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Hello Doctor! I Seek Your Advice On The Issue Of
Question: Hello Doctor!
I seek your advice on the issue of what route should be followed in an attempt to reduce weight by about 20% at the speed of approximately 1 or 2 pounds every 2 weeks. (See the table attached, and you will quickly appreciate why expert help is needed.)
Your expert advice is needed because the total calorie intake is already well below an amount that seems consistent with proper health maintenance, and the balance of achieved nutrition across a spectrum of key nutrients seems to be reasonably good.
Despite pursuing such an eating regimen, a satisfactory weight loss is not being achieved. Recent occasional losses have been reversed soon after they are achieved. And so, your expert advice is being sought.
There appears to be an important variable in the prevailing circumstances. Both parents were overweight, and practically all siblings are overweight; suggesting that we are dealing with a family pattern built into genetics. Even if this is so, the situation portrayed in the table seems undesirable, in the context of wellness promotion, and so I feel that we should probe deeply and widely to find out if there is any way that a sustained weight loss of approximately 1 to 2 pounds every two weeks (to a target of 20% weight reduction) might be achieved.
Thanks in advance for your attention.
I seek your advice on the issue of what route should be followed in an attempt to reduce weight by about 20% at the speed of approximately 1 or 2 pounds every 2 weeks. (See the table attached, and you will quickly appreciate why expert help is needed.)
Your expert advice is needed because the total calorie intake is already well below an amount that seems consistent with proper health maintenance, and the balance of achieved nutrition across a spectrum of key nutrients seems to be reasonably good.
Despite pursuing such an eating regimen, a satisfactory weight loss is not being achieved. Recent occasional losses have been reversed soon after they are achieved. And so, your expert advice is being sought.
There appears to be an important variable in the prevailing circumstances. Both parents were overweight, and practically all siblings are overweight; suggesting that we are dealing with a family pattern built into genetics. Even if this is so, the situation portrayed in the table seems undesirable, in the context of wellness promotion, and so I feel that we should probe deeply and widely to find out if there is any way that a sustained weight loss of approximately 1 to 2 pounds every two weeks (to a target of 20% weight reduction) might be achieved.
Thanks in advance for your attention.
Brief Answer:
Detailed answer given below:
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for contacting Ask A Doctor 24X7!
First of all, I am happy to see you selected the way of weight loss as a sustainable one, unlike following fad diets and quick fixes!
I have gone through the attached table. For sustainable weight loss, the ideal weight loss we should be aiming 1-2 kg weight loss per week with the 500 Kcal deficit plan. Again, the rate of weight loss can change from person to person as per nature and nurture. Nature (genetics) also plays a perfect role in weight loss, but we can achieve the results with proper nurture. Since the goal is sustainable weight loss the aim should be creating healthy habits and following the same for better results over time. Healthy eating is just a part of it.
Along with good eating habits, exercise routine, good sleeping patterns, and better management of stress, hydration also should be taken into consideration when it comes to weight loss.
For weight loss, the total calorie intake matters the most, no doubt about that. However, the intake of macronutrients also plays an important role. Please make sure the protein intake is met as per the recommendation.
Hope this helps.
Neethu Vipin.
Detailed answer given below:
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for contacting Ask A Doctor 24X7!
First of all, I am happy to see you selected the way of weight loss as a sustainable one, unlike following fad diets and quick fixes!
I have gone through the attached table. For sustainable weight loss, the ideal weight loss we should be aiming 1-2 kg weight loss per week with the 500 Kcal deficit plan. Again, the rate of weight loss can change from person to person as per nature and nurture. Nature (genetics) also plays a perfect role in weight loss, but we can achieve the results with proper nurture. Since the goal is sustainable weight loss the aim should be creating healthy habits and following the same for better results over time. Healthy eating is just a part of it.
Along with good eating habits, exercise routine, good sleeping patterns, and better management of stress, hydration also should be taken into consideration when it comes to weight loss.
For weight loss, the total calorie intake matters the most, no doubt about that. However, the intake of macronutrients also plays an important role. Please make sure the protein intake is met as per the recommendation.
Hope this helps.
Neethu Vipin.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Your advice is extremely helpful doctor XXXXXXX and in this follow-up question I am asking whether you have any cautionary warnings concerning the program that I am now proposing to follow.
Before I state the program, I need to add another constraint to the one that I mentioned earlier concerning my family genetics. The energy supply that my body demands is very substantial; because I am employed six days per week (mostly sitting), every day involves 10 or more hours at work or traveling, and Mondays and Fridays usually involve sustaining work concentration over many hours doing which stressful events are common.
I am guessing that with this work life style, holding my daily calorie intake to close to 1400 could represent a seriously inappropriate response to my body’s energy demands if that response is maintained indefinitely.
I offer the foregoing remarks as a context for the program that I now wish to pursue, and on which I seek your feedback.
I am planning to keep the carbohydrate intake at its current level while at the same time (1) cutting out refined sugars as much as feasible, (2) greatly increasing the intake of protein and fiber, and (3) simultaneously embarking on a strength training program designed to replace fat with muscle where feasible.
What problems do you see in this approach?
Thanks in advance for your attention.
Before I state the program, I need to add another constraint to the one that I mentioned earlier concerning my family genetics. The energy supply that my body demands is very substantial; because I am employed six days per week (mostly sitting), every day involves 10 or more hours at work or traveling, and Mondays and Fridays usually involve sustaining work concentration over many hours doing which stressful events are common.
I am guessing that with this work life style, holding my daily calorie intake to close to 1400 could represent a seriously inappropriate response to my body’s energy demands if that response is maintained indefinitely.
I offer the foregoing remarks as a context for the program that I now wish to pursue, and on which I seek your feedback.
I am planning to keep the carbohydrate intake at its current level while at the same time (1) cutting out refined sugars as much as feasible, (2) greatly increasing the intake of protein and fiber, and (3) simultaneously embarking on a strength training program designed to replace fat with muscle where feasible.
What problems do you see in this approach?
Thanks in advance for your attention.
Brief Answer:
Detailed answer given below:
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
I am glad that you found my answer useful.
Whenever you are enrolling in any kind of personalized weight loss program, evidence-based Nutritionists/ Dietitians will definitely understand your anthropometric details (height, weight, and age) and activity level according to your lifestyle and exercise routine. Based on these they will calculate the caloric needs considering your weight loss goal.
The most common red flags of the weight loss programs will be promoting very low-calorie diets by restricting one or more food groups (like avoiding rice, wheat, dairy, etc), selling any kind of products to be taken during the program which is often marketed as the "Magic product" for the weight loss, setting unrealistic goals for weight loss something like 10 Kg in a month, etc.
Following a calorie, deficit diet is the only way to weight loss in a healthy manner, but there are many ways to achieve the same considering your lifestyle, eating habits, activity level index, etc.
Hope you have got a good idea to validate the program and go ahead.
Thanks,
Neethu Vipin.
Detailed answer given below:
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
I am glad that you found my answer useful.
Whenever you are enrolling in any kind of personalized weight loss program, evidence-based Nutritionists/ Dietitians will definitely understand your anthropometric details (height, weight, and age) and activity level according to your lifestyle and exercise routine. Based on these they will calculate the caloric needs considering your weight loss goal.
The most common red flags of the weight loss programs will be promoting very low-calorie diets by restricting one or more food groups (like avoiding rice, wheat, dairy, etc), selling any kind of products to be taken during the program which is often marketed as the "Magic product" for the weight loss, setting unrealistic goals for weight loss something like 10 Kg in a month, etc.
Following a calorie, deficit diet is the only way to weight loss in a healthy manner, but there are many ways to achieve the same considering your lifestyle, eating habits, activity level index, etc.
Hope you have got a good idea to validate the program and go ahead.
Thanks,
Neethu Vipin.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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