Trump Isn’t the Only One Who Wants to Lose 15 Pounds

How much weight could you stand to lose — now that Donald Trump has said he’d like to lose a few pounds?

As the Republican presidential candidate made clear during an appearance Thursday on “The Dr. Oz Show” — where he also released additional information about his health — he’d like to lose 15 to 20 pounds. He has just identified a challenge millions of us have also faced — and still do.

“It’s tough. But the one thing I would like to do is be able to drop 15 to 20 pounds,” said Trump.

“You’re 6’3 — 236 pounds, as I mentioned,” said Oz to Trump. “Now, in my mind, I’m thinking your body surface area and your BMI is high. It’s probably close to 30, which is sort of the barrier for most people. Do your doctors or your family ever give you a hard time about your weight?”

Trump, who takes a statin for cholesterol, answered, “Yeah, I think I could lose a little weight. I’ve always been a little bit this way. You know — I’ve sort of always been, I was probably a good swimmer. But I’ve always been this way. I think that if I had one thing, I’d like to lose weight. It’s tough because of the way I live. But the one thing I would like to do is be able to drop 15 to 20 pounds. It would be good.”

Losing 5 to 10 percent of one’s body weight significantly lowers a person’s risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. It can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood lipids. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests setting a 5 to 10 percent goal and maintaining the new weight afterward.

In addition to improving his own body’s overall functioning, Trump could potentially give America a good example to follow. A leader who makes changes that stick often inspires others to do the same.

Weight loss for Trump could also be humanizing. We all struggle with various issues. Candidates are often expected not to have everyday problems — but when they demonstrate a more human, identifiable side, they’re often rewarded in the polls.

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After he was shot in March 1981, President Ronald Reagan recovered extremely well — and he used humor and self-deprecation to reassure the country he would be OK. (To his wife, he famously said, “Honey, I forgot to duck,” and to his surgeons, “Please tell me you’re Republicans.”) Other presidents endured physical struggles and other issues — and the nation usually responded with sympathy and kindness.

How can Trump be successful in any weight-loss efforts he undertakes?

Like anyone attempting weight change, he needs to be prudent and safe in his approach. Fads and gimmicks result in rapid regain — and that means losing credibility. Rapid weight loss is easily regained and it also destabilizes hunger, causing binge-eating. Metabolism and mental well-being are negatively affected by rapid change, too.

Related: Trump’s Records Show He’s in Great Health

Trump admitted having a penchant for fast food. A longtime golfer, he also admitted that while on the campaign trail, he’s been unable to golf, his usual form of exercise.

But drastic measures are never recommended. “For anyone who eats a lot of fast food meals, suggesting a reduction to 800 calories and exercising two hours daily for a prolonged period of time is a perfect recipe for eventual regain of any weight lost plus more,” said Dr. Megan R. Williams Khmelev of Elemental Weight Loss Clinic in San Antonio, Texas.

A 15-minute walk would not only give him a break and a way to de-stress, it could provide the exercise needed for someone seeking to change habits.

“The approach I take is reinforcing slow and sustainable changes. The patient who takes a daily 15-minute walk and limits fast food to two times per week, with moderate weight loss of 5 to 10 percent, is certainly more of a success story than the patient who loses 50 percent, only to regain,” she told LifeZette.

Khmelev, board-certified in obesity and family medicine, suggests that a reasonable approach would give Trump a sleeker physique by November. And he can do it, should he choose to — Trump has some advantages that many average folks don’t have when trying to lose weight:

1.) He has a big support system. He can easily enlist his aides and staff to find fresh food instead of fast food, provide a stash of fruit for snacking, and control access to any soda or other high calorie drinks. A campaign chef could easily provide high nutrition, low-calorie, and tasty meals.

2.) His schedule is strictly monitored. A 15-minute walk would not only give him a break and a way to de-stress, it could provide the exercise needed for someone who wants to change habits. Two walking breaks a day are even better. On the campaign trail, that might mean using the hotel gym.

Related: Doc: Trump ‘Has the Stamina’ for ‘Rigors’ of Campaign, Presidency

“Walking meetings,” where meetings and brainstorming sessions are held on foot, are doubly productive.

3.) Finally, most excess calories beyond nutritional needs are due to emotional eating. Trump will have to make sure he’s handling the stress inherent in a national campaign in a healthy manner.

One thing is certain. With less than 55 days to go until Election Day, all eyes are on what he does next.

Pat Barone, MCC, is a professional credentialed coach and author of the Own Every Bite! bodycentric re-education program for mindful and intuitive eating, who helps clients heal food addictions.