I have always said that weigh loss, health, fitness and nutrition are different for each of us. We are all different: have different likes, tolerances, body composition and lifestyles. However, just like I mentioned in my post Top 5 Nutritional Musts, there are some basic rules that should be followed when it comes to nutrition. The same is true for weight loss. The National Weight Control Registry, a database that tracks more than 5,000 people who have lost at least 30 pounds and maintained the loss for at least one year, has uncovered an abundance of tried-and-true tips to help people lose weight and keep it off.
1. CONTROL PORTIONS. Twenty years ago, a standard cup of coffee with whole milk and sugar was 8 oz. and 45 calories. Today, a 16 oz. Grande Mocha Frappaccino at Starbucks adds up to 380 calories. To burn the extra calories, a person would have to walk for an hour. A typical muffin was 1.5 ounces and 200 calories. Today it is 5 ounces and 500 calories - the difference equates to 90 minutes of vacuuming. As standard portions have gotten larger, so have Americans. T he only remedy is to pay attention to serving sizes. Successful "losers" control portion. In fact, some research suggests that portion control is the greatest predictor of successful weight loss.
2. BE MINDFUL. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. Make sure you are not eating when you are bored, stressed, sad, tired, or continue to eat even after you are full. Think about why you are eating before you put the food in your mouth.
3. EXERCISE. Losing weight and keeping it off is a lifestyle change, and exercise is a key component of that. People who dropped their fitness programs after losing the weight put the pounds back on. It needs to become a part of your daily routine. And, while cardio is important for burning calories, resistance-training is important to preserve lean tissue and maintain metabolic rates. You got to hit the trail and the iron!
4. CHECK THE SCALE.While it is not advisable to become obsessive about your weight by just one pound either direction, people who maintain their weight loss keep tabs on the scale, weighting themselves at least once per week. T his way they are able to identify small weight increases in time to take appropriate corrective action.
5. EAT BREAKFAST. Breakfast eaters generally weigh less and suffer from fewer chronic diseases than non-breakfast eaters. It jump-starts your metabolism in the morning and helps to keep you running strong throughout the day.
6. MONITOR INTAKE. Keeping a food log is a highly effective and proven strategy. I am a HUGE believer in this. It's the only way I was able to get the last 10 pounds off I needed to several years ago. Everyone tends to eat way more than they think, and burn off less than they estimate. You will think twice before eating something if you have to write it down, and it helps you know for sure how much you are actually eating. A calorie here and there can add up very quickly without you even realizing it.
7. TURN OFF THE TUBE. Time spent watching TV is time spent: 1) being completely sedentary and thus expending minimal amounts of calories: and 2) eating. Most people mindlessly consume snacks while mesmerized in front of the television, not noticing the rapidly multiplying calorie intake. Try to watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
8. DON'T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW TO GET STARTED - AND NO CHEATING! It's so easy to say tomorrow I will start - or Monday is my starting day, after this weekend. Likewise, it is also easy to cheat and eat and extra piece of cake or pizza. But, people who do not consistently give themselves a day or two off to cheat are 150% more likely to maintain their weight loss. Now and again are ok, but don't make a habit out of it.
9. KNOW THY FRIEND. A study of 12,000 people, followed over 30 years, concluded that obesity spreads through social ties. That is, obese people tend to have obese friends. Pairs of friends and siblings of the same sex seem to have the most profound effect. The study authors suspect that the spread of obesity has a lot to do with an individual's general perception of the social norms regarding the acceptability of obesity. The logic works like this: if my best friend as my sister are both obese and I love and admire them all the same, the maybe it is not so bad that I gain a few pounds. People can reverse this psychological phenomenon by inviting pals to work out at the gym or go for a bike ride. Most of the time if your social circle knows you are trying to lose weight they will be supportive of you and want to help, and heck - its' WAY easier to do when you have people doing it with you!
10. BE OPTIMISTIC! Research suggests that people who are optimistic - that is, they have perceived control, positive expectations, empowerment, a fighting spirit and a lack of helplessness - are more successful at changing behaviors and losing weight.
list adapted from American Council on Exercise's "Essentials of Exercise Science"
