As the New Year approaches, many would be rushing to finish the fitness goals they set for themselves or readying a list for 2026. Weight loss is often the most common objective. However, if you plan to lose kilos in a few months or weeks, you should be aware that the plan will likely not be sustainable.
Most people do not end up losing 10 kg in 3 to 4 months. You may think this is possible, but it is not. (Unsplash)
In a December 1 Instagram post, fitness and nutrition coach Raj Ganpath, with over 17 years of experience helping people transform their health and fitness, shared the best way to lose weight.
How you shouldn’t be losing weight in 2026?
According to Raj, if you have more than 10 kilos to lose in 2026, but in the past, whenever you’ve tried to, you have failed, struggled, and even if you’ve lost the weight, you’ve gained everything back, here is what you should be doing: ‘you should be taking things slowly.’
The fitness coach emphasised that the issue with attempting to lose 10 kilos in three to four months and maintaining the weight loss for the rest of the year is the approach towards weight loss.
He explained, “Most people do not end up losing 10 kg in 3 to 4 months. You may think this is possible based on all the success stories you see on the internet, but in reality, those are just outliers.”
According to the coach, the truth is that expecting to lose 10 kilos in three months is like thinking that in a class of 50 kids, all the kids can get more than 90 percent. He added, “In reality, only about 10 percent of people, if that, are able to lose that kind of weight because it requires a lot of effort, discipline, and compromises. Most people don’t even get there.”
The correct approach
The fitness coach pointed out that if someone does manage to lose 10 kilos in about three to four months, here’s what happens next: “In the next six to seven months, you are going to gain about six to eight kilos back. This happens over and over again. There is so much research that proves this.”
Moreover, the cycle will keep repeating itself, and by the end of the year, you will have spent 12 months losing only 2 to 3 kilos, which is not effective.
According to the coach, here’s what happens if you take the slow route. He explained, “Let’s say you just try to lose one kilo every month. What happens? Firstly, most people are capable of putting in the effort to lose one kilo a month. It is not too hard; it’s easy. It’s slow, but it’s easy.”
He added, “ So, in six months, you lose six kilos, and then let’s say for the next three months, you don’t lose any weight. Your body weight has been stuck, and then for the last two to three months, you’ve lost maybe one or two kilos. What happens? In 12 months, you’ve actually lost about seven to eight kilos, which is so much more than the fast approach.”
According to the coach, this method of weight loss is effective in the long term, as it yields lasting results. “You want to stay in shape, manage your weight, and take control. For that, you need to bring things under your control, you need to slow down: your expectations, efforts, and emotions. The fastest way to lose weight is to do it slowly.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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