Long-term Change: Practices to Help Maintain Weight Loss

When looking at the research in long-term weight loss and the trends of those who have successfully maintained weight loss, a number of common habits are linked with a greater chance of long-term weight loss as well as greater initial weight loss levels.

Exercise

A number of studies comparing the use of exercise, diet, or a combination of the two in effective long-term weight loss, and the amount of weight lost, showed that the use of exercise, either with or without a diet improved weight loss maintenance more than diet alone.

When considering the type of exercise done, cardiovascular exercise, particularly long distance steady-state exercise, seems to be the most beneficial for weight loss, due to the high amount of work that can be done and, therefore, calories that can be burned.

Another important note is that resistance training is not as effective as cardiovascular training for weight loss. This is because resistance training helps to build and maintain muscle mass, which adds to strength, physique and health. This is also one of the reasons why aerobic exercise is so effective for weight loss as it will cause a loss in muscle as well as fat. Therefore, this is good reason to make sure that resistance training is included in any weight loss program to ensure that weight loss is primarily due to fat reduction and not a loss in muscle.

Recreational Activity

Whether this is walking or cycling to work, or moving around more at home or at the office, physical activity outside of formal exercise will also need to be increased, particularly after the initial weight is lost, to ensure the loss is maintained over months or years.

This is especially important if a person is undertaking intense exercise, as their is a tendency for people to compensate for the calories burned during exercise by reducing their non-exercise activity level. Increasing physical activity can be done through setting a daily steps goal, traveling to work by foot, or investing in a treadmill desk. Non-exercise activity has proven to be one of the biggest contributors to energy expenditure, so this step may be the most important for long-term weight loss.

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Selecting Dieting Methods

This is a more recent area of interest for scientists looking at long-term weight loss, but there is some emerging data showing that men may benefit from reducing fat in the diet and women may benefit from a reduction in carbohydrates for long-term weight and fat loss.

The consideration of which dieting methods to use also extends to the type of foods used, with calorie-sparse foods like watery fruits and vegetables having a higher effect on reducing hunger than other foods, and diets high in fiber also showing promise in hunger reduction.

READ Diet Meals And Their Nutritional Value

For long-term results, adherence to the diet is a key element, so reducing hunger and maximizing fat loss through selecting which nutrients to reduce is worth careful consideration.

Conclusion

Overall, long-term weight loss can be sustained so long as adherence to a training program and particular diet is maintained. However, special attention should be given to non-exercise activity levels, as this may be the main cause of weight loss beginning to stagnate or reverse over time.

If all three of these areas are monitored and changed as needed it will make for an easier and more effective permanent weight loss campaign that should help sustain the many associated health benefits that weight loss brings.