So how do people lose weight and keep it off?
The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) is the largest prospective investigation of long-term successful weight loss maintenance. They track over 10,000 people who have lost significant amounts of weight and have kept it off for long periods of time.
There were varied ways and methods they lost weight; however there are some similarities. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie and low fat diet and doing high levels of activity. In other words, there was a behavioral and lifestyle change. Among those NWCR members who lost weight and kept it off:
- 98 percent modified their food intake in some way to lose weight
- 94 percent increased their physical activity, with the most frequently-reported activity being walking
- 78 percent ate breakfast every day
- 75 percent weight themselves at least once a week
- 62 percent watch less than 10 hours of television a week
- 90 percent exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day
Source: National Weight Control Registry
