Losing weight and maintaining that weight loss take time, determination, and a lot of patience. Having a 6-month weight loss plan can help you lose weight and form lifelong habits to sustain that weight loss after reaching your ideal weight.
Today we are going to talk about some strategies that are part of the best weight loss plans. Also, we are going to talk about some options for those individuals who need a bit of extra help to jumpstart their weight loss journey.
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Set Goals For a Successful 6-Month Weight Loss Journey
Part of an optimal weight loss plan is setting goals. Weight loss experts agree that setting "SMART" goals provides you with a long-range vision, but you are intermittently rewarded through short-term motivation.
SMART goals are:
- Specific;
- Measurable;
- Achievable;
- Results-focused;
- Timely.
Setting a goal that says "I want to lose some weight" is too general and needs to be more clearly defined. Breaking down your goals into increments that include the long-term objective and the short-term goals (steps toward the long-term objective) and then the "steps" that help you carry out the short-term goals.
Creating a 6-month weight loss plan becomes less of a struggle when you break it down into smaller, attainable pieces. Set specific goals and time frames for achievement. These goals can include how much weight you wish to lose, what size you would like to wear, the elimination or reduction of medication to treat type 2 diabetes or other weight-related chronic conditions, and more.
An example of goals an individual might set to help them lose weight in six months might look like this:
A long-term objective:
- Lose 30 pounds of weight in 6 months
Short-term goals:
- Lose 8 pounds in the first month;
- Lose 6 pounds in the second month;
- Lose 4 pounds each month for the next 4 months.
Weight loss goals are usually higher in the first few months because weight normally comes off faster at first and then slows down. Often, to continue to lose weight, individuals must reduce their calorie intake or increase their level of physical activity.
How to Accomplish Short-Term Goals?
Next, define the steps to help you reach these short-term goals, which are like mini-goals. It is important that steps are attainable. For instance, if you are not accustomed to walking or exercising, a "step" of working out for an hour each day would not be feasible.
An attainable set of steps to reach your short-term goals might look like this:
Lose 8 pounds in the first month:
- A 10-minute walk in the morning at 7:00 am;
- A 10-minute walk in the evening at 6:30 pm<;/li>
- Drink 64 ounces of water a day;
- Your daily calorie goal;
- Cut sodas to one a day.
Lose 6 pounds in the second month:
- A 15-minute walk in the morning at 7:00 am;
- A 15-minute walk in the evening at 6:30 pm;
- Drink 64 ounces of water a day;
- Your daily calorie goal may go lower this month;
- Cut sodas to one every other day.
Lose 4 pounds each month for the next 4 months:
- 20-minute walk in the morning at 7:00 am;
- 20-minute walk in the evening at 6:30 pm;
- Drink 64 ounces of water a day;
- Your daily calorie goal is even lower;
- Cut sodas entirely.
The steps that help you reach your short-term goals should be specific and measurable. If you are a person who drinks several sodas a day, reducing your soda intake by one 12-oz can will eliminate about 150 calories and 9 teaspoons of sugar from your diet each day. If you try to cut out sodas entirely right away, you may not be able to sustain this new, healthier habit, so reducing your intake of soda gradually may be the better strategy.
The steps you set to help reach your goals can be adjusted to fit your circumstances as you go. If, after the first few months, your stamina is improving and you can add in any other physical activity, go for it! The calorie intake for each person will differ depending on their starting weight.
Setting SMART goals will help you take what you know and what you are learning and turn them into tools that help you focus on the big picture so you can reach your long-term objective.
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Consider These Weight Loss Basics
1. You Must Create A Calorie Deficit
According to the CDC, individuals gain weight because they consume more calories than their bodies can burn. To lose weight, a calorie deficit must be created, and we need to burn more calories than we consume. 3500 calories make up one pound, so we need to keep that in mind when setting our goals.
Most individuals will need to incorporate daily physical activity as well as limit their calorie intake to promote weight loss. The greater the deficit, the faster the weight will come off. The challenge is to create this deficit in a way that is sustainable. If you try to cut out too many calories initially, you may feel weak or ill and be unable to fulfill the step you set toward your goal. It may be a better idea to try to lower your calorie intake gradually while increasing your activity level to help create a workable balance.
2. Adjust Your Calorie Targets As You Lose Weight
The more you weigh, the faster you burn calories, so it is important to adjust your calorie intake as you lose weight. Your calorie burn rate will decrease somewhere in the range of 25 to 50 calories per day for every 5 pounds of weight that you lose. Often, individuals who are actively trying to lose weight by watching calories forget to take this into account, and they reach plateaus and become frustrated.
The National Institute of Health recommends that women get at least 1,200 calories and men get at least 1,500 calories per day, so if your daily target would require you to go significantly under these amounts, you will need to increase your physical activity.
3. Be Strategic When Creating Your Daily Calorie Plan
Plan your daily menu with your calorie target in mind and divide it up between three meals and two snacks. If your target caloric intake to lose weight is 1,600 calories, divide it up using between 400 and 450 calories for the meals and about 125 to 200 calories for each snack.
Shopping and preparing food in advance will help you stay on track with your goals. Let’s be honest: it is much easier to grab a sleeve of crackers from the pantry than it is to peel carrots and chop them up when you need a snack. If your carrots were peeled, sliced, and portioned in ziplock bags in the fridge, they would be just as accessible as the crackers and would support your goals.
If you know a specific food or snack will not promote your weight loss goals, do not even buy it and bring it into the house. It is good to have a few "standby" selections that are easy and fast to prepare when you are busy or tired, like apples, whole grain bread, oatmeal, berries, etc.
4. Physical Exercise Is Part Of Your Calorie Plan
Exercise and physical activity burn calories to promote weight loss. The calories that are burned can either be used to balance out calorie intake, such as when you are maintaining your weight after reaching your desired goal, or they can be burned from stored calories. Stored calories should be burned when we are actively trying to lose weight by either lowering the number of calories we eat or increasing the amount of exercise we get each day.
Exercise does not have to be working out at the gym. It can be taking a walk, gardening, cleaning the house, ice skating, playing at the trampoline park with the kids, etc. Be creative, because if you enjoy the type of exercise you are doing, you will be more inclined to keep it up. Did you know that you can burn calories while playing the piano or another musical instrument? An individual who weighs 165 pounds can burn 91 calories playing the piano for 30 minutes and 150 if they play the drums. Exercise can come in many different forms!
It is better to set a goal that you can fulfill, so keep your expectations low when first starting out, even if that means only getting exercise on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Some type of physical activity above what you have been getting is better than nothing. Eventually, you will begin to feel better, and this will motivate you to add more days and variety to your physical activity goals.
Exercise not only helps burn calories, but it also helps relieve stress. When we are stressed, our body releases a hormone into our system called cortisol, which is counterproductive for those who are trying to lose weight. Cortisol works against weight-loss efforts and promotes the retention of fat. Exercise is one of the best stress-relieving endeavors, and many people rely on yoga, running, walking, and other forms of physical activity to relieve their stress.
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5. Begin Slowly And Gradually Work Your Way Up To Loftier Goals
Depending on your weight loss goals, your 6-month weight loss plan does not need to require drastic measures that you put in place and try to follow all at the same time. The idea is to make gradual changes in your behavior that will become permanent changes in your lifestyle and improve your health overall.
Working up to these major changes will help keep you from becoming discouraged in the early days of your weight loss journey. Limiting your portion sizes is a good start because it does not necessarily take away one of your favorite unhealthy food choices, but it reduces the amount of counterproductive damage.
6. Seek Professional Weight Loss Assistance
If you have tried to lose weight on your own before and have been unsuccessful, maybe it is time to look for alternatives and get some much-needed help.
Sometimes, there are underlying factors that can inhibit an individual's efforts at losing weight. A professional trained in obesity management will know how to determine which factors could be preventing you from losing weight and can create a plan to address and neutralize these factors.
An expert can also help formulate the optimal weight loss plan tailored to your needs and provide you with the necessary tools to help you succeed. At Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center, we know that losing weight can be almost impossible for some individuals unless they receive some help. Our comprehensive OnTrack coaching program provides patients with the support and help they need to succeed in reaching their weight loss goals.
Some alternatives to doing it on your own include the Orbera weight loss balloon, Suture Sculpt endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), and/or prescription weight loss medications. All of these options are non-surgical, safe, and effective in promoting weight loss and can help you meet the goals you set for your 6-month weight loss plan.
The Orbera Balloon
Suture Sculpt ESG
The ESG non-surgical procedure
Prescription Weight Loss Medication
Injectable weight loss medications
If you would like to learn more about how to lose weight in six months, contact Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center today and set up a consultation. We are one of the first centers to specialize exclusively in non-surgical weight loss (endobariatric) procedures worldwide. Dr. Steven Batash, MD, has been recognized in the US, South America, and Europe as a leader and expert in endobariatric procedures.
At Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Centers, we care about you and your health. We have dedicated our careers to helping individuals become free from the risks and conditions associated with obesity. We are here to help you, so contact us today so you can live a healthier tomorrow!
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