No Pain, No Maintain

An article was published today in The New York Times Magazine entitled "The Fat Trap." It discusses the trials and tribulations that people face while trying to maintain weight loss. Long story short, many people attempt to lose weight but few manage to keep the pounds off. There are a few studies that have researched why it seems only a few people are able to maintain weight loss.

The National Weight Control Registry currently tracks over 10,000 people who have maintained a 30-pound weight loss or greater for at least a year. Surprisingly, there was no one way people initially took the weight off. The ways people lost weight ranged from joining weight-loss support groups to popular diets to weight-loss surgery. One of the most widely recognized ways people lose weight is through the help of support groups such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig.

Even if people in the weight control registry did not lose the weight the same way, they did have similar behaviors that assisted in maintaining their new weight. Ninety-eight percent of registry members have modified their food intake in some way. For physical activity, 94% have increased their activity with 90% exercising about one hour a day. Other common behaviors of those that have maintained weight loss included keeping a food diary and weighing themselves frequently.

The USDA recommends for losing weight and maintaining weight loss people should get 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, although some cases may need up to 300 minutes a week. Three hundred minutes is equal to five hours. It is recommended that this time is spread out throughout the week rather than all in one shot. The registry found that the average member does a four-mile walk 7 days a week. This means that if the person averages a 15-minute mile, they are getting 420 minutes of moderate exercise per week. This is well above what the USDA suggests for weight loss and maintenance.

Researchers have found that a person who has lost weight needs fewer calories to maintain their lower weight than a person naturally the same weight. It is still unclear as to why this occurs. One study found that the muscle fibers of people who lost weight burn 20- 25% fewer calories during everyday activity and moderate exercise than people naturally that weight. This means the number of calories the treadmill tells that person they burned is substantially higher than what they actually burned.

It is unknown how long people who lose weight need to restrict energy intake and/ or increase their activity level for. Early research from Columbia University suggests it could last six years, but potentially may be for the rest of that person's life. Obesity is a newer epidemic and it will take time to gather information for long-term weight maintenance. It may also be hard to find people who are able to maintain their new weight for a substantial amount of time, such as their life span. The average registry member has maintained a 66 pound weight loss for 5.5 years.

The picture of weight maintenance after weight loss may be looking a little bleak to you (to put it mildly). Do not despair just yet; I have a few tools for you that can help.

Log It If you put it in your mouth or do it, write it down. This will help you recognize how much you are actually eating and moving. You can use your logs to help you see where you're doing well and where your downfalls are. After comparing notes these logs can help you to create a plan to get you over your hurdles. Logs can be kept with a pen and paper, on a website, or on a smart phone app.

Know Your Numbers Learn to appreciate your scale and not loathe it. Numbers may fluctuate weekly, if not daily. Even the time of day you weigh yourself may make a difference. Pick a time of day, once a day, to weigh yourself. Using your weight along with your food and activity logs will help give a basis as to how you are doing. Do not weigh yourself pre- and post-workout and consider weight loss there as fat loss. Weight loss during a workout is from sweating, so grab your water bottle and rehydrate!

Partner Up Get your family, get your friends, get everybody on board! Studies show time and time again that support groups help in weight loss and weight maintenance. If you have the help of others you are less likely to backtrack. If you have the people you spend the most time with on board they can help keep you accountable. Keep an eye out for those who may try to sabotage you. For example, the person who says "Just try one cookie, it won't hurt." or "After a day like today, you deserve Happy Hour." Cheating on your new lifestyle only cheats yourself.

Weight gain doesn't happen overnight, nor does taking it off and maintaining it. As with most things in life, losing weight and learning to maintain it will take time. But the health, and the more apparent physical, benefits are well worth the work. Remember to keep focused and modify your plan as necessary to achieve your weight loss goals.