4 Easily-achieved weight-loss secrets from people who have lost over 30 pounds
- 1 Minute Read
Brenda Braslow, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES)
What are four weight-loss secrets of people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least one year? Can you add these strategies to your plan to improve your odds of losing weight and keeping it off?
3 out of 4 of these weight-loss secrets don't even involve food!
In a survey of over 10,000 members of the National Weight Control Registry, over half did these simple things to help maintain their 30-plus pound (about 14 kg) weight loss for at least a year.
- Nearly 80% report eating breakfast every day.
- 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
- 62% watch less than 10 hours of television per week.
- 90% exercise about one hour per day, on average.
Note: The National Weight Control Registry is the largest prospective, ongoing study of long-term weight-loss maintenance.
Consider adding these realistic weight-loss secrets to your long-term weight-loss plan
Make breakfast a priority
When you eat breakfast, you are "breaking the fast" and kickstarting your metabolism. Include a variety of nutrient-rich foods, and don't forget the protein and healthy fats to keep you satisfied until your next meal! Need inspiration? Check out these Mediterranean breakfast ideas and recipes.
Weigh yourself regularly
Despite the pros and cons of daily weight checks, many studies have shown that regular weighing can be that extra motivation and accountability factor for weight loss and maintenance. But, of course, if regular weigh-ins throw off your weight-loss game plan, it is not for you.
Limit screen time and add more exercise
Limiting television (and all screen) time and increasing exercise go hand in hand. Don't just exercise to lose weight but find a form of movement that brings you joy. Simply put, an activity that makes you happy will likely be sustainable for more than a year.
How to tune into motivation through weight-loss success stories
List why you want to lose weight, gain inspiration from others' personal stories, and be the next success story
Examples of "the why" for achieving a healthy weight
- Feel more comfortable in your jeans
- Lower your cholesterol or blood pressure
- Have more energy when playing with your children or grandchildren
- Increase work performance
- Improve fitness level
- Breathe easily when climbing a flight of stairs or going up a hill
Imagine your own success story
Nothing inspires success as much as hearing about another person's success and learning how their simple weight-loss secrets worked. Ordinary and extraordinary stories can help motivate you when the going gets tough. Remind yourself why you want to lose weight in the first place. Strategize how you can keep it off, perhaps including the above weight-loss secrets in your lifestyle plan. Maybe you will be the next success story!
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Original contributions by Martha Henze, MPH, MS, RDN
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Weight Loss->Motivation
Sep 16, 2022
