It seems like everyone has a secret to weight loss. But it's hard to know if the diet or exercise plan that worked for one person will work for another — or if it's even safe.
Daniela D. Hurtado Andrade, M.D., Ph. D., an endocrinologist, and Tara M. Schmidt, M. Ed., RDN, LD, a dietitian, spend their days helping people at Mayo Clinic reach a healthy weight. Here, these weight-loss experts answer some questions they hear most often.
Are my favorite foods off-limits when I'm dieting?
While potato chips and ice cream aren't the best diet choices, no single food should be considered completely off-limits when starting a weight-loss plan.
"I would never want someone's weight-loss journey to feel like a punishment," Schmidt says. "If your weight-loss plan makes you feel like you're being punished or leads to a negative mindset, you're probably not going to stick with it very long."
Instead, build your meals and snacks around healthy foods, like fruits, whole grains and lean protein. Then have that handful of chips or cup of ice cream.
If you do choose to eat some of those high-calorie foods on your new plan, though, your weight loss might be slower, Schmidt says. But you're also less likely to regain weight because you can adapt to those changes with time.
Can I lose weight through exercise only?
To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. This is often done through a combination of eating less and exercising more. This process is called creating a calorie deficit.
While it's possible to burn enough calories through exercise alone to create a calorie deficit, most people will need to lower calorie intake too. You would likely need to exercise at least 60 minutes a day to lose weight without eating less.
Any activity that you enjoy and that gets your heart rate up, like walking, biking or doing yardwork, will burn calories. You don't have to be breathless, but you should be working at a high-enough intensity that you can't sing a song.
Strength training that increases muscle mass also helps with weight loss. Muscle burns more calories even at rest than fat does. For best results, try to exercise all muscle groups at least 2 times a week.
Do fad diets work?
Fad diets promise quick weight loss. They often dramatically restrict calories or forbid certain foods or whole food groups. But they also work. At least temporarily.
"Fad diets are effective, which is the problem," Schmidt explains. "They're effective because any kind of program that puts you in a calorie deficit is going to promote weight loss."
The problem is that it's hard to stick with strict diets with a lot of rules. When you go off your plan, you're likely to go back to some old habits and put weight back on. Diets that restrict certain foods also can lead to low intake of some nutrients.
Instead, look for a healthy diet and exercise plan that you can follow for life. "There should never be an end date for healthy eating," Schmidt says.
Is it true that eating after 8 p.m. makes you gain weight?
Eating large meals just before bed has been linked to weight gain and increased risk of heart disease — particularly for people with irregular sleep schedules. But a healthy snack of about 150 calories before bed could help maintain blood sugar levels and prevent morning hunger.
Small nutrient-dense bedtime snacks, like a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit, didn't lead to unwanted weight gain or heart disease risk in studies. This was particularly true for people who were following an exercise routine.
Is it possible to lose weight after age 40
Weight can become stubborn in middle age. That's when people start to lose some lean body mass. Middle age is also when people tend to take less physically demanding jobs and might cut back on activity due to aches and pain.
But it's possible to lose or maintain weight at any age. You might find that you need to eat less or exercise more to maintain your weight. Try to find healthy foods and physical activity you enjoy.
Is weight-loss surgery the easy way to remove excess weight?
Weight-loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, isn't easy — but it can be effective, Dr. Hurtado says. Weight-loss surgery changes the digestive system, which limits how much you can eat.
Weight-loss surgery is effective at helping a person lose weight and keep it off. "It is also the only intervention that has been proved to decrease heart disease risk, reverse weight-related diseases and increase survival in the long term," says Dr. Hurtado.
But weight-loss surgery is a significant commitment. It requires preevaluations, diet changes and an ongoing exercise routine.