Realistic weight loss in one month?

Even if have the tools and motivation to have the most realistic and individualized weight management program, it will not work if you have the wrong expectations and attitude.

Impatience will not lead you to the finish line. Some people would cut down drastically on food intake and/or exercise for more than two hours a day to lose pounds in a short period. They fail for they resort to strategies that cannot be sustained.

According to Stephen Gullo’s “The Thin Commandments Diet,” weight-control winners don’t just lose weight, they also make changes in their lifestyle.

10% weight-loss solution

A standard weight management program using behavioral and pharmacological interventions usually result in 10-percent weight loss. And losing 10-percent of your initial body weight creates a significant impact on your health, appearance and physical performance.

According to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, obese subjects consider 38.4-percent loss from initial weight as their “dream weight loss”; 30.9 percent, “acceptable”; 24.8 percent, “happy”; and 15 percent, “disappointing.”

An unmet expectation is one of the reasons enthusiastic dieters easily give up and return to their old behavior.

But the best thing to do is still to consult professionals who will help you set a realistic target after a thorough lifestyle and medical assessment.

Is losing one to two pounds a week realistic? Yes. It becomes unrealistic if you expect a weekly weight loss.

For example, if you’ve been losing two pounds every week in the first three weeks of your program and by the fourth week, you gain weight instead, how will this affect you?

Get your total weight loss for the first month. Set a monthly target. There will be times your weight will fluctuate due to water retention caused by food intake, premenstrual syndrome for women and development of lean mass after your body adjusts to a new exercise.

It’s not a rule that you should lose one to two pounds a week. Losing four to five pounds a month is already a great accomplishment. Don’t get too obsessed! Rely more on how you feel about your lighter self.