In the last 30 years or so, obesity has been on the rise, and currently it has attained the dubious honor of reaching the status of a global epidemic. Despite moaning and groaning over it, people don’t really bother with their increasing weight till it starts interfering in their lifestyle or they develop some obesity-associated health issues.

So what do you do to reduce your weight? There is a plethora of fad diets or quick-fix crash diets out on the net to lure you into believing that you have finally hit on the solution to your obesity; but beware, as these don’t really work and you end up regaining most of the weight you lose initially.

To lose weight successfully – and keep it off too, there is a need to adopt healthy-eating habits that can be maintained over the long haul. It also includes regular physical activity – about 60 minutes daily would do!
Unfortunately for most obese people, they always regain back the weight they lose, no matter what methods they employed to get rid of the weight in the first place. Even if you are on weight loss medications, once the tablets are stopped, the weight promptly comes back to roost. People have been known to regain part of their weight after weight loss surgeries too when there is no control being exercised in the consumption of calories. However, there is no need to be disheartened as remaining vigilant on what calories you take in combined with a healthy diet in a sustainable manner can provide ways to keep your weight off in the long run.

The ideal goal of obesity treatment should be to attain and maintain a healthy weight according to one’s body structure. To be successful in your quest, you may need to work with a team of health professionals including a dietitian, a behavioral counselor and an obesity specialist who can help create a weight loss program that is suitable to your particular BMI and lifestyle needs.

The major treatment tools implemented in weight loss programs include dietary changes, regular exercise, lifestyle changes, use of prescribed weight-loss medications and when nothing else works – weight-loss surgery.
There are only a few drugs approved for weight loss including Lorcaserin, Naltrexone/Bupropion, Phentermine/Topiramate and Orlistat. Choosing which drug to take is best left to your doctor to decide as all these drugs come with moderate to severe side-effects. And of course, once the treatment is stopped, the weight tends to pile back on, so a low-calorie diet along with greater physical activity is advised.

The aim of your weight loss program should be to lose 5-10% of body weight over a period of 6 months, and then try to maintain it that way before attempting further weight loss. In this comprehensive way, you would be more successful in losing weight permanently.