Everyday Health’s New Weight Loss Survey Reveals the Top 3 Keys to Successful Weight Loss in the Age of Ozempic

“When it comes to weight loss, many approaches work, but the key is sustainability,” says Sean Hashmi, MD, a lifestyle and obesity medicine specialist at Kaiser Permanente in Woodland Hills, California, a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and a member of Everyday Health’s Health Expert Network.

Other experts agreed.

“When I’m helping patients find a plan for weight loss, I’m not saying, Hey, let’s try this for 10 weeks and then switch,” says Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, an obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “We’re trying to find things someone will do consistently for the rest of their life.”

While consistency is crucial, Dr. Stanford says that doesn’t mean a person’s approach needs to be inflexible or oversimplified. According to the survey, people who lost weight tended to employ more tactics overall than people who did not lose weight. They also tended not to be too rigid or routine about diet and exercise. “I tell people the flavor can change, but the structure should be the same,” she says.

For example, Stanford says people who are incorporating exercise into their weight loss plan should feel free to switch up their workouts from time to time. The important thing is that they continue to exercise regularly. “I need variety when I’m training in order to stay motivated and excited about working out,” she says.

Likewise, dietary approaches to weight loss shouldn’t be too narrow or overly prescriptive. If your plan requires that you weigh all your food and count every calorie, Stanford says you will have a hard time sticking with it.

Finally, experts said that the tactics a person employs to lose weight shouldn’t focus solely on diet and exercise (although those are important). “We should broaden our focus to include things like stress levels, sleep quality, and mental health,” says Kayli Anderson, RDN, a nutrition expert and member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and Everyday Health’s Health Expert Network.

For people interested in the newest weight loss medications, our experts say they are also worth considering. While the survey found that more than half of respondents were not interested in trying these medications, those who had tried them found them to be very effective.

“It’s not just hype,” Stanford says of these drugs. “Patients on these medications tell me they don’t even have to think about eating less.”

Key Finding 2: Arm Yourself With Information

Among the people in our survey who successfully lost weight, 70 percent started their weight loss journey with “a higher level of knowledge” on how to lose weight — compared with 52 percent of those who maintained or gained weight.

Also, according to our survey, 6 in 10 people reported they knew how to lose weight. Fully 10 percent said they didn’t know where to start.

The survey also showed that having a conversation with a healthcare professional for help with weight loss may be worthwhile: Those who lost weight were more likely to have talked with a healthcare provider. Fifty-nine percent of all respondents said their doctor or other healthcare provider had talked to them about losing weight, while 53 percent of all respondents said they had not asked their doctor or provider for help with weight loss.

Even if you feel you have a good handle on the best approaches to weight loss, consulting with an expert — either a registered dietitian-nutritionist or a medical doctor who specializes in weight loss — is a good idea. “They are trained in helping people set realistic health goals,” Anderson says. “They can also educate people about nutrition and help them develop personalized plans.”

She recommends visiting the website of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. “They represent health professionals trained in addressing prevention and treatment of disease with lifestyle,” she says. “You can search the directory on their site to find a provider to work with.”

Another reason to consult with an expert: Even evidence-backed weight loss strategies aren’t going to work for every person and every situation. “Treatment of excess weight doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer,” says Deepa Sannidhi, MD, an assistant clinical professor at the UC San Diego Health in California.

While the internet can provide useful (and free) weight loss information, it’s also rife with misinformation. “When you’re looking for advice online, you should always check the source,” Anderson says. Here again, she recommends seeking out recommendations from registered dietitians or weight loss physicians, or, if you don’t have access to one of these professionals, turn to credible online sources to arm yourself with information. “Eatright.org is a great dietitian-created website to learn from,” she adds.

Key Finding 3: Understand Your Motivation and the Connection Between Weight and Mental Health

Of all the hurdles that stand between a person and their weight loss goals, survey respondents were most likely to highlight stress and motivational problems.