Understanding What Healthy Weight Loss Is and How to Do It

Americans are often concerned about their weight. Some people put on a pound or two during the winter months. Other people struggle with weight their whole lives. Understanding what healthy weight loss is and how to lose weight safely is the first step to getting your weight under control. Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding believes that anyone can start a healthy weight loss plan and safely lose weight no matter where they are in their health and fitness levels.

Should You Lose Weight?

Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding and the medical community agrees that Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a good starting place for determining your current health relative to your weight. Healthy weight loss should begin with an understanding of your weight:

If your BMI is:

• under 18.5, your weight is low. You should not lose weight.
• 18.5-25, your weight is normal.
• 25-30, your weight is categorized as “overweight”.
• Over 30, your weight is categorized as “obese”.

BMI is not foolproof. Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding reminds you to always speak to your doctor about concerns you have with your weight and get her opinion on what your ideal BMI range is. Also, be sure to talk to your doctor about what healthy weight loss looks like for you.

What is Healthy Weight Loss?

It’s easiest to answer this question by stating what healthy weight loss isn’t.

Avoid a weight loss diet or plan that relies on:

• Cleansing or detoxing (i.e. drinking only water with lemon juice and cayenne pepper and then drinking salt water to flush your system).
• Fasting by only eating one thing, limited things, or only consuming liquids.
• Taking laxatives, even natural ones or herbal teas that have a laxative effect.
• Promise fast results (over 2-3 pounds a week).

These are not safe.  Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding believes in healthy weight loss that healthily combines nutrition and exercise.

What’s Wrong With Cleanses, Fasting, Laxatives, and Fast Weight Loss?

Cleanses and laxatives wreak havoc on your gi tract and can disrupt the ecosystem that lives there, including disrupting immunity. A system “reset” may sound like a good idea but it is not. These types of diets starve the body of nutrients. Weight is lost quickly, most of it water weight, but is often regained or lost at the expense of health, energy, and vitality. Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding tells patients to avoid fad and quick fix diets.

It’s All About Calories & Commitment

Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding defines healthy weight loss is steady, sustained weight that is lost while eating a healthy diet and getting exercise. The easiest way to do this is to reduce calories but not through starvation or malabsorption (laxatives). Changing habits to decrease calories while increasing activity can have you losing up to 3 pounds a week quickly and in a way that is healthy and long-lasting.

Remember this: burning 500 more calories than you eat a day will cause about 1-2 pounds lost a week.

A Good Game Plan

If you’re overweight or obese and want to start a healthy weight loss plan Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding has advice. First, talk to your doctor and discuss all of your options and health issues.

Next, take time to track two things: your eating and activity. There are lots of great apps and more traditional ways to track both. Talk to friends, your doctor, colleagues, or your gym about different ways and try them out. After a week, get a sense of how many calories you eat vs. how many you burn.

Attainable goals that increase help create good habits and make you present and aware. Rather than try to burn 500 more calories than you burn from day one, Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding suggests working toward this goal. You’ll think about what you eat and how many calories foods contain.

Start with the goal of burning 100 calories more than you consume each day. When you do this for a week, step it up to 200.

Make Better Food Choices

Sticking to cottage cheese and celery is neither appetizing nor a recipe for success. To start and sustain healthy weight loss Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding recommends eating a variety of delicious, healthy foods to keep you interested.

Reducing starchy foods is always a good idea. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat bread, but instead of having carbs at every meal consider having a salad instead of a sandwich. While reducing starchy foods, increase the amount of filling foods you eat: leafy greens and proteins like beans are great options.

Sneak In Activity

You hear it all the time because it’s true: just getting more steps can make a difference. Park farther away, take the stairs, take an evening walk, don’t fast forward commercials when you watch a show from your DVR — walk during the commercials. Another good idea? Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding promotes getting out of your chair. When possible, work for 50 minutes and then take ten minutes to pace. You’ll find your productivity, and number of steps, increases.

Many office workers report pacing while talking on the phone or even standing at their desk and walking in place while watching a webinar or reading emails.  You don’t need a fancy desk treadmill or stationary bike that fits under your desk. Just get up and move.

Reward Yourself — But Be Smart About It

Chore charts aren’t just for kids. Most people respond well to rewards. Just don’t make them food based. Cheat days hurt and can hurt your progress. Instead, reward yourself with an indulgence of a different sort. Maybe something you never have the time to do?

You can set up a system where every day you hit your calories eaten to calories burned ratio you spend five or ten minutes on something you love. This little reward will feel good and keep you motivated. Make sure you have something for hitting a full 7 days of meeting your goal and for a successful month.  Be careful about tying rewards to weight loss. Some weeks you can do everything right and still not see a change on the scale — this can kill motivation.

If you are concerned about your weight and wish to explore weight loss options, talk to your doctor and set up a consultation with Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding or another specialist at NYU Langone Medical Center Weight Management Program.