Is maintaining weight loss harder than loosing? When I became a lifetime member I thought I knew what to do! I had loss 32 pounds and felt great. In the decade since I became a lifetimer, my weight gradually sneaks up and down (more up). It is a constant battle. I realize part is due to age and part is due to the need of more activity but in the following article you will see a research study that shows losing is different than maintaining. I am including the link to the actual study but I discovered there was a fee to download the entire study so perhaps the skeleton version will provide the support we are looking for.
It’s a long-held belief that to keep off the weight you’ve lost, you should continue the behaviors that helped you be successful in the first place. But a recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine* has suggested that there may in fact be distinctive sets of behaviors associated with weight loss and maintenance.
A national survey involving a random sample of 1,165 adults looked at 36 behaviors and their association with success in weight loss (defined as more than or equal to 10% weight lost in the previous year) and weight maintenance (defined as more than or equal to 10% lost and maintained for 1 year or more). Of the 36 behaviors, only eight were common to both weight loss and maintenance. The remaining behaviors were not consistently matched.
The behaviors associated with weight loss included:
- Doing different kinds of exercises
- Planning meals ahead of time
- Participating in a weight-loss program
- Limiting sugar intake
- Not skipping meals
Behaviors associated with weight maintenance included:
- Consistent exercise program
- Eating plenty of low-fat sources of protein
- Rewarding yourself for sticking to your goals
- Reminding yourself why you need to manage your weight
While the survey was small and requires greater supporting evidence, its results are in line with the Weight Watchers® approach. If indeed there are different behaviors required for weight loss and maintenance, it’s nice to know that Weight Watchers provides the tools members need for both. The PointsPlus® program—with a food plan featuring Power Foods and Good Health Guidelines, an activity plan offering guidance for starting and maintaining exercise, and strategies such as Mental Rehearsing, Motivating Strategy, Prepare Yourself, and Take Care of Yourself—can help members develop the behavioral changes needed to lose weight and keep it off.
So lifetimers...are you practicing the skills you need to maintain? We work so hard to lose and need to work just as hard to maintain. In the meeting room today a member shared it was her 5 year member anniversary with WW. The first year was significant weight loss. The second year was the introduction of running but also gained 17 pounds back. Year 3 was losing the 17. Year 4 has her within reach of her goal weight. Now she looks at food and thinks "how will the affect the body I want to have". Wow...the journey never ends. Learning to "Eat Right, Be Active and Repeat" on a daily basis is a lifetime experience. If you are on the journey to lifetime, the journey back to lifetime, or a maintaining lifetimer, share your comments on the skills most helpful to you.
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