Losing weight and maintaining that loss can be a challenging journey. Many weight loss programs and strategies exist, each with its own approach. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of different approaches to weight loss, drawing upon scientific research, popular programs, and key considerations for success.
The Approach App: A Digital Health Coach
The Approach App offers a digital approach to weight loss, positioning itself as a health coach in your pocket. Designed for iPhone, it emphasizes motivation and community support, rather than strict calorie counting.
Features and Functionality
The Approach App offers several features:
- Challenges: The app encourages users to stay motivated with challenges that can be shared with friends and family.
- Meal Options: It provides access to hundreds of meal options, aiming to simplify meal planning.
- Progress Sharing: Users can celebrate their wins by sharing their progress with friends and family.
Cost and Availability
The Approach App is available for free download on the iPhone, with in-app purchases for full access, ranging from monthly memberships to lifetime options.
The Approach Clinician App
The Approach Clinician App facilitates communication and monitoring between clients and healthcare professionals, enabling clients to track food intake, water consumption, and exercise. It emphasizes making better choices rather than focusing on calories or macros. The app provides timely notifications and rewards for progress.
Read also: Intuitive Eating: A guide
Scientific Determinants of Weight Loss Maintenance
Research has identified numerous determinants influencing weight loss maintenance. A systematic review of studies published between 2006 and 2016, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, analyzed 8,222 articles to identify key factors in maintaining weight loss.
Methodology
The researchers searched PubMed and PsycINFO for prospective studies investigating adults with overweight and obesity undergoing weight loss without surgery or medication. They included longitudinal studies, both experimental and observational, with a minimum follow-up of one year after weight loss. Weight loss maintenance was defined as at least 5% of initial body weight and remaining below 5% for a minimum duration of a year.
Key Findings
The review identified 124 determinants of weight loss maintenance, categorized as demographic, behavioral, psychological/cognitive, and social and physical environmental determinants.
- Demographic Determinants: Demographic determinants were not predictive of weight loss maintenance.
- Behavioral Determinants: These include factors such as dietary intake, eating behavior, and physical activity.
- Psychological/Cognitive Determinants: These encompass aspects like motivation, self-efficacy, and emotional stability.
- Social and Physical Environmental Determinants: These involve social support, access to healthy food options, and opportunities for physical activity.
Consistent Evidence
The review highlighted the importance of synthesizing all determinants influencing an individual, as obesity is a multifactorial process involving behavior, psychology, and the environment.
The Role of Lifestyle and Habits in Weight Loss
The Mayo Clinic Diet emphasizes that the best way to keep weight off for good is to change your lifestyle and adopt new habits that you enjoy and can stick with.
Read also: Benefits of a Holistic Approach to Weight Loss
Program Phases
The Mayo Clinic Diet consists of two phases:
- Lose It! This two-week phase is designed to jump-start your weight loss, focusing on lifestyle habits associated with weight. You learn how to add five healthy habits, break five unhealthy habits, and adopt another five bonus healthy habits.
- Live It! This phase is a lifelong approach to health. You learn more about food choices, portion sizes, menu planning, physical activity, exercise, and sticking to healthy habits. You may continue to see a steady weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week until you reach your goal weight.
Key Principles
The Mayo Clinic Diet makes healthy eating easy by teaching you how to estimate portion sizes and plan meals. The program doesn't require you to be precise about counting calories. It recommends getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day and even more exercise for further health benefits and weight loss.
Medical Weight Loss Programs
Medical weight loss programs are designed and supported by a team of experts who deliver a comprehensive, multidisciplinary weight management approach. These programs often include development of an intensive plan with a focus on nutrition, exercise, behaviors, and medication.
Personalized Approach
A personalized approach to weight loss begins with a complete evaluation, where health, diet history, body composition, blood panel, and EKG are reviewed to better understand the total health profile. From there, a personalized weight loss plan is tailored that will work for your body.
Treatment Options
Treatment options may include low-calorie diets or meal replacement plans and weight loss medication management.
Read also: "Just Right" Weight Loss
Top Weight Loss Programs and Diets
Several weight loss programs and diets have been studied for their effectiveness in promoting weight loss.
Choosing a Program
When picking a diet, look for a program that’s realistic, sustainable, and backed by research. Be sure to incorporate other healthy habits, such as regular physical activity and mindful eating, into your daily routine to maximize weight loss and improve your overall health.
Key Considerations
- Nutritional Quality: Weight loss programs are nutritionally balanced and designed to meet nutritional needs.
- Sustainability: Weight loss programs are not overly restrictive, are easy to stick with, and are designed to support long-term weight loss.
- Effectiveness for Weight Loss: Weight loss programs have all been studied for their ability to promote weight loss.
Top Diets
- Mediterranean Diet: The Mediterranean diet is inspired by the eating patterns of the Middle East and Mediterranean and prioritizes nutritious whole foods.
- Plant-Based Diet: Plant-based diets are less restrictive than vegan diets and are rich in fiber to keep you feeling full.
- Low-Carb Diet: Low-carb diets are often recommended to improve insulin sensitivity and help manage polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms.
- DASH Diet: The DASH diet was specifically designed to support heart health and has been shown to decrease blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease.
- MIND Diet: The MIND diet may help support brain health and preserve brain function as you age, making it a great option for older adults.
- Vegetarian Diet: Vegetarian diets emphasize nutrient-dense plant foods and can be easily adapted to fit your personal tastes and preferences.
The Importance of Long-Term Support
The best way to keep weight off long term is to make sustainable changes to your diet and lifestyle. This may include exercising regularly, eating fewer processed foods, or enjoying more healthy homemade meals instead of dining out. You can consider working with a registered dietitian to get long-term support with maintaining your weight.
Addressing Underlying Factors
Many factors can make it harder to lose weight, including several medical conditions. If you are already tracking your food intake, aiming to eat a balanced, nutritious diet, and increasing your activity levels, you may want to dig a little deeper with support from a healthcare professional. They can help you determine whether factors other than your diet and exercise may be preventing weight loss, and develop a plan to help you reach and maintain a suitable weight for your body.