Posted by Alicia Leeds on Mon, Sep 06, 2010 @ 06:20 PM
Studies have shown that people with a longer history of dieting have a smaller chance of maintaining weight loss than those who diet less frequently. The argument that usually follows is that diets don't work.
A new study from researchers at the University of Sweden looked at the impact short periods of weight gain have on long term weight management and provide the data for an alternative argument. It's not dieting that promotes failure, but weight gain that reduces the chances of long term success.
The study, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Nutrition and Metabolism, has found that a four-week episode of increased energy intake and decreased exercise can cause increased weight and fat mass more than two years later when compared to control individuals.
The researchers capped the physical activity of 18 individuals and used excessive food consumption to increase their energy intake by an average of 70% for four weeks. A separate control group ate and exercised as normal.
The intervention group gained an average of 6.4 kg (about 14 pounds) in body weight, which was mostly lost 6 months later. However, one year later the intervention group showed an increased fat mass compared to baseline; the differences were even greater after two and a half years.
95% of people who lose weight will gain it back. Why? Well, There's the "I've got this under control now so I can eat whatever I want" at my goal mindset, or the "I'll just have one, haven't had this in a long time" rationalization, or the "when are you going to be done with that diet already?" social pressure... among other things like injury, divorce, and job changes. Mostly, people return to their old ways of eating and they give up their exercise plan and fail to maintain the level of healthy behaviors they need to keep the weight off. People often gain back even more weight than they lost, their failure to maintain weight loss compounded by feelings of disappointment, guilt and low self esteem, and they eat even more.
But the argument that the diets are to blame for lack of success in long term weight loss maintenance has always seemed ridiculous to me. (Assuming the diets were balanced, healthy and coupled with exercise.) Why would periods of practicing healthy behaviors be to blame for future failure?
As a coach, I am optimistic that the client who comes to me having lost and gained her 30 pounds over and again will learn something new this time around, and together we create a different approach. Not trying to lose weight again will surely end in failure, so the willingness to keep trying is a prerequisite to success.
Past failures can be a perfect place to look for potential pitfalls; they are a wealth of experience to mine for insight. Past failures can provide future opportunities to modify a program which better suits a client's needs, tastes, and circumstances. Past failures only predict a reduced chance of future success if no new steps are taken. Giving weight loss another try requires a sustainable plan, a lifestyle mindset, and a stronger commitment to a lifelong process.
The message we need to promote is not that diets are bad and don't work, but that binges are bad and don't work. Just because you lost the 5 pounds you gained on vacation or the 10 pounds you put on over the holidays doesn't mean that those pounds don't have a lasting impact on your future health and successful weight management.
Prevent weight gain. Not gaining weight is the key to success.
The "diet" industry gets a bad rap and for good reason. There is an unending menu of false promises, quick fixes and unhealthy slim scams to choose from. Throw pills, creams, celebrity how to and self helps in the mix and you've got a whole lot of "diets" that don't deliver.
But use your noggin. Healthfully decreasing your calories while increasing your Physical Activity will result in weight loss long term. Doesn't it make sense that gaining weight is the reason people are not successful maintaining weight loss?
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Sun, Dec 06, 2009 @ 10:12 PM
Wreaths, lights, snowflakes, and candy canes - the Winter Holidays have arrived! Treat yourself to a taste of the season by adding a drop of peppermint extract to your next chocolate shake. Hot or cold, this chocolate peppermint pattie is sure to please and, packed with vitamins, minerals, and protein, will keep you going from shopping to wrapping to giving.
HMR Shake of the Week Recipe - Peppermint Pattie
You Will Need:
1 or 2 scoops HMR 120 Chocolate
4 - 6 oz water per scoop
1 1/2 tsp fat-free, sugar-free Jell-O Chocolate Fudge Pudding Mix
2 - 4 drops peppermint extract
ice, cubes or crushed, as desired
Pour water in blender. Add chocolate shake, pudding mix, spices, peppermint extract and blend. Add ice and continue to blend until desired consistency.
Or, make it HOT...in the blender (be sure to vent) or on the stovetop. Serve with a dolllop of nonfat Cool Whip.
Full Life's HMR Recipes and Tips Pages feature great suggestions to keep your healthy lifestyle going strong through this challenging time of year. Check out our Holiday Survival Guide for a tip a day calendar, healthy holiday shopping ideas, and more HMR recipes!
Bon Apetit!
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Wed, Nov 11, 2009 @ 11:58 AM
One of Full Life's most successful clients (who is keeping off over 100 pounds since he lost it in 2002) came to speak to our BLITZ class this week. He said that staying connected to Full Life the past 7 years has been a deciding factor in his long term weight maintenance success.
Achieving Balance Tip #2 - STAY CONNECTED. Go to class no matter what kind of week you have had. Make the call to your Personal Coach or Health Educator. Enroll in the HMR at Home Program and stay in Maintenance. And if you have been out of the loop - RESTART!
Keep the people who support your healthy lifestyle in your life.
If you want to be different, you have to be different. You can do it!
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Tue, Nov 03, 2009 @ 09:46 PM
Successful weight maintenance is a matter of balance. Calories in- Calories out. But if you have lost weight in the past only to put it all back on and then some - our new BLOG feature can help.
Achieving Balance is a weekly post with a Weight Maintenance Tip designed to help you keep your weight off!
Write down these weekly tips and try them. Embrace a new approach to maintenance including more of the strategies you used to lose weight in the first place.
Achieving Balance - TIP #1
Do some type of Physical Activity every day. Make it happen. If you can't fit in a full work out or a 45 minute walk - do 10. Just 10 minutes. Every 10 minutes is a 10 minute walk away from the slippery slope.
If you want to be different you have to be different. You can do it.