Losing weight is at the top of many New Year resolution lists—but actually making it happen can be a whole other story. Eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, stress, and health issues can make it difficult to lose those extra pounds. Success depends on creating a path to a healthy weight, which has challenges and opportunities along the way. Maintaining a healthy weight isn’t just about fitting into your favorite pair of jeans, but rather about creating an overall healthy lifestyle that is sustainable over a lifetime.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, weight loss helps reduce the risks associated with several conditions, including:

• Heart disease
• Breathing problems
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure

Keeping a healthy weight leads to more energy and feeling better about yourself.

Popular opinion, media, and even family can perpetuate myths about weight loss, confusing fact with fiction. It can be difficult knowing the basics like how long take to lose weight. Let’s look at some of the most common myths about losing weight.

Myth #1 - The best way to lose weight is to start a fad diet. According to the National Library of Medicine, fad diets are often hard to follow, and they can even be unhealthy because they may not provide the nutrients your body needs. It’s true they may lead to quick weight loss at first, but they rarely lead to long-term success. The best diet for weight management is a healthy, well-rounded one.

Myth #2 - Herbal weight-loss supplements are tested for safety and efficacy. Weight-loss products, despite their claims, aren’t necessarily safe or effective. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, they are not scientifically tested to prove how well they work. You should always talk to your doctor prior to taking anything new.

Myth #3 - It’s easy to lose weight through exercise alone. Exercise helps you burn calories, which may help with weight loss, but you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. According to the National Library of Medicine, diet tends to have a stronger impact on weight loss than exercise. Being active appears to have a stronger effect on weight maintenance after weight loss.

Myth #4 - It’s impossible to be overweight and healthy. This one is tricky, but the National Library of Medicine tells us that you can, in fact, be overweight and healthy with normal blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. However, being overweight does increase your risk for health problems. The longer you’re overweight, the greater the risk of developing diseases.

Myth #5 - The process for losing weight is the same for everyone. In truth, everyone is different. For example, some people respond best to slow and steady weight loss, while others can lose weight quickly and keep it off. When losing weight, it’s important to be flexible and ready to change your plan as you discover what works for you and what doesn’t.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, body weight is strongly impacted by the quantity and quality of food. Unfortunately, portion sizes have increased significantly since the 1950s, and when faced with large portions, people eat more.

Your body likes routine and predictability. When we experience stress or fear, the body and brain react to help you handle the unexpected situation. Cortisol releases and affects heart rate and blood pressure. According to a 2017 study published in “Obesity” magazine there’s a link between high cortisol levels and being overweight.

Eating without paying attention to what you’re eating and how much you’re eating may cause you to eat more, according to Harvard Health. When you eat mindlessly, you aren’t listening to your body’s cues about hunger. 

Lack of sleep may lead you to make unhealthy food choices and leave you with a lack of energy. People who sleep less are at a higher risk of being overweight when compared to those who slept at least seven hours each night. Keeping a routine schedule and creating a wind-down ritual each evening can help lead to better sleep. 

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, exercise has many benefits for your body and mind, including weight control.

Before stepping on the scale or changing your diet, begin by creating a plan that focuses on how to set weight loss goals. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, losing one to two pounds per week is generally a good strategy for long-term success.

Write down exactly how you plan to achieve your goals, like:

• Walk 30 minutes per day, five days per week
• Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day
• Cut all added sugar for a month
• Eat a smaller portion at dinner
• Replace sugary teas or drinks with water

SMART is an acronym that gives you specific guidance about how to create a plan for success. The SMART acronym stands for the following:

• Specific: Define your goal as much as possible.
• Measurable: Can you track your progress and measure success? Every plan should have a schedule with a target date.
• Achievable: Your goal should be realistic and reasonable.
• Relevant: Is your goal consistent with what’s important to you?
• Track your progress by weighing: The National Weigh Control Registry considers regular weighing to be an effective way to gauge success over the long term.

Slip-ups are a normal part of the weight loss journey, and it's important not to dwell on them. Plateaus and setbacks are inevitable, but getting frustrated can lead to emotional eating, making it harder to stay on track. Common pitfalls, like holiday meals, bad weather, or emotional overeating, can derail your progress.

One mistake doesn’t undo all your hard work—just get back on track the next day. Use these moments as learning opportunities by reflecting on the reasons behind the slip-up, whether it’s fatigue, portion sizes, or emotional triggers. Adjust your plan as needed and stay flexible to keep moving forward.

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” diet when it comes to losing weight. It might take time to find what works for your body, but portion control is critical for everyone struggling to drop a few pounds. Meal planning prevents overeating and impulsive choices like fast food. It also helps your health and budget.

Many experts suggest cutting calories to lose weight. For example, reducing 500 calories daily can lead to a pound of weight loss per week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500). You can cut calories by reducing portions, skipping high-calorie foods, or swapping them for healthier options.

Here are a few tips to control portions. If you’re not sure what the ideal serving of each food type looks like, here are some visual cues to help with portions.

• Visual cues to see what a serving may compare to:

a.      Fruit = tennis ball

b.      Veggies (cooked) = baseball, (raw) = double

c.      Carbs = hockey puck

d.      Cheese = 3-4 dice

e.      Protein = deck of cards

f.        Fat = single die

• Avoid portion pitfalls:

a.      Don’t eat straight from bags; serve it on a plate.

b.      Avoid distractions like TV while eating.

c.      Use smaller plates and glasses.

d.      Buy single-serve snacks or portion them out immediately.

• Control portions when eating out:

a.      Skip buffets.

b.      Share meals or take leftovers.

c.      Skip bread or chips.

d.      Choose smaller portions, like lunch or kid-sized options.

Mindful eating is a helpful technique to practice during meals. It involves paying attention to your body’s cues and savoring your food, rather than eating mindlessly based on emotions. By tuning into your body and being present, you can make meals more enjoyable and prevent overeating.

Here are some tips for eating mindfully:

• Avoid distractions: Turn off electronics and focus on your meal. Eat at the table, not on the go.
• Slow down: Use all your senses to enjoy the food. Take small bites, chew slowly, and pause between bites.
• Show gratitude: Reflect on the resources that went into preparing your meal before eating.
• Check in with yourself: Assess your hunger and fullness before, during, and after eating. Stop when you’re satisfied, not stuffed.

Everyone benefits from a spark of inspiration or renewed energy. Losing weight is hard, especially if you’re trying to do it alone or with little support. To keep moving forward, think about what motivates you and list your top three. Maybe it’s having a friend as support or an accountability partner. Maybe it’s being in a group setting like an exercise class.

When your resolve weakens or you’ve experienced a setback, rely on support, variety, and new goals to reinspire you. Staying healthy at an ideal weight is a lifelong practice. By knowing your motivations and rewarding yourself for small victories, long-term success can become a reality.

Creating a path to a healthy weight and achieving goals over a lifetime begins with knowing yourself and setting goals. To find success, learn the facts behind weight loss, why it’s so challenging for many people to lose weight, and how to set weight loss goals. With healthy support systems and motivating habits, you’ll find that keeping a healthy weight can be a reality for years to come.

Learn additional tips on losing weight after 60.

• "Weight Loss." National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, https://nccih.nih.gov/health/weightloss.
• "Healthy Lifestyle." Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle.
• "Just Enough for You: About Food Portions." NIDDK, https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/just-enough-food-portions.