Also: Bypass surgery and memory loss; Building simple habits for healthy weight loss.

July 23, 2015 July 23, 2015 Find the weight-loss plan that works for you You've tried different diets — and have even been exercising regularly — but those extra pounds won't budge. Don't give up. It may be that you haven't yet found the weight-loss strategies that work for you. "Everything works for some people, but no treatment is equally effective for everyone," says Dr. Lee Kaplan, director of the Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital. "No method is fundamentally better than any other. The key is finding out which therapy is best for you, and that takes trial and error." Get your copy of Lose Weight and Keep It Off Successful weight loss depends largely on becoming more aware of your behaviors and starting to change them. Instead of relying on willpower, this process demands skill power. This report offers a range of solutions that have worked for many people and can be tailored to your needs. There are many ways to approach weight loss. Of course, diet and exercise should be first. There is no shortage of diets to try: low-calorie, low-carb, fill-up-first-with-bulky-foods, and weight-loss plans with prepackaged foods. Beyond diet, exercise helps burn calories. Getting more sleep and lowering your stress level with biofeedback or meditation may be helpful. If you are easily discouraged, studies suggest that a support program may increase your chance of success. Options include phone, Internet, or group support, and in-person coaching. For some people, hunger-suppressing medications or weight-loss surgery can help them lose a significant amount of weight and keep it off. Even if you don't reach your ideal weight-loss goal, you want to succeed in living a heart-healthy lifestyle. And that means being physically active, even if you don't shed a pound or lose an inch. "Everyone should exercise regularly, not necessarily to lose weight, but because it's good for the heart, regardless of your weight," says Dr. Kaplan. "A diet low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids and with limited salt intake can substantially reduce cardiovascular risk. However, no single facet of this diet will reliably cause weight loss," he adds. When you are trying to lose weight, Dr. Kaplan advises you to take it one step at a time. "Try what feels good, don't despair, and don't give up. Until we get better at understanding who has what kind of obesity, it's just a matter of finding what works best for you," he says. To learn more about weight loss, buy Healthy Solutions to Lose Weight and Keep It Off, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. Share this story: News and Views from the Harvard Health Blog Bypass surgery an 'uncommon' cause of memory loss, cognitive decline Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) offers a new lease on life for thousands of people each year whose hearts aren’t getting the blood they need to work properly. But it has also been blamed for “brain fog,” a loss of memory and thinking skills that follows the procedure in some people. Building simple habits for healthy weight loss Lasting weight loss demands that you transform your eating and exercise habits. But many other choices you make each day, such as how much time you spend sleeping or surfing the Internet, can also make a difference. The habits described here and in the Harvard Special Health Report, Healthy Solutions to Lose Weight and Keep It Off can help you move toward your weight-loss goal. Set small, specific and realistic goals Perhaps you'd like to be the same size you were in high school or when you got married, but that would mean dropping more than 50 pounds. Don't go there — not yet, at least. Set a more realistic goal of losing 5% to 10% of your weight, and give yourself plenty of time and some flexibility to reach that goal, keeping in mind that most people take at least six months to achieve that degree of weight loss. Also try to avoid generalized goals, such as "I should eat less at dinner and exercise more." Instead, set specific and short-term (that is, daily or weekly) goals, such as these: I will choose a few dinner recipes and shop for the ingredients on Sunday. I will bring a healthy lunch from home instead of going out at least three times next week. I will call a friend to take a walk after work on Monday and Wednesday. I will decrease exposure to problematic food ("stimulus control") to avoid temptation, such as keeping cookies away from sight in the kitchen. Eat breakfast slowly — and mindfully — every morning Many people skip breakfast because they're too rushed or they aren't hungry. Try getting up 15 minutes earlier (which means going to bed earlier so you don't sacrifice sleep time) to make time for breakfast. Practice eating slowly by putting down your utensil or sipping water, coffee, or tea between bites. Ideally, you should spend at least 20 minutes on each meal, but that may be more realistic during your midday or evening meal; choose one to get started. Set a timer to check yourself. From these habits or others in the Special Health Report, choose the one that seems the most feasible for you, and try to stick with it for a week or so. It's important to make these healthy habits routine. Once you find yourself doing one fairly consistently, add another. Over time you will realize that many of these habits can be interconnected. For more ideas and information on losing weight, buy Healthy Solutions to Lose Weight and Keep It Off, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. Share this story: Featured in this issue Lose Weight and Keep It Off Featured content: • Overweight and obesity: What's behind the growing trend? • How excess weight affects your health • When to seek professional help • Weight-loss basics • Choosing the diet that fits you best •  ... and more! 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