THREE things you need to do to lose weight and keep it off  

When you’re looking for a quick fix to lose weight, you can pretty much guarantee a few things, it’s cookie cutter and not sustainable. Long-term weight loss requires three things to be successful, according to Olson and colleagues from the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in Providence Rhode Island (Rhode Island Medical Journal, 2017). 

1. Calorie Restriction (no matter what macronutrient composition, most diets only address this one) 

2. Physical Activity (approximately 150 minutes per week) 

3. Behavioural Strategies (goal setting, preplanning, and problem solving)  

Eliminating any of these three steps will increase your likelihood of regaining weight. Unsurprisingly, weight regain occurs in part due to the metabolic adaptation that takes place with weight loss (we become more efficient) and to the obesogenic environment we live in (environments that promote inactivity and overconsumption; inefficient environment). This is where the behavioural strategies are needed. 

Your behaviour and environments are as unique as your physiology. For example, some of you may have a job that doesn’t allow you to snack and leaves you hungry, some may live alone and struggle cooking for one, others may have a job that requires frequent meals out, and some may like sauerkraut and while other’s do not (palate is personal). Because of this, cookie cutter diets will fail you and leave you stranded only to gain weight again.  

This is where individualization is needed. Coming up with personal strategies to overcome these obstacles will not only teach you how to overcome them (and they will come), but they will also lead you to long term success. In fact, allowing for individualization of a program to address specific areas of concern (emotional eating, restaurant eating, socializing, etc.) is ultimately a cornerstone in sustainable weight loss. 

We can’t emphasize this enough. Too many people try plans that are not suited to their psychosocial needs, only their biological needs. They come into our office frustrated and feel hopeless in their ability to live in this obesogenic environment and sustain their weight loss. But, there is hope and we encourage you to break the mold! Forge your own path of success. Ignore the quick fix and the can and can’t messages. Your success depends on how you can actually live it out, not just stay on it for 20 days. Your voice must be louder than the diet’s message. What do you need? What are your obstacles? What lifestyle is best for you not only biologically but environmentally, mentally, and emotionally? If you don’t know the answer to those questions, let us help design it with you. Freedom is just around the corner.

To book your free needs assessment to start answering these questions just click below to book. We look forward to seeing you! 

Kayloni Olson; Dale Bond; and Rena Wing. Behavioural Approaches to the Treatment of Obesity. Rhode Island Medical Journal, March 2107, 21-24.