Sustainable Weight Loss: Building Habits for Long-Term Success
According to the University of Michigan Health System, roughly 90% of people who lose a significant amount of weight end up regaining it. YIKES! 😱 How do you ensure that you’re one of the 10% of people who maintain their weight loss long-term? It’s all about focusing on sustainability!
Sustainable weight loss is not about eliminating certain foods, or hitting the gym for two hour workouts 6 times a week. On the contrary, it’s about adopting healthy habits and maintaining them to gradually reach or maintain your ideal weight.
This blog explores effective ways to lose weight sustainably and lists habits you should consider adding to your day-to-day life, so that you’re one of the 10% of people who feel confident and fit in your body long-term.
What Is Sustainable Weight Loss?
Sustainable weight loss is the process of gradually shedding pounds over a longer period of time, instead losing a significant amount of weight within a few weeks. Plus, it means maintaining your weight loss long-term instead of the “yo-yo” effect of gaining and losing the same 10 pounds over and over again. To achieve an ideal weight, you don’t have to follow restrictive diets or have intense workouts – sometimes, it is enough to focus on sleeping for 7-9 hours per night, or only eating when you’re physically hunger (versus eating when you’re stressed or emotional.)
The healthy habits you introduce into your life should last—preferably forever—and help you make your weight loss journey more enjoyable, too. It’s a win-win!
6 Habits for Sustainable Fat Loss
At Strong with Sarah, most of our clients come to us thinking that losing weight will be hard – and we’re talking really freaking hard. Here’s the thing, though — the science behind losing weight is remarkably simple. You have to eat fewer calories than your body burns.
It only seems hard when you’re putting more emphasis on the scale (and expecting fast results) rather than focusing on your habit changes.
If you are becoming frustrated with your weight loss journey, it might help to shift your focus away from the scale and more towards the changes that you are making to create a healthy lifestyle.
If you need somewhere to start, try these 6 habits to make weight loss feel easier:
1. Ditch drastic diets and quick fixes.
Before you introduce new healthy habits, you first need to understand weight loss misconceptions. One of the biggest misconceptions people believe is that weight loss should happen quickly. Most people also consider losing weight an impossible task – however, it is quite far from the truth.
You may feel overwhelmed by the idea of reducing your calorie intake and fear cravings, but the science is surprisingly simple. The key is consuming fewer calories than your body burns. The key is also setting your expectations correctly—a healthy rate of weight loss is roughly 2-8 pounds per month for most people.
For gradual weight loss, find something that leads to a calorie deficit, but that is ALSO sustainable long term. Truthfully, it’s probably not counting points or eating fake diet food.
2. Eat protein with veggies at 80-90% of your meals.
If the scale is making your weight loss journey harder, shift your focus to something more in your control. Remember the number on the scale is something outside of our control, but we can control the actions that we take!
One of those changes that usually leads to weight loss includes increasing the consumption of veggies and protein. Next time you cook, fill your plate with nutritious foods, and you will feel fuller for longer.
By changing your mindset (and diet), you can reduce frustration and make progress more enjoyable. Hence, the secret is getting into the habit of eating nutritious foods and watching the weight EASILY fall off.
3. Move your body every single day.
A good starting point in sustainable weight loss is improving your overall lifestyle. Instead of following drastic diets or intense exercise programs, you can introduce small changes in your daily routine that will help you maintain your well-being and health.
Want some ideas? Consider going for a walk, a short yet effective workout, deep cleaning your house, or stretching – anything counts as movement! Do something that you enjoy and see how it helps with weight loss.
4. Eat mindfully & intentionally.
Quick fixes are not sustainable; that’s why you should opt for long-term solutions instead. This means only eating when you feel physical hunger versus eating when stressed or upset. It also means slowing down and focusing while you eat, as opposed to mindlessly chowing down.
Avoid fad diets or diet foods that don’t teach you sustainable habits. Instead, aim for strategies that you can confidently stick with, and you will achieve your ideal weight.
5. Drink plenty of water.
Sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? However, drinking water is something that is often overlooked on a weight loss journey. Dehydration is what you may actually confuse for hunger; that’s why drinking enough water can be your key to effectively losing weight. I recommend drinking 0.5-1 ounce per pound of body weight.
Proper hydration also supports your metabolism and helps your body digest and process nutrients. Drinking enough water may also boost your energy, leading to a more active lifestyle and an easier weight loss journey.
Try keeping a water bottle with you and make hydration a priority — it’s a small habit that can make a big difference!
6. Prioritize sleep!
Quality sleep is more important than you may think, and it has a great impact on your weight loss. When you get enough sleep, your body regenerates and regulates the hormones of hunger and fullness. Plus, we all know that feeling of exhaustion where you want to grab sugar (or any other quick, convenient snack) to simply have more energy.
Plus, without sleeping 7-9 hours each night, your body can’t properly regulate its hunger and fullness hormones (ghrelin and leptin)… AKA weight loss becomes way harder if you can’t understand true hunger.
Hence, getting a good night’s sleep will help you maintain the correct balance of hunger hormones, prevent you from overeating, and boost other aspects of your life, including better focus, higher energy levels, and faster muscle recovery.
Prioritizing sleep isn’t just about rest — it’s a key component in creating a balanced and effective weight loss routine.
What Realistic Sustainable Weight Loss Should Look Like?
Sustainable weight loss looks different for everyone, and a lot depends on your routine, your age, your overall health status, your life, your environment, and your nutrition choices. If you start seeing results, great, but if you’re struggling to lose weight, it may be time to reevaluate your habits and lifestyle.
On average, a realistic amount of weight you should lose is about 0.5-2 pounds per week most weeks, or roughly 2-8 pounds per month.
What Is the Secret to Losing Weight Gradually?
The secrets to losing weight are listed above – they are the habits and nutrition choices you make consistently over time that affect your well-being and the number of pounds you lose. Keep in mind that your journey that the two most important elements to a sustainable weight loss journey are consistency and patience. It probably will take longer than you want to reach your weight loss goal, and that’s okay!
There is no magic diet or workout plan that will help you lose a lot of weight in one week. However, there are factors that have an impact on your long-term success, and they are:
Your genetics
Stress and sleep routine
Level of activity
Food choices
Emotional factors
Environmental factors
Existential factors
Social factors
Wrapping Up
Sustainable weight loss isn’t about following strict diets or chasing quick results — it’s about making manageable lifestyle changes that support your health for the long term. Progress may happen slower, but it’s worth it when the results last long.
By focusing on balanced nutrition, regular movement, adequate sleep, and mindful habits, you’re setting yourself up for success without feeling deprived.
Remember, the journey may be gradual, but these habits will help you achieve lasting results and build a healthier, more fulfilling life. Prioritize consistency over perfection, and trust that each positive choice brings you closer to your goals.
If you are looking for a professional to keep you accountable and to help you become part of the 10% of the population that maintains their weight loss long-term, get in touch with Strong with Sarah or check our weight loss plans to find what works best for you.
