Getting Off to a Quick Start

Contrary to what many believe, research shows that it is actually better to lose weight quickly, especially when you are starting your diet. Fast weight loss upfront is more motivating, helping you stay on the diet longer and continue losing weight. At HMR, we have found that getting a “quick start” is essential for success – and research supports this. Greater initial weight loss is associated with better long-term weight maintenance:

An analysis combining the results of 29 U.S. studies (including HMR) concluded that people who had greater initial weight loss maintained three times more weight loss at five years than those who had more moderate weight loss. Additional research indicates that the greater the initial weight loss (especially in the first two-to-four weeks), the greater the total weight loss and the more successful the long-term maintenance even one-to-five years later.