Weight Loss Tactics that Work - For Life

Introduction

There's no denying that losing excess weight is hard. Just as difficult— Keeping the weight off once you've lost it.

But research is revealing that you'll have a greater chance of succeeding if you make a lifelong commitment to healthy habits. That's one of the findings of the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), a database of more than 2,000 people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept if off for at least a year. All participants say they have significantly changed how they eat and how much they exercise.

This doesn't mean successful weight losers never enjoy ice cream or other favorite foods. But they do keep an eye on calories and fat. And they stay active. For instance, NWCR participants report burning an average of 400 calories a day in exercise. That's equivalent to walking about four miles a day.

Some experts believe that the secret to successful weight loss is to actually stop dieting. A diet usually only lasts a few weeks or months. But maintaining a healthy weight must last a lifetime.

Successful Strategies for Lifelong Weight Loss

The following weight-loss strategies don't tend to grab headlines. But they've been proven to work—for the long term.

Consider Medications, if You're Seriously Overweight

If you are seriously overweight, have any health problems, or take medicines regularly, see your doctor before starting any weight-loss program.

Change Behaviors

When it comes to weight loss, how you think and behave may be just as important as what you eat, say some experts.

How can you begin changing your attitudes and behaviors? Here are some recommendations:

Set realistic goals so you don't get disappointed. Experts say that losing one to two pounds a week is a healthy goal.
If you know that sometimes you overeat, consider what might trigger this behavior. Some people may overeat when they're bored or when they eat at restaurants. Then, come up with healthy strategies to counteract these problematic situations. For instance, identify activities that you enjoy, such as painting, that you can do to prevent boredom.
Change your environment to help you. Maybe that means throwing out all the junk food in your cabinets. Or keeping gym shoes at work so you can exercise at lunch.
Write down everything you eat in a journal, as well as any exercise that you do. Research shows this helps many people stick to healthy eating habits.
Find ways to counteract stress in your life. Studies show that stress is one of the primary reasons people overeat.
Consider starting a healthy eating plan with a friend or family member. People with high levels of social support have a higher chance of succeeding.
Don't be too hard on yourself. If you eat unhealthy one day—or even for a whole week—don't berate yourself. Instead, just plan on eating healthy the next day.

Watch Calories

Weight loss comes down to a simple math formula: One pound of weight is equal to 3,500 calories. So, you need to cut back by about 500 calories a day to lose one pound a week. Adding exercise to your diet will boost the number of calories burned (see Increase Activity).

Many people find they can cut calories by simply cutting back on portion sizes and making healthy, lower-calorie choices. Here are some tips for cutting calories and staving off hunger pains:

Eat breakfast—some experts say that eating a morning meal helps people avoid overeating later in the day.
Investigate lower-calorie ways of preparing foods, such as broiling or baking instead of frying.
Avoid high-calorie sauces, dressings, and condiments. For instance, choose tomato sauce on pasta rather than cream sauce.
Fill up on whole-grains and fruits and vegetables. All of these foods are high in fiber, which can help you feel full.
Begin meals with a low-calorie soup or a salad with low-calorie dressing. These can help fill you up.
Drink eight glasses of water each day to reduce your appetite.
Allow yourself an occasional piece of chocolate or other temptation that you crave.

Increase Activity

Aim to work out at least 30 minutes every day, or at least most days of the week. Besides providing health benefits, exercise will help you lose weight. For example, if you start walking 1.5 miles a day at a fairly brisk pace (in about 30 minutes), you will drop two pounds in a month—without making any changes to your diet.

Make excuses to move more. For instance, walk up escalators, play with your children, or work in the garden. Every little bit of activity burns calories. And, if you perform these activities at a brisk enough pace, they also provide the health benefits of more formal exercise.

Include strength-training in your workout routine. Experts say that performing strength training exercises at least two times a week can help boost your metabolism, or calorie-burning rate.

Choose activities that you enjoy so you'll be more likely to stick to them. Also, vary your activities to prevent boredom—and to work out different muscles.

Keep exercise equipment at home, such as jump ropes or treadmills. One study found that overweight women who had exercise equipment at home were more likely to stick to an exercise program and lose weight than those who did not.

The Low-Down on Popular Diets

Many people who successfully lose—and keep off—weight do so by committing to healthy habits. But what about popular diets?

High-Protein/Low-Carbohydrate Diets

What's Involved: Many popular diets advocate eating lots of protein—such as meat and fish—and cutting back on carbohydrates. These diets vary, and some are healthier than others.

The more extreme ones allow you to eat as much meat, poultry, and fish as you would like. But they recommend reducing carbohydrates to less than one third of what's recommended by many nutritionists. Some diets even tell people to limit fruits and vegetables.

Advocates claim these diets can:

stave off hunger for food
help control insulin, or blood sugar levels, which can help prevent diabetes
help athletes burn fat and build muscle.

What You Need to Know: Be warned— A high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may be dangerous without a doctor's supervision. This is particularly true if you are obese or have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other serious health problems.

These diets work by causing a metabolic change known as ketosis. This may work for short-term weight loss, as long as you're under a doctor's supervision. When in this state, people tend to feel less hungry and will eat less. Cutting back on carbohydrates also will cause a temporary water loss.

However, being in ketosis can put a strain on your liver and kidneys and cause problems if you have serious health conditions or are on certain medications. For instance, the water loss that accompanies ketosis may require an adjustment in high blood pressure medications.

Also, these diets are missing vital nutrients from grains, fruits, and vegetables that are important for maintaining health. They also tend to be high in saturated fat, which is known to increase your risk of heart disease.

While it's true that eating mostly low-fiber carbohydrates—such as white bread and white rice—may raise a person's risk of diabetes, it is much wiser to switch to high-fiber carbohydrates, such as whole-grain breads and brown rice, than to cut back on carbohydrates altogether. A high-fiber diet has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Will extra protein help build muscle? No, experts say. Only exercise builds muscle. If you are an athlete, you may need to eat slightly more protein than the average person. But don't cut back too much on carbohydrates. A low-carbohydrate diet may deplete your energy level so you have trouble working out.

Liquid Diets

What's Involved: Dieters replace one or more meals with drinkable formulas, which are usually sold as a liquid or powder. These tend to be low in calories—but high in nutrients.

What You Need to Know: If you decide to try one of these plans, you'll probably find that they're easy to use and may help you lose weight.

But most people who try these diets regain the pounds as soon as they start eating solid foods again. Also, these diets do not teach people how to make healthy food choices—a necessary skill for maintaining weight.

In addition, experts agree that it's healthier to get nutrients from food rather than a formula or supplements. Scientists still don't know exactly how fruits, vegetables, fiber, and other foods help keep you healthy. But they know it involves a complex interaction among vitamins, minerals, and various disease-fighting compounds. So, people on liquid diets may be missing out on important nutrients.

One-Food-Only Diets

What's Involved: Some fad diets push heavy amounts of only one food—such as cabbage soup—or type of food—such as fruit—for certain periods of time. But can these foods really help "burn" fat or cause other biological changes that result in weight loss?

What You Need to Know: There's no such thing as a food that can "burn" fat or cause weight loss. People who try these diets may lose weight quickly because they're not allowed many calories. However, most people regain the weight as soon as they return to their regular diet.

Not surprisingly, such diets are not nutritionally sound and can lead to poor health and a lack of energy. Plus, eating only one kind of food is boring, which will probably increase your chances of failing.