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Weight loss: No real secrets to real results
Achieving that ideal weight can seem elusive. But if you focus on the basics, you’ll find there's no secret to successful weight loss.
"Everyone knows that diet and exercise work," says Peiyi Wang, MD, Allina Medical Clinic - Nicollet Mall.
Small changes in eating habits and daily activity can make a big difference in getting your weight to a healthy level. And you don't have to lose a lot for your health to improve.
"Even 10 or 15 pounds can lower your risks related to high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes," says Wang.
Should I lose weight?
When determining if it’s time to lose weight, many doctors tell their patients to look past the scale and to body mass index. BMI takes into account your height and weight. (Use our BMI calculator.)
When interpreting BMI, doctors also consider age and sex. Generally, a non-pregnant adult should have a BMI below 25.
"If you have a BMI above 25, you need to lose some weight," says Wang.
Calorie counting
When counseling patients about weight loss, Wang discusses counting calories. A calorie is a unit of energy your body gets from food. If you eat more calories than you need, your body stores them as fat -- extra weight.
To lose extra weight, you should
- eat less, taking in fewer calories
- exercise more, using up calories
Eating less
Wang outlines a simple way to decrease calories -- and your weight.
- Week 1: Record, in detail, what you eat each day, figuring out the total number of calories.
- Week 2 and onward: Reduce your daily calorie intake by 100 or 200. This may mean, eating one less cookie or having water instead of pop.
"For example, if you first calculate 1,800 calories a day, go down to 1,600 one week, then 1,500 the next week, and so on," says Wang. "It's very easy to do and can have a significant impact on weight loss."
Exercising more
Exercising more often means a change in habit.
"Most of us live a very sedentary lifestyle," says Wang. "We go to work and sit at a desk. Then we come home and sit in front of the TV"
Wang encourages her patients to get moving. "Aim for a cardiovascular workout 30 minutes a day, five days a week," says Wang. "You can split it into three 10-minute sessions or two 15-minute sessions."
A good workout can be as simple as walking fast on a treadmill, around the block, or up and down a stairway.
"To lose weight, you need to get your heart beating so that you’re almost out of breath," says Wang.
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Source: Peiyi Wang, MD, Allina Medical Clinic-Nicollet Mall
Copyright: Allina Health System
First published: 01/08/2004
Last updated: 01/08/2004
Reviewed by: Paul Kleeberg, MD, medical director, Internet/Intranet Services, Allina Hospitals & Clinics