular schedule
- Be strategic about meal balance
- Time your meals sensibly
- Cook at home more often
- Re-evaluate alcohol
- Develop a splurge strategy
- Don’t starve yourself
- Differentiate mind hunger from body hunger
- Seek support
I personally love the preceding advice. It’s pretty much what Chef Michael Davis and I serve up on for you on a regular basis.
Okay, since you asked, here’s one more helping of sage advice to stash away for the next time you’re tempted to make a vow or resolution about your weight.
David Katz, MD, founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, says that one key to making resolutions that last is to do more planning and less proclaiming.
“Resolutions tend to be the stuff of inspiration, but lasting behavior change is the stuff of planning, sustainable motivations, and careful consideration of the pros and cons,” Katz says.
Chef Davis and I agree that eating great food that’s served in the proper portions is one of the least-stressful ways to lose weight.
We wish you good luck with whatever diet you choose. We think an approach of wholesome foods you cook at home is the best way to eat better and look and feel better.
Just remember, it’s important that you don’t opt for trendy fad diets. They’re all too often eating plans that cut out certain foods and will almost always lead to yo-yo weight regain as soon as you go back to your normal ways of eating.
Since 2000, John McGran has been the top content man for four national diet and wellness companies, including eDiets.com, Diet.com, Diet-to-Go and MealPlanMap.com. He’s worked with dozens of lifestyle experts schooled in the fields of nutrition, diet, fitness and the psychology of wellness. He believes his higher power has helped him use what he’s learned to drop weight and keep it off.