This study shows that you do have to maintain your focus on your body and your behaviors even once youre off the diet, says Martica Heaner, Ph.D., adjunct associate professor of nutrition at Hunter College in New York City, who was not involved in the study. Keeping yourself accountable and developing healthy new behaviors are the keys to lasting success.
Voils says, Our study did not allow us to say which component was the most effective. And there may not be a magic bullet.
However, she says, whether youve lost 10 pounds or 100, you can put some of the strategies tested in this study to work yourself in lieu of a formal support program:
Weigh yourself often, and use sticky notes or calendar alerts to remind you to step on the scale.
Set a warning weight. If the scale creeps up by more than a few poundsthey used 3 pounds in the studyexamine how your habits may have changed. Address those changes, or go back to the strategies you used to lose weight in the first place.
Know your triggers. Identify in advance any situations, such as parties or eating out, in which youre prone to overeat and make a plan ahead of time to reduce your risk.
Ask for help. In the study, having a support person was important, but since support looks different to different people, let those around you know what you need to help you maintain weight loss.
The rest is here:
4 Ways to Maintain Weight Loss - ConsumerReports.org
