By Julie Dostal, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator
According to experts, 95 percent of those who lose weight will regain all of the lost weight in three years. Yet we all know someone who was formerly overweight and has maintained his weight loss. What is different about them? Ann Fletcher, registered dietitian nutritionist, defined successful weight loss as people who had lost at least 20 pounds and kept the weight off for three years. She labeled them “weight loss masters.” Ann was still curious. What are their food secrets? What were they doing to keep the weight off? Ann interviewed more than 200 dieters who had lost an average of 64 pounds.
“Weight loss masters” eat the way we should eat — limiting fat and eating lots of fruits and vegetables. How do they do it? One “weight loss master” answered, “You have to want to be thin more than you want to eat the wrong foods.” Another responded, “For me, it is the joy of being thin. It matters more than eating dessert every day at lunch as opposed to eating fruit.” How do you change your thinking? What would motivate you? Fletcher suggests you ask yourself the following questions:
Begin by asking yourself what kind of person you would be if you licked your weight problem. What is your weight keeping you from doing? How do you perceive yourself when you are heavy? How does that conflict with what you would like to be and do? How would you feel if you lost weight?
The answers to these questions are the long-term benefits you want from weight loss. As you begin your weight loss journey, these benefits are what will keep you focused on your goals and motivated to achieve them.
What is different about the goals that dieters establish versus the goals chosen by the “weight loss masters?” Most dieters choose weight loss goals two to three times greater than what they can achieve or maintain. Obesity researcher, Gary Foster, says weight loss expectations are often driven by magical thinking. Foster followed a group of 60 women — with an average age of 40 and an average weight of 218 pounds — enrolled in a weight loss group. He asked participants what their “dream” weight loss would be. They answered that they wanted to lose 38 percent of their body weight — or, 83 pounds. Then, Foster asked the group if they were unable to lose their dream amount of weight, what weight loss would they be happy with. Their “happy” weight loss goal was 31 percent of their body weight — approximately, 68 pounds. Then Foster asked, if you can’t attain either your “dream” weight or your “happy” weight, what is a weight that you would find “acceptable.” Participants determined that an “acceptable” weight loss was 25 percent of their body weight — approximately, 55 pounds. Then Foster asked, if you couldn’t lose to your acceptable weight, what lower weight would that be? The participants said they would be disappointed if they only lost 17 percent of their body weight — or, 38 pounds. How much weight did they lose in the study? Over a period of six months, these women lost an average of 36 pounds, plus or minus 16 pounds. However, in spite of successful weight losses, the dieters were disappointed. Almost half the dieters — 47 percent — did not achieve their “disappointed” weight. What’s the harm in aiming high? Not being able to achieve weight loss goals sets dieters up for rebound weight gain and ongoing body dissatisfaction. What goal weights did the “weight loss masters” pursue? They want to be thin but not too thin. Fletcher calls this “a comfortable body weight — one that you can maintain without undue suffering and one that causes no serious medical problems.
Before successful weight loss can occur, it requires individual preparation to identify the desired benefits and necessary motivation, and establish weight goals that can be achieved and maintained.
For more information, call Julie at 309-830-077 or email her at julie@juliedostalrd.com She facilitates the LIFESTEPS Program for losing weight. There is a free seminar to explain the program on June 10, 2015 at 5 p.m., 2401 East Washington, Lower Level, Bloomington. Call or email Julie to register.
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