Ritual Excellence: The Five Habits Of Weight Loss Success

by Mariana Bozesan

Many people say they want to shed pounds, but is losing weight really the only issue? Once lost, keeping the weight off can prove just as challenging as getting rid of it. Many studies show that the majority of people who lose weight will usually start to gain it back after six months or so.

But wait, there's good news too. Research is starting to provide us with a clearer picture of people who are able to lose weight and keep it off for good, and their practices can shed light on the most effective rituals for long-term weight management¹. The most detailed information comes from The National Weight Control Registry, which contains information on 3,000 people who lost between 30 to 100 pounds (60 on average) and then kept their weight stable for an average of five years. In addition, Robert Young, Ph.D. in his book The pH Miracle also refers to several of his clients who have achieved tremendous weight successes².

Although the subjects of the study lost their weight using many different diets and programs, the ones who keep the weight off share a number of striking similarities:

Exercise. People in the registry burn up an average of 2,700 calories a week in physical activity. That's equal to one hour of moderately intense exercise every day—for example, five miles of walking. Leaders of the National Weight Control Registry study have commented that they believe exercise to be the single most important factor in counteracting peoples' tendency to regain weight. Without exercise, they say, any weight loss is very likely to be temporary.

Self-Monitoring. People in the weight-control registry are highly disciplined about monitoring their progress. They record what they eat and tend to weigh themselves at least once a week. The study's leaders say that self-monitoring is important because it allows you to notice weight fluctuations early and to take action. They advise that this doesn't mean we should fret about every single pound up or down, but explain that self-monitoring treats weight maintenance as an ongoing effort, versus a single one-time event that ends when the weight loss is accomplished. I would caution you however on making the scale too important, because muscles built through an exercise program weigh approximately 30 percent more than fat. Paying attention to how much more energy we have than before, how our clothes fit, the number of compliments we're receiving, how our overall well-being and vitality has increased as well as how we have become happier and more content through the detoxification process can be equally as effective for monitoring progress.

Sustainable, Healthy Diet. Although people in the registry originally lost weight using a variety of diets, the study's leaders report that the vast majority kept weight off by following a low-fat approach. In his book Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill³, Udo Erasmus, Ph.D. points out the importance of essential fats for losing weight. He writes that "there is some evidence that obesity is the result of gross overeating in only about 10 percent of cases. The other 90 percent are lacking exercise and choosing foods lacking important essential nutrients…the right kind of fat can help you lose weight." Although new research indicates that low-carbohydrate regimes such as Atkins can produce significant weight loss, very few people in the weight-control were following Atkins long-term. Some other studies have found that the health risks of such high-protein diets can range from nausea, fatigue and impaired mental function⁴ to increased risk for heart attacks. Study leaders say that another important rule of healthy diet is portion control.

Breakfast. People in the registry who were able to keep weight off in the long-term tend to be breakfast eaters. The study's experts explain that eating breakfast helps to spread out calories over the day, reducing the likelihood of afternoon hunger and binging. Thus, we're best equipped to tackle the day when we've had a healthy breakfast including lots of alkalizing greens and low-sugar fruits such as avocado or tomatoes. Replace cow's milk with organic soy milk to ensure that your body can let go of fat.

Support. Outside support isn't just something that's nice to have—research shows that it's actually essential for lasting success. During clinic hours, researchers found that the people who attended the most support sessions were the ones who lost the most weight. Study leaders are still trying to determine which types of support work best for different types of personalities, but in general, they observed that being able to talk about your efforts with a supportive outside person or group of people significantly increased the likelihood of success. It's a great strategy to get a buddy with whom we can exchange notes and monitor our success every day. Also, a life coach can help us to define our goals, keep us accountable and make sure we stay on course.

Overall, the message of the study is that long-term weight maintenance is a very active process. Although many of these habits may seem to deal with rather basic or well documented information, it's worth remembering that they represent the characteristics of the only people in the study who were able to lose weight and keep it off over the long term. Their results can help to inform our efforts, and lead us to a place where we too can find lasting success and ultimate happiness.