Weight loss can be difficult for many people. But slow, steady progress is the key to keeping weight off. It’s also the best way to avoid yo-yo dieting, which increases your risk of future health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and kidney or gallbladder disorders.
Write down the reasons you want to lose weight and post them somewhere visible. This will serve as a reminder of your commitment and help you stay motivated.
Obesity
Obesity is a serious health problem caused by consuming more calories than you burn through physical activity. This excess energy is stored as fat. Obesity is associated with several diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and some cancers.
Many factors contribute to obesity, including unhealthy eating patterns, lack of regular physical activity, and inadequate sleep. Certain genetic traits and medications may also increase your risk for obesity.
Your body has hormones that help you know when you’re hungry and full, but these don’t work as well in people with obesity. Researchers now think that the way your body distributes its fat cells, especially the type of fat known as visceral fat, is more important to disease risks than overall body weight. Having too much belly fat can make you more likely to experience severe symptoms and die from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It can also decrease your lung capacity and interfere with the function of your immune system.
Unexplained weight loss
Weight fluctuations are normal, but a significant change in your weight can indicate an underlying problem. If you’ve lost more than 5 percent of your body weight over the course of 6 to 12 months without having cut back on calories or ramped up exercise, it may be time to see a doctor.
Unexplained weight loss can be caused by many conditions, including thyroid problems, inflammatory bowel disease, depression and cancer. These conditions can also cause other symptoms, such as fever, night sweats and coughing up blood.
It’s important to check with your doctor if you have unexplained weight loss because it can be a sign of cancer. Your doctor will ask questions about your health history and symptoms and do a physical exam. They may also order blood work and other tests. They may refer you to a specialist for further evaluation. If the cause is cancer, they can arrange to treat it. Several treatments can help with unexplained weight loss, including chemotherapy and radiation.
Weight maintenance
Weight maintenance is a vital step in successfully reaching your health and weight loss goals. Achieving your ideal weight can help you live longer and prevent serious health problems.
Weight loss maintenance requires a healthy diet and physical activity. Exercise can help you lose weight and build muscle, which helps keep your metabolism burning calories. In addition, regular weigh-ins can help you stay motivated and on track.
During a maintenance phase, your weight may increase slightly but you won’t gain a significant amount of body fat. The goal is to create a gap between your Calories eaten and burned to continue fat loss.
A maintenance phase should last 2 weeks or more. During this time, you will gradually start to shift away from dieting methods and reintroduce food variety and a healthier mindset. During this phase, you should also reduce your reliance on tracking and journaling. This is a process known as a refeed. During a refeed, you’ll typically consume more Calories through carbs.
