Yes and no. Because not all “diets” are the same. The term “diet” can be defined broadly or narrowly.
In a broader sense, it simply means a special nutritional approach used for the prevention or treatment of diseases.
This includes, for example:
Today, most people associate the word “diet” only with a weight-loss diet. In this case, individuals aim for rapid weight reduction within a short period of time. However, for long-term weight loss, a continuous change in eating habits is essential—not short-term restriction.
A diet in the sense of a permanent change in nutrition and lifestyle habits is fundamental for sustained weight reduction.
A typical weight-loss diet is not necessarily required for losing weight. In most cases, it only leads to short-term success and can even be harmful.
According to the recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE), a balanced, calorie-conscious diet plays a central role.
Healthy weight loss can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of diabetes, stabilize body weight long term, and positively influence metabolism.
For many people, achieving weight loss and maintaining it long term is an important goal © sabine hürdler | AdobeStock
Weight reduction occurs when energy intake is consistently lower than the body’s energy needs. Experts call this a negative energy balance.
You can reduce energy intake by changing your diet and increase energy expenditure through physical activity.
In theory, addressing only one side of the energy balance—such as diet alone—can lead to weight loss. So losing weight without exercise is indeed possible.
However, physical activity offers several advantages. Exercise increases energy expenditure, supporting both weight loss and weight maintenance.
Increasing everyday activity can have similar benefits to a structured workout program. Building muscle also increases your basal metabolic rate, making weight loss easier.
Physical activity also has an additional benefit when it comes to weight loss.
With significant weight loss, overstretched skin may not retract easily. Exercise can help strengthen and tighten connective tissue and skin.
Exercise alone, without dietary changes, usually does not lead to substantial weight reduction. Very few people are able to dedicate the necessary time. Many also overestimate the calories burned during physical activity.
For example, one hour of walking cannot balance out a full chocolate bar. The best approach is a combination of dietary changes and increased physical activity.
Exercise is demanding and time-consuming, but it is highly effective in creating a healthy calorie deficit © LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS | AdobeStock
With a healthy and balanced reduced-calorie diet, there are plenty of foods available to help you feel full. Satiety can be maintained, for example, by eating less fat and sugar while consuming more fruits and vegetables.
Starving yourself is not necessary for weight loss—in fact, it’s a sign that you’re not on the right path.
Diets with very low calorie intake (800 to 1200 kcal/day) can result in rapid weight loss in a short time. However, this weight loss is often not sustainable.
During weight loss, the body’s energy expenditure decreases. Returning to old eating and activity habits usually leads to weight regain.
This often even exceeds the starting weight (yo-yo effect). It is therefore advisable to adopt an eating pattern that can be sustained long term (ideally lifelong).
In addition to the yo-yo effect, losing weight too quickly and drastically can cause serious health problems. The risk of developing gallstones increases with weight loss and is even higher with rapid, dramatic weight loss.
There is also a risk that heart failure may worsen and bone density may decline.
All of this strongly supports the idea of losing weight slowly and in a healthy way.
The goal of a weight loss plan should be to avoid the yo-yo effect and stabilize body weight © Simon Ebel | AdobeStock
You should keep three components in mind:
To achieve long-term success, you need to change your behavioral patterns. These changes must be gradual and step by step. Only a permanent (lifelong) change protects against the yo-yo effect.
Healthy weight loss must occur at a moderate pace. In addition, you must consume all necessary nutrients in adequate amounts. Extremely one-sided approaches (e.g., total fasting) are neither successful in the long run nor safe, and they should always be medically supervised.
Those who want to lose weight should focus on foods with low energy density:
A reduced-calorie mixed diet is recommended for weight loss. Typically, a calorie deficit of 500 to 800 kilocalories per day is considered appropriate.
General guideline:
A balanced diet is based primarily on carbohydrates © aamulya | AdobeStock
It is important to set a realistic goal when losing weight. A weight loss of 5 to 10 percent of initial body weight is considered medically successful. Many health parameters already improve at this stage.
Losing about 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1.0 kg) per week during the first 6 to 12 (up to 24) weeks is a healthy approach.
Special attention must be given to the period after weight loss: maintaining the achieved body weight.
In the early stages, keeping a nutrition and activity diary can help. This allows you to track how many calories you consume and how many you burn through exercise.
Weighing yourself once per week is recommended. These factors can support long-term weight maintenance after weight loss:
When trying to lose weight, practicing flexible (rather than rigid) behavior control can be helpful. This means setting goals for a manageable period of time, rather than indefinitely.
Goals should be realistic and specific—around 10 to 20% less (or more) than usual. For example: “Next week, I’ll try to limit myself to half a chocolate bar” instead of “I’ll never eat chocolate again.”
These strategies can help you achieve small victories that reinforce new behaviors.
In your nutrition diary, you can record your achievements. With overly strict rules, a single “slip” can trigger an “all-or-nothing” mindset and cause you to abandon your goals entirely.
In addition to structured exercise, increasing everyday activity can also make weight loss easier.
For example, you can:
Plateaus without measurable weight loss despite consistent eating and activity habits are normal. Perseverance is key. Often, weight loss resumes more effectively afterward.
Additional tips for weight loss:
A low-carb diet may initially lead to relatively rapid weight loss.
After one year, however, the weight trajectory is no different compared to a balanced, reduced-calorie mixed diet.
Disadvantages of a very low-carb diet include:
It may therefore be suitable only for short-term weight loss.
It is true that bariatric surgical procedures can be very effective. Depending on the method, weight loss averages between 21 and 38 kg after one year, and 15 to 28 kg after ten years.
Illustration of an implanted gastric band © bilderzwerg | AdobeStock
However, weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery) also carries perioperative and postoperative risks. The perioperative mortality rate is about 1%.
Surgical interventions should only be considered after 6–12 months of unsuccessful attempts with other methods.
No surgeon will perform bariatric surgery for just a few extra pounds.
Indications for surgery include:
Do not believe that bariatric surgery is the end of treatment or that weight loss will happen automatically afterward.
A consistent, lifelong follow-up program is essential. Only then can long-term success be ensured and complications prevented.
Especially with restrictive procedures (e.g., adjustable gastric band, vertical gastroplasty), patient compliance and adherence to rules are crucial. Losing weight with surgery is not effortless.
Plastic surgery is not a typical weight-loss method. A liposuction procedure is limited to specific areas.
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