Skip these 5 strategies to shed extra weight

Washington: There are 5 strategies that are actually bad for your New Year's resolution of losing weight, according to researchers.

Dr. Aaron Michelfelder of Loyola University Health System has listed the following plans as a no-no for a person trying to shed those extra kilos should avoid:

No. 1: Losing weight at the gym. Though working out is good for health and can help to maintain your weight, exercise alone isn't very effective as to lose weight, one needs to eat fewer calories.

No. 2: Dramatically changing the diet. A more effective strategy is to simply cut back a few hundred calories a day.

No. 3: Thinking weight-loss supplements would make it easier. Supplements burn more muscle than fat, and when their intake is stopped, it results in gaining back more fat than muscle.

No. 4: Desire to be the Biggest Loser and shed pounds quickly. A more realistic and healthy strategy is to try to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. Cutting back 500 calories a day (such as a bagel and cream cheese), you will lose a pound a week. If you cut back just 250 calories a day (one candy bar) you will lose 2 pounds a month. It's more long-lasting.

No. 5: Giving up. Do not despair if you do not get down to a trim, normal weight (defined as a body mass index of between 18.5 and 24.9). If you are overweight or obese, losing 10 percent of your body weight will improve your appearance and have significant health benefits, such as lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of diabetes. Even losing as little as 5 pounds will be good for your joints.

Structured programs, such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, can be effective. And attending such programs in person tends to be more effective than participating only online, Dr. Michelfelder said.