Urgently lose weight by summer???

“Lose weight urgently by summer” is a request that I hear from many patients on the eve of the summer season. However, such a formulation of the goal is fraught with a number of dangers.

Firstly, the desire to lose weight only for a specific event or time of year indicates that the problem of excess weight is not taken seriously by a person. It's more of a fashion statement or an attempt to impress others. If a person were truly concerned about his health and appearance, he would strive to control his weight all year round.

Secondly, the wording “urgent” is also misleading. A safe rate of weight loss is no more than 3-6 kg per month. Trying to lose 10-15 kg a couple of weeks before the beach season is a road to nowhere that will end in either failure or damage to your health.

Therefore, I recommend that my patients formulate the goal differently:

1. Lose weight to always maintain a healthy weight and good health.

2. Strive for a slim figure for the sake of beauty and self-confidence.

3. Get rid of extra pounds to unlock your potential and enjoy an active life.

This goal setting sets the right vector for the long term, and does not tie efforts to any particular event.

In addition, I always recommend that my patients focus not only on diet and exercise, but also on psychological work. It is necessary to understand the true causes of overeating, find a replacement for food as a source of pleasure, and increase self-esteem. Without this long-term result it will not be possible to achieve.

So if you want to truly change your life for the better, approach this not from the position of “urgently for summer,” but from the position of taking care of yourself and your health for many years to come. Good luck to you in this difficult but important task!