Fit Tips for Sustainable Weight Loss
The journey towards weight loss and especially maintained weight loss can be a long and difficult one. Our team knows about the various challenges and successes that accompany a weight loss journey. However it is certainly a journey worth taking if you are looking to improve your health and longevity.
There have been many studies on the qualities and behaviours of individuals who have successfully lost weight and kept it off. We want to highlight some of these qualities and provide some tips on how to make weight loss sustainable over the long-term. In this blog we will focus on the results of a systematic review study from 2021 by Spreckley et al. which compiled data from 15 different studies on long-term weight loss.
1. Find Ways to Track and Regulate Your Behaviours
This study found that those who kept weight off over the long term incorporated practices like calorie tracking and portion control into their routine. This was often done by using calorie counting apps like My Fitness Pal, weighing food using a scale or recording foods eaten in a journal. Having consistent eating times was helpful and those who planned their meals during holidays or events also found more success.
2. Use Your Support Network
Many successful participants relied on their social network to encourage and support them with their weight loss goals. Using weight loss support groups or online groups helped to keep individuals on track and they were offered encouragement during any difficult times.
3. Find Motivation That Works For You
Motivation for continued weight loss can come in many different forms. For the participants in this review, many were motivated by the goal of improving their health and preventing future disease. As they began losing weight, people often became motivated by an improved body image and increased self confidence. Finding an external goal such as running in a 10 km race, joining a sports team, or starting a new job can also be powerful motivators for continued weight loss.
4. Set Goals and Adjust Them Regularly
Successful participants set clear goals to increase their daily or weekly activity, as well as goals to reduce their food consumption. It was important that the goals were specific, realistic and personal to each participant. Regarding food consumption, the goal could be related to total calories, specific daily macros or reducing consumption of certain types of food. Adjusting goals in reaction to new events or environments was also important to success.
5. Create a New Identity
Overall, those who lost weight and kept it off found that they needed to create a new identity for themself in order to be successful. This came with creating new habits and routines that aligned with the identity of a healthy person. Participants spoke of a type of rebirth and a second chance at their life that they received as a result of their continued weight loss.
Creating a new identity can certainly be difficult as it can involve cutting ties with people or activities in your life that don’t fit with your goals. However it is an important step since your environment and social circle plays a big role in affecting your behaviour and eating habits.
In Conclusion
The top tips that come out of this review paper relate to the importance of monitoring yourself, creating individualised goals, finding your motivation and creating a fresh identity. Although these steps can be challenging, if applied together, the likelihood of keeping weight off over the long-term will be much higher.
Don’t worry, Fit Kitchen is here to help! Our meal plans and pre-portioned meals can be a big help for regulating and monitoring your eating (tip #1). All our meal plans come with a sheet that outlines the macros and calories for each day and the nutrition info is also printed on the meal labels. We have meal plans with different calorie ranges depending on your goals. And did you know that all of our meals have already been entered into the My Fitness Pal database? This makes it even easier for you to track and monitor your progress.
Thank you for reading and we hope these tips help you to succeed on your journey towards weight loss and improved health!
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