Researchers recently compared the behaviors and home environments of 167 weight loss maintainers (people who had lost at least 10% of their maximum body weight and kept it off for 5 or more years) to two groups of treatment-seeking obese individuals (one Caucasian and another African American) in an effort to understand what distinguishes the two groups. What did they find? Weight loss maintainers:

  • expended many more calories through physical activity each week than the obese individuals.
  • had more dietary restraint (efforts to limit food intake) than obese individuals.
  • had more home exercise equipment than obese individuals.
  • had less TVs in their home than obese individuals.
  • had less high-fat foods and more low-fat foods (fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy) in their home than obese individuals.

It makes sense. Calorie balance is easier when set yourself up for success. Keep a step counter, a pair of tennis shoes, and some exercise bands/tubing at your bedside instead of a TV. You'll be more likely to do something physically active when you wake up in the morning. Keep fresh fruit and vegetables on your kitchen counter and in the front of your refrigerator instead of chips and cookies. You'll be more likely to snack on them when you get home from work or are making dinner. The more opportunities you have for healthy behaviors the more likely you'll make the healthier choice.

To learn more weight loss strategies from successful weight loss maintainers check out the National Weight Control Registry at: http://www.nwcr.ws/default.htm.

1 Phelan, S. (2009). What Distinguishes weight-loss maintainers from treatment-seeking obese? Analysis of environmental, behavioral, and psychosocial variables in diverse populations. Ann Behav Med, doi: 10.1007/s12160-009-9-9135-2.