No, thank you! I’m on a diet!
Have those words ever crossed your lips? Did you make a 2025 New Year’s resolution, to lose weight by going on a diet?
If you did you’re certainly not alone. Losing weight is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, with anywhere from 50-70% of Americans resolving to lose weight in the new year. More than half are women, and many of those choose to do so via the trending diet of the moment.
Enter Keto, Paleo, Southbeach, Dukan, Carnivore, intermittent fasting, ultra-low-fat, Atkins, HCG, Zone Diet, just to mention a few.
All of them promise great results. As long as you stick with them! But here’s the thing: Diets are punitive in nature, meaning they require you to limit/eliminate certain foods. While it is possible to lose a lot of weight fairly quickly with a diet, doing so strictly for the sake of losing weight (meaning not for health-related reasons), tends to be difficult to maintain. Most people don’t stay on a diet long-term.
When we lose weight from dieting (fat and muscle), it slows down our body’s metabolism. You might call it a reset. Once we return to a more normal diet after the desired weight- loss, the slowed metabolism makes it easier to regain weight, often more than was lost with the diet. It is called the yo-yo effect.
One common and unfortunate symptom of menopause is weight-gain linked to a slowing metabolism due to a decline in estrogen levels, among other things. These hormonal changes make it more difficult to lose weight. As we get older, we lose muscle mass, which makes it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight. We are also more likely to take medications that cause weight-gain as a side effect.
But we can’t stop the aging process, and we can’t stop menopause! So, what CAN we do? The answer is long-term lifestyle changes.
Increasing the chance of successful long-term weight-loss requires a combination of changes in diet, eating habits, and exercise. Medical experts actually recommend not losing more than ½ to 2 lbs. a week.
Here are some tips for approaching this process:
1. Make sure you’re ready. Long-term weight loss takes time and effort. So be sure that you're ready to eat nutrient-dense (healthy) foods and become more active.
2. Find your inner drive. Make a list of reasons why weight loss is important to you. The list can help you stay inspired and focused.
3. Set realistic goals. (I cannot stress this enough!!) Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week over the long term.
4. Enjoy nutrient-dense (healthy) foods. Eat more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. These plant-based foods are low in calories and high in fiber. Fiber helps you feel full.
5. Get active and stay active. Try to work up to at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week (brisk walks are a great option) and strength training two days a week (Yoga is a great option for building strength and flexibility).
6. Get enough sleep and try to minimize stress.
7. Change your mindset. To keep off extra weight, you should make these healthy changes a way of life. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your daily routine. Identify bad habits or other challenges, then plan how you will deal with them going forward.
8. And finally, practice acceptance. By that I mean accepting the things we cannot change.
You will likely have some setbacks on this journey, but don't give up. Simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once. Stick to your healthy lifestyle plan. The results will be well worth it.
Sources: hopkinsmedicine.org, mayoclinic.org