How Can I Lose Weight Healthily – and Why Do Diets Often Fail?

Introduction into weight loss

Losing weight is a universal goal, yet achieving healthy weight loss can feel like an uphill battle. Many people attempt various weight loss tips, only to regain the pounds after restrictive dieting. Crash diets often promise rapid results but fail to deliver sustainable weight loss.

In this article, we understand what healthy weight loss truly means, why most diets fail, and the best evidence-based ways to lose weight healthily.

What Is Healthy Weight Loss?

Healthy weight loss is about making gradual, sustainable changes rather than chasing quick fixes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a safe and effective weight loss rate is 0.5 to 1 kg per week (CDC, 2022). This method not only helps you lose weight healthily but also improves:

• Cardiovascular function

• Metabolic health

• Mental well-being

• Long-term weight maintenance

Unlike fad diets that promise to show you how to lose weight quickly, healthy weight loss prioritizes sustainable habits, preventing weight regain and crash dieting cycles.

Why Do Most Diets Fail?

Many people struggle with losing weight because traditional diets focus on quick fixes rather than long-term lifestyle changes.

Here’s why most fail:

Overly Restrictive and Unsustainable Diets

• Fad diets often eliminate entire food groups or severely limit certain macronutrients, which can lead to deficiencies in essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber (Malik et al., 2007)

• Over time, these nutrient restrictions can contribute to various health issues, like weakened immunity, poor energy levels, and chronic conditions. Severe restriction is one thing that makes fad diets a risky approach to long-term wellness. (Tahreem et al, 2022)

• Cutting calories too drastically slows down metabolism, making it harder to maintain weight loss.

The Short-Term Diet Mindset

Even though it is possible to lose weight on fad diets, it can be due to unwanted reasons. Such diets' extreme or restrictive nature can lead to rapid weight loss initially, which is typically due to water or muscle loss - not fat loss.

Your body may respond at first to a sudden drop in calories or elimination of food groups, but it quickly adapts, slowing metabolism to conserve energy (starvation mode) (Fothergill et al., 2016). This can make continued weight loss harder to achieve, and it may even increase the likelihood of weight regain when you return to normal eating habits. (Most et al, 2020)

The Emotional & Psychological Impact on Diets

A study done in North Caroline University in 2024 concluded that many dieters become overly focused on their weight, turning it into a central preoccupation in their lives.

This obsession can be detrimental, as it can:

• create stress and anxiety around food choices and eating behaviors

• lead to a cycle of negative self-talk and shame when diet goals are not met

• distract from other important aspects of life, such as relationships and work

To truly lose weight healthily, it is essential to focus on behavior change and sustainable habits rather than extreme restrictions. (Polivy & Herman, 2005)

Effective & Healthy Weight Loss Tips

Rather than relying on quick-fix weight loss tips, a personalized, holistic approach is the key to sustainable weight loss. The following few tips can help you in that journey.

Get Expert Guidance for Sustainable Results

Get a consultation by an expert dietitian, who creates individualised weight loss plans. Integrating a GP consultation into the process creates an opportunity to discuss one’s medical condition and its impact on personal weight loss goals. Personalisation is key, and a collaborative approach between your dietitian and GP ensures a comprehensive, holistic strategy tailored to your individual needs (Johns et al., 2014). A systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMJ in 2022 found that weight management interventions delivered by primary care practitioners resulted in effective weight loss and reduction in waist circumference with a mean difference of 2.3kg in weight loss at 12 months.

A structured plan should consider:

• Medical history & current health status

• Personal weight loss goals

• Nutritional needs & lifestyle factors

• Cultural & dietary preferences

Unlike fad diets, professional guidance ensures you lose weight healthily without harming your metabolism or mental well-being.

Focus on Behavioral Changes Over Quick Fixes

Instead of obsessing over how to lose weight quickly, focus on modifying behaviors that create lasting results:

• Eat mindfully – Avoid distractions while eating, and recognize hunger/fullness cues.

• Balance meals – Prioritize whole foods, lean proteins, fiber, and healthy fats.

• Avoid restrictive eating – A flexible approach prevents binge-eating cycles.

• Stay consistent with movement – Incorporate exercise that you enjoy instead of extreme regimens.

Building long-term healthy habits ensures you lose weight sustainably, rather than temporarily shedding pounds.

Adopt a Holistic Approach to Losing Weight Healthily

A successful weight loss strategy doesn’t focus solely on diet—it addresses all aspects of well-being:

• Exercise Regularly – Combine strength training & cardio to burn fat and build lean muscle.

• Manage Stress – Chronic stress increases cortisol levels, leading to weight gain, especially around the belly.

• Prioritize Sleep – Poor sleep disrupts hunger hormones, making it harder to lose weight.

• Hydration & Nutrients – Drink enough water and consume essential vitamins/minerals.

By combining these elements, you will not only get rid of belly fat but also achieve lasting weight loss without harmful side effects.

Conclusion - Why Personalized Support Matters for Weight Loss

Trying to lose weight alone can be overwhelming. Mavie Telemed provides personalized, evidence-based support, ensuring healthy weight loss through:

• Tailored nutrition & exercise plans

• Expert guidance from medical doctors & dietitians

• Telemedicine consultations – anytime, anywhere
  

Unlike one-size-fits-all weight loss tips, Mavie’s approach helps you lose weight healthily with science-backed, individualized strategies.

References:
1. Malik N, Tonstad S, Paalani M, Dos Santos H, Luiz do Prado W. Are long-term FAD diets restricting micronutrient intake? A randomized controlled trial. Food Sci Nutr. 2020;8(11):6047-6060. doi:10.1002/fsn3.1895.
2. Tahreem A, Rakha A, Rabail R, Nazir A, Socol CT, Maerescu CM, Aadil RM. Fad diets: facts and fiction. Front Nutr. 2022;9:960922. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.960922.
3. Most J, Redman LM. Impact of calorie restriction on energy metabolism in humans. Exp Gerontol. 2020 May;133:110875. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.110875. Epub 2020 Feb 11. PMID: 32057825; PMCID: PMC9036397.
4. North Carolina State University. "Study urges people to think twice before going on a diet." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240129122448 .
5. BMJ 2022;377:e069719 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ bmj‑2021‑069719