Losing weight and maintaining that loss can be a challenging journey. With countless fad diets and programs promising quick results, it's essential to focus on sustainable lifestyle changes for long-term success. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to track weight loss effectively, incorporating strategies for physical activity, behavior modification, environmental adjustments, and overall wellness.
Understanding the Fundamentals of Weight Management
The principle of weight gain is simple: energy intake exceeds energy expenditure. Overweight and obesity are the result of a complex set of interactions among genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. The most important component of an effective weight-management program must be the prevention of unwanted weight gain from excess body fat. Because the military population is selected from a pool of individuals who meet specific criteria for body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat, the primary goal should be to foster an environment that promotes maintenance of a healthy body weight and body composition throughout an individual's military career. There is significant evidence that losing excess body fat is difficult for most individuals and the risk of regaining lost weight is high. From the first day of initial entry training, an understanding of the fundamental causes of excess weight gain must be communicated to each individual, along with a strategy for maintaining a healthy body weight as a way of life.
The Role of Physical Activity
Increased physical activity is an essential component of a comprehensive weight-reduction strategy for overweight adults who are otherwise healthy. One of the best predictors of success in the long-term management of overweight and obesity is the ability to develop and sustain an exercise program.
For a given individual, the intensity, duration, frequency, and type of physical activity will depend on existing medical conditions, degree of previous activity, physical limitations, and individual preferences. Referral for additional professional evaluation may be appropriate, especially for individuals with more than one of the above extenuating factors. The benefits of physical activity are significant and occur even in the absence of weight loss. It has been shown that one of the benefits, an increase in high-density lipoproteins, can be achieved with a threshold level of aerobic exercise of 10 to 11 hours per month.
For previously sedentary individuals, a slow progression in physical activity has been recommended so that 30 minutes of exercise daily is achieved after several weeks of gradual build-up. The activity goal has been expressed as an increase in energy expenditure of 1,000 kcal/wk, although this quantity may be insufficient to prevent weight regain. For that purpose, a weekly goal of 2,000 to 3,000 kcal of added activity may be necessary. Thus, mental preparation for the amount of activity necessary to maintain weight loss must begin while losing weight.
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Breaking up a 30-minute daily exercise “prescription” into 10-minute bouts has been shown to increase compliance over that of longer bouts. However, over an 18-month period, individuals who performed short bouts of physical activity did not experience improvements in long-term weight loss, cardiorespiratory fitness, or physical activity participation in comparison with those who performed longer bouts of exercise. Some evidence suggests that home exercise equipment (e.g., a treadmill) increases the likelihood of regular exercise and is associated with greater long-term weight loss. In addition, individual preferences are paramount considerations in choices of activity.
When strength training or resistance exercise is combined with aerobic activity, long-term results may be better than those with aerobics alone. Because strength training tends to build muscle, loss of lean body mass may be minimized and the relative loss of body fat may be increased. An added benefit is the attenuation of the decrease in resting metabolic rate associated with weight loss, possibly as a consequence of preserving or enhancing lean body mass.
As valuable as exercise is, the existing research literature on overweight individuals indicates that exercise programs alone do not produce significant weight loss in the populations studied. The failure of exercise alone to produce significant weight loss may be because the neurochemical mechanisms that regulate eating behavior cause individuals to compensate for the calories expended in exercise by increasing food (calorie) intake. While exercise programs can result in an average weight loss of 2 to 3 kg in the short-term, outcome improves significantly when physical activity is combined with dietary intervention. For example, when physical activity was combined with a reduced-calorie diet and lifestyle change, a weight loss of 7.2 kg was achieved after 6 months to 3 years of follow-up. Physical activity plus diet produces better results than either diet or physical activity alone. In addition, weight regain is significantly less likely when physical activity is combined with any other weight-reduction regimen. Continued follow-up after weight loss is associated with improved outcome if the activity plan is monitored and modified as part of this follow-up.
Behavior and Lifestyle Modification
The use of behavior and lifestyle modification in weight management is based on a body of evidence that people become or remain overweight as the result of modifiable habits or behaviors, and that by changing those behaviors, weight can be lost and the loss can be maintained. The primary goals of behavioral strategies for weight control are to increase physical activity and to reduce caloric intake by altering eating habits. A subcategory of behavior modification, environmental management, is discussed in the next section. Behavioral treatment, which was introduced in the 1960s, may be provided to a single individual or to groups of clients. Typically, individuals participate in 12 to 20 weekly sessions that last from 1 to 2 hours each, with a goal of weight loss in the range of 1 to 2 lb/wk. In the past, behavioral approaches were applied as stand-alone treatments to simply modify eating habits and reduce caloric intake. However, more recently, these treatments have been used in combination with low-calorie diets, medical nutrition therapy, nutrition education, exercise programs, monitoring, pharmacological agents, and social support to promote weight loss, and as a component of maintenance programs.
Self-Monitoring and Feedback
Self-monitoring of dietary intake and physical activity, which enables the individual to develop a sense of accountability, is one of the cornerstones of behavioral treatment. Patients are asked to keep a daily food diary in which they record what and how much they have eaten, when and where the food was consumed, and the context in which the food was consumed (e.g., what else they were doing at the time, what they were feeling, and who else was there). Additionally, patients may be asked to keep a record of their daily physical activities. Self-monitoring of food intake is often associated with a relatively immediate reduction in food intake and consequent weight loss. This reduction in food intake is believed to result from increased awareness of food intake and/or concern about what the dietitian or nutrition therapist will think about the patient's eating behavior. The information obtained from the food diaries also is used to identify personal and environmental factors that contribute to overeating and to select and implement appropriate weight-loss strategies for the individual. The same may be true of physical activity monitoring, although little research has been conducted in this area. Self-monitoring also provides a way for therapists and patients to evaluate which techniques are working and how changes in eating behavior or activity are contributing to weight loss. Recent work has suggested that regular self-monitoring of body weight is a useful adjunct to behavior modification programs.
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Other Behavioral Techniques
Some additional techniques included in behavioral treatment programs include eating only regularly scheduled meals; doing nothing else while eating; consuming meals only in one place (usually the dining room) and leaving the table after eating; shopping only from a list; and shopping on a full stomach.
Reinforcement techniques are also an integral part of the behavioral treatment of overweight and obesity. For example, subjects may select a positively reinforcing event, such as participating in a particularly enjoyable activity or purchasing a special item when a goal is met.
Another important component of behavioral treatment programs may be cognitive restructuring of erroneous or dysfunctional beliefs about weight regulation. Techniques developed by cognitive behavior therapists can be used to help the individual identify specific triggers for overeating, deal with negative attitudes towards obesity in society, and realize that a minor dietary infraction does not mean failure. Nutrition education and social support, discussed later in this chapter, are also components of behavioral programs.
Behavioral treatments of obesity are frequently successful in the short-term. However, the long-term effectiveness of these treatments is more controversial, with data suggesting that many individuals return to their initial body weight within 3 to 5 years after treatment has ended. Techniques for improving the long-term benefits of behavioral treatments include: (1) developing criteria to match patients to treatments, (2) increasing initial weight loss, (3) increasing the length of treatment, (4) emphasizing the role of exercise, and (5) combining behavioral programs with other treatments such as pharmacotherapy, surgery, or stringent diets.
Recent studies of individuals who have achieved success at long-term weight loss may offer other insights into ways to improve behavioral treatment strategies. In their analysis of data from the National Weight Control Registry, Klem and coworkers (1997) found that weight loss achieved through exercise, sensible dieting, reduced fat consumption, and individual behavior changes could be maintained for long periods of time. However, this population was self-selected so it does not represent the experience of the average person in a civilian population. Because they have achieved and maintained a significant amount of weight loss (at least 30 lb for 2 or more years), there is reason to believe that the population enrolled in the Registry may be especially disciplined. As such, the experience of people in the Registry may provide insight into the military population, although evidence to assert this with authority is lacking. In any case, the majority of participants in the Registry report they have made significant permanent changes in their behavior, including portion control, low-fat food selection, 60 or more minutes of daily exercise, self-monitoring, and well-honed problem-solving skills.
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Restructuring Eating Environments
A significant part of weight loss and management may involve restructuring the environment that promotes overeating and underactivity. The environment includes the home, the workplace, and the community (e.g., places of worship, eating places, stores, movie theaters). Environmental factors include the availability of foods such as fruits, vegetables, nonfat dairy products, and other foods of low energy density and high nutritional value. Environmental restructuring emphasizes frequenting dining facilities that produce appealing foods of lower energy density and providing ample time for eating a wholesome meal rather than grabbing a candy bar or bag of chips and a soda from a vending machine. Busy lifestyles and hectic work schedules create eating habits that may contribute to a less than desirable eating environment, but simple changes can help.
Effective Strategies for Tracking Weight Loss
1. Setting Realistic Goals and Timelines
It's important to set a realistic weight goal and timeline to achieve it. Ask yourself what weight has felt comfortable for you before. Then ask yourself if you can achieve that target without feeling overly deprived. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week over the long term. Losing 5% of your current weight may be a good goal to start with. If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kilograms), that's 9 pounds (4 kilograms). Even this amount of weight loss can lower your risk of some long-term health conditions.
It can help to set two types of goals. The first type is called an action goal. You can list a healthy action that you'll use to lose weight. For instance, "Walk every day for 30 minutes" is an action goal. The second type is called an outcome goal. You can list a healthy outcome that you aim to have. "Lose 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms)" is an example of an outcome goal. An outcome goal is what you want to achieve. But it doesn't tell you how to get there. An action goal does.
Consider why you want to lose weight, whether it's because heart disease runs in your family or you want to be more physically active. Writing down your reasons will help you stay focused on your goal. If you are not at a healthy weight, even modest weight loss can help improve your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. For example, a 5% weight reduction for a person who weighs 200 pounds is 10 pounds.
2. Tracking Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Sleep
Tracking where you are now helps to identify how you want to improve your health. You can start by tracking your nutrition, physical activity, and sleep.
- Nutrition: Include everything you consume for a few days in a food and beverage diary.
- Physical Activity: Record the type, duration, and intensity of your workouts.
- Sleep: Include the hours of sleep you get.
Other wellness factors you can track include how you are feeling when you eat and drink and are active, and lifestyle challenges. To track lifestyle challenges, you can ask yourself questions like the ones included in the table below.
3. Monitoring Calorie Intake
To lose weight, you need to lower the total calories you take in from food and drinks. One way that you can take in fewer calories is to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These are known as plant-based foods. They're low in calories and high in fiber. Fiber helps you feel full. Eat at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits a day. Have whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, and whole-wheat bread and pasta. Use healthy fats, such as olive oil, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, nut butters and nut oils. Limit foods and drinks that have added sugar. These include desserts, jellies and sodas. Focus on eating fresh foods. They have more nutrition than processed foods. Processed foods often come in a box or a can. It's a good idea to be mindful while you eat. Focus on each bite of food. This helps you enjoy the taste. It also makes you more aware of when you feel full. Try to not to watch TV or stare at your phone during meals.
Start by determining how many calories you should consume each day. To do so, you need to know how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. First, multiply your current weight by 15 - that's roughly the number of calories per pound of body weight needed to maintain your current weight if you are moderately active. Moderately active means getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day in the form of exercise (walking at a brisk pace, climbing stairs, or active gardening).
Let's say you're a woman who is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 155 pounds, and you need to lose about 15 pounds to put you in a healthy weight range. If you multiply 155 by 15, you will get 2,325, which is the number of calories per day that you need in order to maintain your current weight (weight-maintenance calories).
For example, to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week - a rate that experts consider safe - your food consumption should provide 500 to 1,000 calories less than your total weight-maintenance calories. If you need 2,325 calories a day to maintain your current weight, reduce your daily calories to between 1,325 and 1,825.
If you are sedentary, you will also need to build more activity into your day. In order to lose at least a pound a week, try to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days, and reduce your daily calorie intake by at least 500 calories. However, calorie intake should not fall below 1,200 a day in women or 1,500 a day in men, except under the supervision of a health professional.
How can you meet your daily calorie target? One approach is to add up the number of calories per serving of all the foods that you eat, and then plan your menus accordingly. The nutrition labels on all packaged foods and beverages provide calories per serving information. Make a point of reading the labels of the foods and drinks you use, noting the number of calories and the serving sizes.
If you hate counting calories, a different approach is to restrict how much and how often you eat, and to eat meals that are low in calories. Dietary guidelines issued by the American Heart Association stress common sense in choosing your foods rather than focusing strictly on numbers, such as total calories or calories from fat. Whichever method you choose, research shows that a regular eating schedule - with meals and snacks planned for certain times each day - makes for the most successful approach. The same applies after you have lost weight and want to keep it off.
Some people focus on reducing the fat in their eating plan because, at 9 calories per gram, fat by weight contains more than twice as many calories as carbohydrates or proteins (4 calories per gram). However, many people mistakenly think that cutting fat always means cutting calories. Some fat-free foods actually contain more calories than the regular versions because manufacturers use extra sugar to make up for the flavor lost in removing the fat.
4. Regular Physical Activity
Set a goal of at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week. Aerobic exercises increase your breathing and heart rate, such as a brisk walk, bike ride or swimming. Add in strength exercises two or more days per week. Strength training can increase your metabolism which helps you burn more calories. You can lose weight without exercise, but it's harder to do. Exercise has many other benefits. It can lift your mood, lower blood pressure and help you sleep better. Exercise helps you keep off the weight that you lose too. How many calories you burn depends on how often, how long and how hard you exercise. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking. Work up to at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week. Also aim to do strength training exercises at least twice a week. Any extra movement helps you burn calories. So think about ways to move more during the day.
5. Meal Planning and Preparation
Meal planning and food preparation help ensure you have healthy meals and snacks available. You can set yourself up for more activity by wearing comfortable clothes and shoes. This may help you move more throughout the day. Find a meal pattern that includes healthy foots that you enjoy eating. Both the Mediterranean diet and DASH meal plan include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and some dairy products. Managing portions of all foods allows you to include foods you enjoy in moderation.
6. Seeking Support
Identify family members or friends who will support your weight loss efforts. Coworkers or neighbors with similar goals might share healthy recipes and plan group physical activities. It may help to join a weight-loss program or visit a health care professional, such as a nutrition or weight-loss specialist. You can also ask your health care provider for resources to support a healthy weight. Weight management programs offer support for your weight management journey. Be wary of programs that promise quick fixes. Long-term weight management is a journey that takes time.
7. Community Resources
Establishing healthy habits are very difficult when healthy choices are limited. Consider looking up your local community resources, such as food pantries, farmers markets, parks and recreation, and trails. Resources for food assistance in everyday situations, as well as before, during, and after emergencies and disasters.
8. Regular Evaluation and Rewards
Evaluate your progress regularly by revisiting your goals. Decide which parts of your plan are working well and which parts need to be changed. Reward yourself for your achievements! Recognize when you're meeting your goals and be proud of your progress. Use non-food rewards, such as a bouquet of fresh flowers, a sports outing with friends, or a relaxing bath.
9. Long-Term Commitment
It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for just a few weeks or months. To keep off extra weight, you should make these healthy changes a way of life. Think about negative habits or other challenges that have kept you from losing weight in the past. You'll likely have some setbacks on your weight-loss journey. But don't give up after a setback. Simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once. Stick to your healthy lifestyle.
Beyond the Scale: Holistic Tracking
“Ultimately, it comes down to what you want to achieve. If somebody wants to lose weight to look better, then using a scale may not be the best way to track that,” Mo said. One way to track progress is to measure your percentage of body fat, but doing so requires some specialized knowledge and equipment and may not be available for everyone. “You can make your goal to get stronger and track how much weight you’re lifting,” Mo said.
- Hydration: Drink plenty of water.
- Bowel movements: It is no secret that regular exercise and eating foods high in fiber can lead to healthy bowel movements.
- Mood/physical vigor: How you feel on a daily basis can determine your exercise and eating habits. Foods can affect our mood and, conversely, your mood sometimes can influence the foods you eat.
- Rest: Getting a sufficient amount of sleep each night can help regulate your appetite and calorie intake.
But when it comes to weight management, it is important to examine ourselves from the inside out. “Evaluate from within,” Mo says. “Ask yourself questions like, ‘How am I feeling? Do I feel energized? Am I ready to tackle the day?