There are REALLY no holds barred when it comes to setting weight-loss objectives. Everyone can decide to go about it his/her way, but then there would be consequences – a positive one or one having some dose of regrets. This will be down to how much thought or significance one gives to recommended safe limit. And, the truth is that it pays to take weight loss programs slow and steady as that’s what brings you a huge win at the end of the day – though we cannot shelve the reality that there exists that one person who is struggling to lose weight despite the concerted efforts injected into the process.

Dwelling more on the safe range of weight loss; the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) emphasized that losing 1–2 pounds per week should be the threshold of any healthy weight loss routine. Some persons have, however, look beyond this to do a 3-pounds per week weight loss – or even more – and this is sometimes dependent on the BMI.

But for the query – or topic – of this article, the focus shall be on CDC’s recommendation. In this wise, an individual who is attempting to go on a 3-months weight loss program will be looking to 12 – 24 pounds at the expiration of the set period.

While considering the CDC’s mark, it is important to stress that it may be highly unlikely for you to lose the same number of pounds week in, week out. So, you shouldn’t be hard on yourself or think about giving up on those weeks when you may get to fall short of losing 2 pounds. Moreover, there’s a tendency for your weight loss to stabilize or be slowed down along the line. This means you won’t be able to go beyond a certain mark, and it is usually due to decreased metabolic function. Owing to this, the number of calories being burned per time notably drops.

Getting started

You should not get on with those workouts or calorie cuts without having a realistic weight loss plan to guide you. This helps you to set your goals aright, even as you factor in variables such as your present body weight, BMI, and caloric intake. This is how you will be able to effectively create a calorie deficit and monitor how well you’re making progress – as the 3 months roll by.

Balanced eating habits

“Cut down your dietary caloric consumption”: this is one phrase that must have flooded your view as you navigate from one weight loss page to another. Though this is not totally out of place, it is essential to incorporate a balanced eating habit into your weight loss routine – and that’s not just about a balanced diet. It’s more about striking a good balance between your caloric intake and your food bank.

You should avoid going to the extreme when reducing your calorie intake as this could have you overeating in a not-so-distant time. Rather than eating till you’re full, you should try to adopt a measure whereby you stop eating when you’re like 70 – 80% full. With this, you do not have to do away with all your favorite foods just because you want to lose some weight.

Still on forming a balanced, healthy eating habit for your weight loss routine; you may also have to load up your pantry with some choice foods. Foods rich in fiber and protein are very valuable in any weight loss program and should be duly considered. Such foods will help you stay filled for longer and even supply your body with the essential nutrients.

Incorporate exercise routine

The incorporation of exercise routines into your weight loss program is still a way of ensuring a good balance. This is down to the fact that sedentary living is enough to undo whatever progress you might make from the reduction of dietary calories. So, it’s best to stay active by engaging in different physical activities to keep your metabolism charged. In the long run, this will not only help you sustain the weight lost through the program but also help you build a healthy lifestyle.

Talking about the exercises you can get in on; cardio or aerobic exercises are quite beneficial. You can choose to do this in the morning, right before breakfast. When done this way, you will have better chances of burning more calories all through the day. You must, however, watch your eating habits – no emotional eating or overeating.

You can also consider doing some strength training as it can generate an afterburn effect and even aid in increasing muscle mass thus reducing the probability of experiencing muscle loss. Now that you know how strength training can help your weight loss cause, it’s high time you invested in those dumbbells, kettlebells, exercise balls, barbells, etc. You may, however, choose to register with a gym that avails you of the avenue to utilize this equipment. Mixing strength training with aerobics should be given utmost consideration as it enables you to make the most of your schedule for exercising – when it comes to weight loss.

Lifestyle practices

All that has been discussed thus far borders on lifestyle, but issues of stress and sleep deprivation deserve special mention. Managing stress is important in life as a whole – and even more when on a weight loss program. This is because stress leads to the increased activity level of cortisol which has been implicated in incidences of excess weight gain. Hence, as you’re going about your weight loss, you should also ensure that you have effective stress management measures in place - yoga and meditation could do the trick here.

Another means through which stress can be well-managed is by getting sufficient hours of sleep, especially at night. Sleep deprivation, on its own, has been associated with weight gain, and this may not be unconnected to the increased activity of ghrelin – a hunger-inducing hormone – at night. So, you should make sure that nothing gets in between your sleep at night. You will become better for it, as per achieving your weight loss objective, at the end of your 3-months routine.

References

Bellicha A, et al. (2021). Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies. Obesity Reviews 22(4).

Cooper CB, et al. (2018). Sleep deprivation and obesity in adults: A brief narrative review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 4(1): e000392

Demori I, and Grasselli E. (2016). Stress-related weight gain: Mechanisms involving feeding behaviour, metabolism, gut microbiota and inflammation. J Nutr Food Sci 6: 1.

Torrado YP, et al. (2015). A strategy for weight loss based on healthy dietary habits and control of emotional response to food. Nutr Hosp. 31(6): 2392 – 2399.

Wong TYE, and Murata H. (2017). Japanese dietary habits: Results from a questionnaire survey on 305 health check-up participants. Clinical Health Promotion 7: 12 – 17.