Did you know that only about one in five people who lose weight will actually succeed in keeping it off long-term?
Yup, 80 percent of people who drop their extra pounds will put those pounds right back on – if not more.
So does that mean that the diet you’ve just started or planned to start is doomed to failure?
Definitely not — especially if you follow the advice provided by over 6,000 people who not only lost the weight but maintained their new healthier weight in the face of numerous challenges…
Top tips from Weight Watchers success stories
Researchers at California Polytechnic State University interviewed more than 6,000 Weight Watchers (WW) members that had lost more than 50 pounds on average — and kept it off for more than three years.
How did they do it?
Well, it came down to three things:
- Perseverance — despite setbacks
- Reminding themselves regularly of what life was like before the weight loss
- And remaining focused on their health
“One of the most impressive findings was how weight-loss maintainers described perseverance in the face of setbacks,” said Suzanne Phelan, a professor in Cal Poly’s Kinesiology and Public Health Department, who led the study.
“Weight-loss maintainers saw setbacks as part of their successful journey. Setbacks were not described as failures. They were seen as a temporary interruption in their path. Many weight-loss maintainers described getting back on track at the next meal or the next day and measuring overall success based on long-term goals.”
The weight-loss maintainers also revealed that health issues were right up there at the top for staying motivated to maintain weight loss — particularly diabetes, heart conditions and mobility issues.
They believed the weight loss contributed to important health changes including reduced pain, medical status, confidence, feeling more at ease and comfortable both, mentally and physically, and improved fitness and body image.
When asked what advice they would give to people who were struggling, participants encouraged others to take it day by day, use Weight Watchers workshops to reset mentally after difficult weeks and embrace long-term goals.
But that’s not all…
They recommended keeping track of the foods you eat on a daily basis, even after you’ve reached your goal weight.
“As a lifestyle interventionist and researcher, I’m excited to think about how to promote perseverance, encourage tracking of intake and make changes in medical status more salient during the weight-loss journey,” Professor Phelan said.
More help for successful weight loss
Whether you’re trying to lose weight currently or want to avoid putting lost pounds back on, here are more tips you may find helpful:
Weight loss supplements. My colleague, Jenny Smiechowski, has reported on three weight loss supplements that are backed by science and really work.
Keep your immune system in tip-top shape. You may think it’s only active when you’re sick, but new research shows your immune system has cells stationed all over the body that are busy performing vital functions — such as those related to energy production—and works in a way similar to the Keto diet.
Hormones. And if you’re struggling and just can’t seem to take off the pounds despite doing everything right, it could be time to consider if a hormone imbalance is behind your weight issues.
Sources:
Weight-loss maintainers share strategies for success – EurekAlert!