4 simple weight loss lessons from a cardiologist who lost 30 pounds while building muscle

• A 35-year-old cardiologist lost 30 pounds while building muscle by changing his diet and exercise.
• He said consistency, patience, fun, and balance were key to his success.

A cardiologist who lost 30 pounds and packed on muscle said there's no secret diet or insane workout behind his success — just some basic tips that anyone can try at home.

Amar Shere, 35, said he started lifting weights and ate a high-protein vegan diet as part of his fitness transformation, but the biggest factors in his success were even simpler.

"Consistency is really the key. The best type of goals are developing skills and healthy habits you can maintain," Shere told Insider. "Sticking to a plan for weeks on end, that's when I was seeing the results."

He said that making small changes instead of trying extreme or strict programs and finding an enjoyable and healthy routine helped him see lasting results.

Here are Shere's four biggest takeaways from his transformation, backed by other fitness and nutrition experts.

Consistency is key

More than any specific food or exercise, Shere said his fitness transformation was about being consistent and making small changes but sticking to them over time.

Prior to last year, he said he would hit the gym once in a while but didn't have a plan and frequently relied on takeout and processed food for meals.

"I considered myself healthy for a long time, but I just didn't feel good, and I wasn't getting the results that I wanted in terms of my physique," he said.

Shere credits his overall transformation to gradually adjusting his routine to add more healthy habits. By making smaller changes, he was able to maintain them, which eventually made a big difference as he got stronger and felt better over time.

It's better to focus on consistent progress than to put pressure on yourself to be perfect or overhaul your life, the fitness-and-nutrition writer Adam Bornstein previously told Insider.

Avoid extreme diets

Shere said a big part of his weight-loss success was picking healthier ways to enjoy favorite foods.

He swapped out pasta dishes for high-protein versions with noodles made from legumes such as chickpeas. For dessert, he enjoyed his go-to treat of dark chocolate, but drizzled over plant-based Greek yogurt for an extra protein boost.

By not cutting out everything delicious, he said wasn't tempted to give up on his healthy habits because he was still able to enjoy meals and desserts.

Weight-loss attempts can fail if you try a food plan that's too restrictive, causing you to inevitably eat something you feel guilty about, Holly Baxter, a dietician, previously told Insider. Many people then try to overcompensate by restricting their food intake even more, creating a vicious cycle, she said.

Like Shere, Baxter recommended leaving room for treats in your diet to help maintain a healthier relationship with food and to help you be more likely to stick to the diet long-term.

Find a workout you don't hate

Shere said lifting weights helped him build muscle, but his favorite type of exercise is Bollywood-style dance fitness, and including that in his routine helped him look forward to working out.

Shere said it was also crucial that his workouts fit his busy lifestyle as a doctor and allowed him to get plenty of sleep.

Doing too much exercise, especially if it's cutting into your sleep or recovery time, can backfire, making it hard to see progress, Chris Duffin, a powerlifter, previously told Insider.

Be patient

A major factor in Shere's weight-loss success was that he didn't try to rush the process.

Losing 30 pounds in a year is a rate of about two-and-½ pounds a month, or just over half a pound a week. That's well within the recommended pace of sustainable weight loss of no more than a pound or two per week, according to the CDC.

While it can be tempting to try to shed pounds more quickly, doing so can increase the risk that you'll get off track and gain it back, Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian nutritionist and the author of "Read It Before You Eat It — Taking You from Label to Table," said.

"You don't have to be more strict, you have to be more patient," she previously told Insider.