Top Tips for Successful Weight Loss

This time I'm really going to lose all this weight.
Yes, but how?  Nothing sets an earnest dieter up for failure faster than a vaguely expressed desire to drop the pounds. Unless such words are backed by solid action, the fat will resume its game of hide and seek, playing forward into another year.  Such yo yo cycles are both discouraging and harmful to the body.

Weight loss experts at the Draelos Metabolic Center in Edmond say you can put a brake on the diet roller coaster, lose weight and never find it again if you’ll follow some important steps.

Develop a focused weight loss strategy

Matthew Draelos, MD, FACE, has helped patients achieve their weight loss goals for more than a decade now. He points out that goal setting is critical, but must be done correctly. He recommends setting specific, realistic goals and time frames for achieving them.

"Starting a diet without a focused strategy is a sure bet for failure," Draelos said. "“Weight loss is not a ‘one-size fits’ all proposition. So goals must take into account your health, your individual needs and your metabolism if you are to be successful.”

He points out a goal of dropping one and a half pounds a week is healthy and reasonable.

Be accountable

A successful weight loss program requires accountability – to yourself and to someone else. Your accountability partner can be a friend, fellow dieter, a dietician, physician or a family member.

Being accountable to yourself means you need to keep a journal of what you eat and how much you exercise each day. Draelos said writing it down keeps you honest and also provides a diary or weight loss chart of your success.

"This is just critical. Writing down everything you eat gives you something to look at and see where you did well and where you strayed. If you have to write the food down, it keeps you honest and aware."

Being accountable to someone is boosts honesty to the next level and gives you a cheerleader to encourage you along the way.

"We all need a confessor to hear our progress and setbacks,” Draelos said. “Having a weight loss buddy to confide in and answer to provides opportunities to hear ‘attaboys’ and encouragements. Buddies don't beat you up over setbacks. They help you overcome them by regrouping, counting your losses, and beginning again."

Develop a way to measure progress.

Draelos points out that you need to know where you have been to know where you are going with your weight loss program.

"Dieters need a roadmap. Using scales, measuring yourself, and graphing your progress on a chart all provide visual stimulus and a reference to keep you going," he explained.

Don't forget the H20

Water is the beverage of choice for dieters and it’s important that you drink enough of it while dieting.

"We cannot over-emphasize how vital it is to stay hydrated. Our bodies are over 70 percent water and we must have water to help rid the body of the byproducts of fat metabolism. Water keeps the system flowing. If it flows, you feel better. If it's clogged, the byproducts take longer to leave the body.

"Drinking at least 54 ounces of water a day also satisfies thirst that often masks as hunger."

Plan Ahead

Draelos recommends that you plan meals ahead of time and buy groceries accordingly.

"Writing a weekly menu means you don't have to scramble preparing meals with unhealthy choices," Draelos explained.

One simply preparation method is to grill several kinds of lean meats on a Sunday afternoon. This will provide the main course for meals for the upcoming week.

"We also advise patients to remove problem foods from the house when possible, or at least make them less accessible,” he added.

Finally, Draelos warned, be prepared for eating emergencies – the office birthday party or the surprise tray of cookies or candy in the lunch room. Spontaneous invitations to eat out with friends don't have to spell disaster and eating a single cookie isn't the end of the world.

"If you plan ahead it’s easier to plan a strategy that helps you overcome temptation when dieting. Making good decisions and choices is an acquired taste when it comes to effective weight loss,” he added.