1. Focus on small, powerful changes.

Instead of crash dieting, work on changing your eating habits a few at a time. Also, consider your end goal for wanting to lose weight.

"It's important to consider why someone is interested in losing weight before we even get into how to do it. I prefer to advocate for healthy behaviors instead of making 'weight loss' the goal, since people can be metabolically unhealthy in both small and large bodies," says Alyssa Ardolino, RD, nutrition communications coordinator at the International Food Information Council Foundation.

A lower body weight does not equal a healthier body.Ask yourself if you want to lose weight for health reasons, to look a certain way or because you liked how you felt at a certain number. Then, work with a professional, like a registered dietitian, to come up with a plan that's best for you based on your goals.

"While the diet industry will make it seem really simple, it's more than just eating less and exercising more. Weight loss also requires sleeping enough, reducing stress and staying hydrated," Anzlovar says. Small, sustainable choices win the weight-loss race, she emphasizes.

2. Eat better foods, not fewer.

"Eat nutrient-dense foods most of the time, and limit the processed foods, sugary beverages and alcohol. This means filling your plate with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, fish, poultry and small amounts of red meat, if you choose to eat meat, along with healthy fats like avocado, olive oil and nuts or seeds," Anzlovar says. "But don't completely restrict your favorite foods either. That will only lead to frustration and a later binge. Pair this with exercise you enjoy, because otherwise you won't stick with it."

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Ostler echoes these recommendations. "When I work with people on weight loss, I like to start slow and focus on incorporating healthy nutrition behaviors instead of just a calorie deficit," she says. "For example, I have my clients focus on getting adequate protein at all meals, incorporating more fruits and vegetables, hydrating with water and limiting sweetened beverages, just to name a few. We start small to help incorporate lifelong habits instead of doing very-low-calorie diets that often lead to rapid weight loss and then rebound weight gain as well as many physiological and physical effects of low-calorie dieting."

3. Adopt a long-term mindset.

Just because you weigh more in your 40s than you did in your 20s doesn't mean you are less healthy. While you want to avoid extreme weight losses and gains throughout your life, it is normal for weight to change over time. Focus on body composition—fat versus muscle—instead of just the number on the scale. Fat and muscle weigh the same, but muscle takes up less space.

4. Stop counting calories.

Ditch calorie-counting, too. Focus on hunger and satiety cues instead.

"Employ strategies of mindful and intuitive eating, such as practicing awareness at mealtimes and honoring your hunger cues," Ardolino says. "Aim to eat a diet full of variety and colors. Focus on healthy behaviors and how you feel before, during and after eating instead of focusing specifically on weight. If you've never consistently engaged in healthy behaviors before—maybe you've been yo-yo dieting for years, eating mindlessly or using food to cope with emotions—it's likely that you'll lose some weight, but it's not guaranteed. But the peace that comes from removing anxiety and stress around eating is worth way more than the number on the scale."

Bottom line

While it's possible to drop a lot of weight in one month, we don't recommend it. Anything over 8 pounds is likely water weight that you'll gain back. Crash dieting leads to gaining more weight long-term and slows your metabolism.

Make small changes over time, like adding more vegetables, eating protein at every meal, cutting back on liquid calories from alcohol and sugary beverages, eating mindfully and exercising most days of the week. You'll feel better, and the changes will stick.

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