Top Two Secrets for Permanent Weight Loss

As the seasons change, and bathing suit season is staring us right in the face (or other, more sensitive body image spots), many of us are focusing on what we can do to make some positive and permanent dietary and lifestyle changes. Yesterday, I mentioned several successful strategies used by folks who have kept off over 60 pounds for many years. In my practice, the two most important strategies include eating breakfast each morning and exercising daily. Let me expand on these two points for a moment.

First of all, breakfast. Yes, your mom probably taught you that you must "put fuel in the tank" and that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Guess what? She was RIGHT! When you get up in the morning and charge into your day without true nutrition (coffee does NOT count as breakfast), your body assumes there must be a food shortage and goes into conservation mode. To maximize your metabolism, you simply need to eat. Does it need to be a hot, four course meal? Nope! How about a cup of yogurt, or a banana with some peanut butter, or cereal with berries? In a hurry? Grab a granola bar (and a banana or other piece of fruit, in a perfect world.) It never ceases to amaze me that I have at LEAST one patient per month come in with impressive weight loss since their last office visit, and they tell me that the ONLY change they made was to start eating breakfast!

Okay, how about that daily exercise? Really, EVERY DAY? Yes, again. I prefer to think about it like brushing your teeth. Do you wake up each day and struggle with the decision of whether or not to brush your teeth? Do you really enjoy brushing your teeth? I'm guessing the answer to both of those questions is "no". Exercise should be the same deal. Again, it doesn't have to be fancy, just consistent. Pull on your sneakers & head out the door for a brisk walk, or flip on your tv and join in on an exercise program. If you start each day with a quick 30 minutes of some type of aerobic activity, I'd bet you'll find not only a much higher rate of consistency, but extra energy and a better attitude.

BOTTOM LINE: Commit to EATING BREAKFAST and DAILY EXERCISE to keep those extra pounds off for good!

How Do You KEEP the WEIGHT Off?

Many people lose the SAME 10, 20, or even 50 pounds over and over again. How frustrating is that? What can you do to PERMANENTLY lose weight, so you're not fighting that same battle? The first answer is obvious- stop DIETING. When you go on a super restrictive DIET, certainly you will lose weight, but if you never really look at your eating patterns and exercise habits, you are doomed to repeat the cycle.

I always encourage my patients to make changes they can live with for the REST of their lives. Typically this does not involve permanently eliminating ANY particular item from their diet- whether it's chocolate, butter, or even soda. Should you limit these high calorie items? Sure! But really, if you focus on MORE fruits and vegetables and water, then truly, you'll begin to notice you ARE eating less of these higher ticket items.

There is a wonderful website dedicated to people who have not only lost more than 30 pounds, but KEPT THOSE POUNDS OFF for at least a year- the National Weight Control Registry. In fact, the average weight loss is 66 pounds, and they have kept it off an average of 5.5 years! Both men and women are enrolled, with the average ages being 49 and 45, respectively. About half lost the weight on their own, while the other half joined programs. What do they have in COMMON?

1. 94% INCREASED their activity level, most commonly by WALKING
2. 78% EAT BREAKFAST daily.
3. 75% WEIGH themselves once per week
4. 62% Watch less than 10 hours of TV per week
5. 90% EXERCISE DAILY

BOTTOM LINE: If you want to stop battling the same pounds, take a look at the success stories of people who have KEPT their weight OFF, and see what simple changes you might be able to make to keep YOUR weight off.