A lot of people wish they were a bit slimmer or leaner. This is why there are endless diets, gyms as far as the eye can see and dozens of supplements claiming to be the magic pill you need. Much of the marketing promises fast results. Is this really possible? If it took me 5 years to gain 30 pounds, can I expect to lose it in 6 weeks? (Spoiler alert – probably not)

Some of the diets that promise fast results involve starving your self half the time. Eating very little seems to get you there faster, but does not really work for very long. Severe calorie restriction will trigger your body to lose muscle and slow your metabolism down until you start eating well again. When you do, your body will overreact and you often end up heavier than when you started, but with less muscle.

For sustained weight loss, slow and steady works best. Losing 1% of your weight each week is a rough guide. This allows you to lose more fat than muscle. As you change, your body adjusts to the new normal and you get in the habit of eating exactly what you need to maintain the new you.

Say you weigh 200 pounds with 30% body fat and want to get to 170 at 15% body fat. You should aim to lose about 2 pounds per week in the first few weeks, but then it will start to slow down as you lean out. With consistent effort, you could achieve your goal in less than 6 months.

How to do this sustainably? Make small changes each week and give your body time to adjust. To get started, here are some ideas. Instead of trying to stop or eliminate, replace:

• Sweets with fruit
• Sandwiches with soup and salad
• Late night television with extra sleep
• Soda or sweetened beverages with water
• Using an elevator with taking the stairs

What tactics have you used to make sustainable changes?