How Do I Know If Weight Loss Is An OK Goal For Me Or Not? Here Is What To Know

Learn more about ‘How Do I Know If Weight Loss Is An OK Goal For Me Or Not?’ Since the middle of the 20th century, there has been a rather steady increase in public health advice addressing weight loss. Since 73% of people are overweight or obese, efforts to lower the number on our collective scale are probably motivated by good intentions. 1

Nevertheless, most of the message surrounding weight reduction has a negative side. Observable issues like disordered eating and low self-esteem have been exacerbated by restrictive diets and exaggerated representations of physical perfection in media outlets like print and social media.

You may have witnessed a pendulum swing away from weight reduction in reaction to this harmful method of weight control (known as “diet culture”). Losing weight isn’t always essential for health advantages, according to several influencers and public health professionals; frequently, setting weight loss as a health goal is just giving in to society pressures.

Which is it though? Is losing weight a healthy objective or harmful one? Research and experts can clarify this question.

How Do I Know If Weight Loss Is An OK Goal For Me Or Not?

There are several reasons why reducing weight might be a worthwhile objective when it comes to health.

According to scientific research, maintaining a healthy weight can help many chronic ailments including heart disease, diabetes, and joint pain, as well as prevent them altogether. According to nutritionist Keri Gans, MS, RDN, CDN, “For the average overweight individual, weight loss may be an appropriate goal due to a health consequence, or simply knowing you feel better in your body when you’re a few pounds lighter.” Starting a weight reduction journey for better health is totally appropriate as long as you’ve gotten the all-clear from a doctor or certified dietician.

It’s okay to desire to be in shape and feel better, despite what you may see on certain TikTok or Instagram pages. According to Gans, common reasons why people might be thinking about weight reduction include wanting to return to a specific weight after having birth or wanting to fit into items they’ve worn and enjoyed. Even if this opinion is not widely shared in society, it is still a person’s right to pursue it.

Does Everyone Need To Lose Weight?

For many people, maintaining weight reduction has advantages for their physical and emotional well-being. But not everyone can use it.

There’s no reason to attempt to alter the scale reading if you are currently a healthy weight. Gans continues, “Weight loss would also normally not be advised for an individual with a history of an eating issue.”

The factors that most often determine whether weight loss is a good goal are your motivation and the likelihood of success. It’s not a recipe for happiness (and frequently not a recipe for success, either) to try to lose weight because you feel insecure, want to look like you belong on a magazine cover, or want to please someone else.

Some weight loss objectives, however, are just not feasible. “One example would be a 5’5″ lady who, despite eating healthily her whole adult life, has never weighed less than 145 pounds but would love to be 130 pounds,” says Gans. In situations like this, Gans advises working toward weight acceptance as opposed to a calorie-reduction plan that can lead to unhealthful mental and emotional states.

It’s important to keep in mind that popular diets, particularly fads that emphasize weight loss, frequently fail. A macronutrient-based diet produced weight loss results in the short term, but these largely disappeared after 12 months, according to 2020 research on over 21,000 subjects. 5

It might be best to put less emphasis on weight loss and more on other objectives, like increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables and your physical activity, if you’ve tried several diets with no lasting success.

How To Choose A Smart Goal For Weight Loss

It’s acceptable to establish a numerical objective, but do so with a flexible mindset and focus on the actions that will bring you there. Setting weight reduction objectives that are less focused on a certain figure and more focused on other wellness aspects may make you feel more in control. Consider the following four.

Align Goals With Necessary Health Outcomes

It could be helpful for folks who are trying to lose weight for health reasons to keep that benefit front and center. Maybe you want to lose weight so you can sleep better at night, get rid of joint or back discomfort, or lower your blood sugar. You might be motivated more by anticipating a physical improvement than by the numbers on a scale.

Link Goals To Feelings Or Experiences

Since we are emotional beings, it is not surprising that a feeling or emotional experience can let us know when a goal has been attained. For instance, you might want to feel more self-assured or not be anxious about being in pictures. When you get dressed in the morning, it might just feel more comfortable, according to Gans.

Keep Your Timeline Realistic

Extreme, rapid weight loss is typically unattainable, as much as we might wish to achieve dramatic weight loss goals. (Often, it even poses a risk.) People are more likely to maintain their success over the long term when they lose weight steadily and gradually. 6

Make sure that your objective is realistic before you establish it. You can decide to set a small goal, such as losing between 0.5 and 2 pounds each week or between 5 and 10% of your body weight. You could even set a time limit, like committing to a new eating regimen for 90 days. Just keep in mind that little victories add up; once you’ve reached your first objective, no matter how modest, you can continue on the path.

Takeaway

Consider your reasons if you’re thinking of losing weight. Do not be afraid to talk about them with a doctor, dietician, or therapist. You can get assistance from a dietitian or mental health professional in coming up with attainable short-term goals that will help you reach your long-term objective.