Maintaining weight loss over several years requires individuals to build healthy lifestyles that do not leave them feeling persistently hungry, deprived and lethargic, according to clinician Dr Richard Joseph.
Writing in the Harvard Health Publishing blog, he says sustaining long-term behavioural change in this way requires self-regulation and motivation to overcome social cues and genetic wiring. Research in the United States suggests around one in five people who are overweight successfully lose pounds and keep them off in the long term.
Dr Joseph has compiled a list of five "tried and true tactics" based on success stories of 4,000 people who lost at least 10 per cent body weight for at least one year. Here are his findings, combined with advice from the NHS.
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1. Increase fruit and vegetable consumption
The NHS recommends we eat at least five fruit and vegetables every day. They are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals and low in calories and fat.
2. Limit calorie-dense food and sugar-sweetened drinks
A good first step for cutting down on calories is to avoid stocking fatty foods and sugary drinks in your cupboards. Banning certain items outright, however, is a bad idea because you may end up craving them more, according to the NHS. Everything in moderation.
3. Follow a consistent eating pattern
Help burn calories at a faster rate by sticking to regular eating times during the day. Having a meal plan reduces the temptation to snack on sugary and fatty products.
Ensure you do not skip breakfast. If you do, you could miss out on key nutrients and be left feeling so hungry you have urges to snack.
4. Control portion sizes
Forming a consistent eating pattern means controlling your portion sizes. It takes around 20 minutes for the brain to be told by the stomach that it is full, so pace your meal and stop eating before you feel full.
A good way to slow your pace is by using smaller plates and bowls. These can help you get used to consuming less without going hungry, according to the NHS.
5. Be active
Try to be physically active for at least one hour per day, Dr Joseph recommends. Exercise improves cardiovascular and muscular health and can help burn off excess calories that cannot be lost through dieting alone.
