Personalizing Your Diet is Key to Weight-Loss Success, Says Top Expert

If you're fighting the battle of the bulge, what is the No. 1 hurdle you face? "The biggest hurdle people face in losing weight and keeping it off is picking a realistic goal," says Madelyn H. Fernstrom, Ph.D., one of the nation's top weight-loss experts.

"We try too hard, we want to weigh too little, and it's just not possible," Fernstrom told Newsmax Health in an exclusive interview. Choosing a realistic weight-loss plan and a realistic goal are the keys to successful weight-loss, says Fernstrom, who is the founder of the University of Pittsburg Medical Center's Weight Management Center.

When choosing a diet, pick one that matches your eating personality, advises Fernstrom. "You have to accept your temperament," she says. "If you're a big breakfast eater, you can work with that. If you like to eat in the evening or snack during the day, you have to account for those calories."

Your eating personality includes all of the factors that go into your daily eating routine, such as whether you cook at home or eat in restaurants. "All of these things make a big difference in determining what kind of eating pattern you need," she says, because when it comes to losing weight, the bottom line is the calories you take in versus the calories your body spends.

Don't fall for over-the-counter diet pills and dietary supplements promising quick weight loss, Fernstrom says: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Even prescription medications aren't the answer. "Prescription medications aren't very effective, and most are off the market."

Newsmax Health asked Dr. Fernstrom if a person could be overweight and healthy. "It's a loaded question, because it depends on how many pounds you are overweight," she replied. "A few pounds is not going to be a problem if you are healthy, have no health risks, and if you eat moderately and are physically active. But those are a lot of 'ifs,' and you have to be honest with yourself. You can't carry 30 or 40 extra pounds and be healthy."

The prescription for a healthy long-term lifestyle boils down to three points, says Fernstrom: "Watch what you eat, manage stress, and be physically active. There's nothing on the horizon to replace it."

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