What are the most prevalent strategies and habits utilized by individuals who have lost weight, and kept it off? A recent systematic review reveals factors common to groups of people who have achieved successful weight loss maintenance.*
Behaviors and Habits
- Continued Intake Monitoring. Individuals who successfully maintained their weight loss were more likely to continually monitor, notably with food diaries or tracking apps. Mindfulness of portion sizes and use of food scales were noted as ways to mitigate overindulgence.
- Meal Planning. Planning and preparing meals in advance was noted as an important habit to stay on track and remain in control during challenging situations. Preparing for events by checking out menu options and foods before, and selecting what to eat in advance was also a frequently mentioned strategy.
- Dining in. Home cooking was frequently employed as a strategy to lean about ingredients and how the contribute to total intake as well as understanding appropriate portions.
- Stable Eating Routines. Individuals who maintained their weight loss generally kept same pattern of everyday eating in terms of limiting their food choices and eating at certain times of day.
- Weight loss maintainers more often used progress photos, clothes fit, and/or weight measurements to provide a sense of staying on track and for accountability.
- External Support. Successful individuals were more likely to utilize family, friends, and professionals as part of a system of ongoing support and accountability. This support system also provided a beneficial sense of belonging.
- Continued Goal Pursuit. Maintainers kept (and refreshed) a well-defined set of nutrition, fitness, and other health goals which drove their routines. Examples include keeping a weekly schedule for the gym or playing a sport or establishing calorie/macronutrient/food category goals.
Challenges and Feelings
Successful weight loss maintainers more strongly identified with their new lifestyle and had an improved self-image, but reported a mix of encouraging and discouraging feelings. They expressed feelings of freedom and self-identified as people who live healthy lives and pursue new and challenging life opportunities. On the other hand, many expressed a high degree of fear of weight regain and some degree of loneliness (criticism by others of their new healthy life choices).
Finally, successful weight loss maintainers highlighted that one (if not the most) difficult aspect is managing through intrinsic and extrinsic challenges. This includes unsupportive peers, feeling of social isolation, divorce, pregnancy, illness, injury, house moves, and social events.
Life events present ample opportunity to revert to old habits. Remember your “why” and focus on the benefits in how you feel and your capability. Center around the people who are positive forces in your life and support your continued success.
Weight Loss Management Framework
Spreckley, M., Seidell, J.; Halberstadt, J., Perspectives into the experience of successful, substantial long-term weight loss maintenance: a systematic review, Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being, 16(1), 2021.
*Because this review was the analysis of 15 different studies, the definition of “successful weight loss maintenance” was variable. Most studies were within the boundary weight loss between 5-10% of bodyweight maintained for 1-7 years.
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