Lose (and Keep Off) Weight with Four Key Lifestyle Changes

By Kevin Brown, MD, Weight Loss (Bariatrics)

Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is not only important for overall health but it also helps you prevent and control many diseases and conditions. Losing extra weight is critical for lowering your risk for developing heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers. Keeping the weight off also helps you feel good about yourself, and gives you more energy to enjoy life to the fullest.

Here are four essential lifestyle changes you can make to lose weight and keep it off.

1. Eat a balanced diet to achieve a healthy weight

Maintaining a balanced diet is fundamental to achieving and sustaining weight loss. When you eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods, your body gets the essential vitamins, minerals, and energy it needs to function optimally. This not only supports your overall health but also helps in the weight loss process.

When creating a healthy eating plan, focus on achievable weight loss goals rather than drastic changes. These can include:

• Portion control: Controlling portion sizes is key to managing calorie intake. Use smaller plates to visually trick your mind into feeling satisfied with less food. Be mindful of portion sizes when eating out or preparing meals at home.
• Incorporate fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. They provide a sense of fullness with fewer calories, helping control overall calorie consumption. Aim to fill half your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables in every meal.
• Choose lean proteins: Lean proteins like chicken, turkey, fish, tofu, and legumes are essential for muscle maintenance during weight loss. They also contribute to a feeling of fullness and satiety, preventing overeating.
• Stay hydrated: Staying hydrated is often overlooked but is crucial for overall health and weight loss. Drinking water before meals can help control appetite, and sometimes, thirst is mistaken for hunger. Limit sugary drinks and opt for water or herbal teas.

2. Stay active to meet your weight loss goals

Regular physical activity is crucial for weight loss and achieving a healthy weight. Engaging in physical activity helps burn calories, contributing to a calorie deficit essential for meeting your weight loss goals. Different activities burn varying amounts of calories, allowing you to choose exercises that align with your preference and fitness level.

Regular exercise also boosts metabolism, helping the body burn more calories efficiently even at rest. This can support weight loss efforts by promoting a higher calorie expenditure throughout the day. When strength training, you preserve and build lean muscle mass which also increases the body's basal metabolic rate, leading to further caloric usage.

It's important to establish an achievable fitness plan that aligns with weight loss goals. Engage in activities you find the most enjoyable, especially if they allow for group classes or exercising with a friend. Working out with a buddy not only makes the exercise more enjoyable, it also helps you stay accountable.

3. Limit screen time to avoid weight gain

It's estimated that the average person spends nearly 7 hours per day in front of a screen.

Prolonged screen time often leads to a sedentary lifestyle, where you may spend long periods of time sitting. Screen time is also associated with mindless snacking or eating. When you're distracted by what you're watching you may not realize how much you're consuming.

Establish specific time limits for daily screen use, including social media, TV, and video games. If your job requires you to work in front of a computer, take breaks throughout the day to go outside or simply stretch.

Finally, not every room in your home needs to have a computer or TV. Designate certain areas in your home, like your bedroom, as screen-free zones to allow your mind and body to rest.

4. Get enough sleep to jump start your weight loss journey

Adequate and quality sleep is arguably the most important component of a successful weight loss journey. Lack of sleep can affect various aspects of physical and mental health, directly impacting weight management. Adults between the ages of 18 and 60 require at least 7 hours per night.

Sleep plays a vital role in regulating hormones related to hunger and satiety, such as leptin and ghrelin. Inadequate sleep can disrupt these hormones, leading to increased appetite and cravings for high-calorie foods.

Quality sleep also supports proper metabolic function, aiding in the efficient processing of nutrients. Sleep deprivation can impair insulin sensitivity, potentially leading to weight gain.

Establishing a consistent bedtime routine is crucial to getting adequate sleep. Plan to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Consistency helps regulate the body's internal clock and improves the quality of sleep.

Make the bedroom conducive to sleep by keeping it cool, dark, and quiet. Avoid screens before bedtime, as the blue light emitted can interfere with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Make sure to also avoid stimulants a few hours before going to bed, such as caffeine and nicotine.

Loyola Medicine can help you lose weight

The Center for Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Care offers a medical weight loss program dedicated to helping you reach and maintain a healthy weight. For those who have struggled with severe obesity and its associated health risks, bariatric surgery is a potential solution. Which path you choose depends on where you are in your health journey and your individual weight loss goals.

Non-surgical weight loss options

Doctors at Loyola use your health, weight severity and weight goals to develop a plan specific to your individualized needs and to gauge your progress. Under the guidance of expert doctors, your medical weight loss plan may include everything from individualized nutrition counseling and psychological counseling to exercise consultations and, if needed, FDA-approved prescription medications.

Regardless of your specific needs, the medical weight loss program at Loyola addresses the medical, nutritional, behavioral and emotional changes necessary to promote losing weight in the long term.

Surgical weight loss options

While traditional weight loss methods, such as diet and exercise, work for many individuals, there are cases where these approaches may not yield the desired results of reducing the risk of serious health conditions. Bariatric surgeries make changes to your digestive system to help you lose weight.

There are two main types of bariatric surgery: gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, both of which create a smaller stomach to consume less food.

These surgeries may sound complicated, but they are fairly common procedures that many have used to help them lose weight. Candidates must undergo a thorough evaluation to determine if they meet the medical criteria and are mentally prepared for the lifestyle changes post-surgery.

However, know that bariatric surgery is not a quick fix but a tool to assist in weight loss. Post-surgery, individuals must commit to significant lifestyle changes, including dietary modifications and regular physical activity. Behavioral and psychological support is often integral to long-term success.

Dr. Kevin Brown is a general and bariatric surgeon, specializing in minimally-invasive options for patients. He helps patients lose weight through holistic or surgical means, providing long-term success alongside physical activity and behavioral support.

Book an appointment today to see Dr. Brown or another Loyola physician by self-scheduling an in-person or virtual appointment using myLoyola.