Losing weight and keeping it off is notoriously hard. Only 10-20% of those who try succeed. What is it that sets these winners (er, losers) apart?
A group of Dutch researchers recently analyzed 67 studies to see if they could identify the key characteristics, or determinants, of long term weight loss.
First, check out what doesn’t matter:
- Age
- Gender
- Socioeconomic status
- Weight history
- How often you eat out
- Your stress level
- Willpower
That’s right. When it comes to your chances of achieving long-term weight loss, it doesn’t matter how old you are or what kind of neighborhood you live in. Women, you have just as good a shot at it as men. Your weight history does not predict your chances of success. Stress is not a determining factor, nor is how much willpower you have.
What a relief! Because most of those are things you can’t do much about.
So, what does predict success? Your habits and your mindset. Specifically:
Habits that fuel success
- Regularly monitoring your weight (because you can’t manage what you don’t measure)
- Eating more fruits and vegetables (yum)
- Exercising portion control (NOT restrictive dieting)
- Choosing an active lifestyle (NOT exercising your brains out!)
Mindsets that fuel success
- Confidence in your ability to make positive changes
- Clarity on your goals and strategies
- Feeling of self-worth (because you can’t hate yourself healthy)
Unlike your age or your health history, your habits and mindset are things that you have complete control over! And these are precisely the habits and mindsets that we create and reinforce in the Weighless Program.