Big Weight Loss Requires Big Changes
The "small changes" philosophy, touted by health experts and First Lady Michelle Obama alike, took a big hit this week in Tara Parker-Pope's Well Blog post, In Obesity Epidemic, What's One Cookie?.
Pope writes an essential truth the some health experts dodge, fearing it will scare people off: If you want to lose a significant amount of weight, you've got to give your lifestyle an extreme makeover.
From the her post:
While it's certainly a hopeful message, it's also misleading. Numerous scientific studies show that small caloric changes have almost no long-term effect on weight. When we skip a cookie or exercise a little more, the body's biological and behavioral adaptations kick in, significantly reducing the caloric benefits of our effort.
Before your throw your hands up and dive into a row of cookies, read on.
Small changes are important. They're often a first step people take that lead to bigger changes, and at least one study found those small steps can help kids maintain their weight, or even lose a few pounds.
During the six-month study, both groups of children showed small but statistically significant drops in body mass index; the group that also cut 100 calories had more children who maintained or reduced body mass and fewer children who gained excess weight.
Small changes, when they're cumulative, add up. You quit soda and start drinking water, cut out sugar and processed foods, add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Eventually, you just might find yourself leading a healthy lifestyle. But this is the important point to make when we talk about small steps for weight loss: those steps need to lead somewhere.
From Well Blog:
"As clinicians, we celebrate small changes because they often lead to big changes," said Dr. David Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life program at Children's Hospital Boston and a co-author of the JAMA commentary. "An obese adolescent who cuts back TV viewing from six to five hours each day may then go on to decrease viewing much more. However, it would be entirely unrealistic to think that these changes alone would produce substantial weight loss."
Have you lost a significant amount of weight? What role did small lifestyle changes play in your success?
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Created / Updated: March 9, 2010
I have lost over 100 pounds in less than a year after my pregnancy. It took me about 4 months to begin losing weight. Few weeks after I had my baby I decided that it is time to get myself back in shape (I weighted about 245 pounds at that time). But after letting myself go nuts with food and celebrate every day of my pregnancy with chocolates and huge meals it was extremely difficult to return to normal eating habits and have actual breaks between meals. It was almost painful not to eat for a few hours.
So instead of cutting my portions in half I started to eat healthier foods like raw vegetables but lots of them. The size of my lunch salads could feed a crowd, but I was thinking to myself that at least I am trying and at least it is not burgers that I am stuffing myself with.
I was weighting myself every day to see if I am losing some pounds, but there was no move there. So I decided that I need to start exercising (which was extremely difficult (after about a year long break, my muscles were so weak). I did about 15 minutes of cardio a day, 3 times a week (and thought of myself as a hero). Few months went by but I could manage to lose only about 6 pounds, which wasn't anywhere near my goal of 139 pounds.
So then after putting so much effort and not seeing any results I said to myself that I have to quit trying and just do it.
I started working out 6-7 times a week for 1-2 hours. I cut my portions in half and used the smallest plates for my meals. I cut all sugars out of my menu, and cut back on salt, cheeses, sauces and salty things.
I also walked for 1 hour a day aside from my main working out.
I stopped eating after 3 pm. (I had 5-6 meals before that time)
So after a year I have lost 100 pounds and now I weight 145.
I still need to lose 6 pounds, but I take it easy now and try to establish healthy eating habits to maintain my weight.
If I did not have those 4 months of struggling, of trial and error I would not have reached my goal.
ReplyI run several weight loss clinics in Church's in the minority community "Cookie Congregation" The minority community has expierneced great success on our program because the weight loss is fast and large and safe. They have achieved this success because of the speed and the significant amount of weight loss.
ReplySo often in all walks life we here from the so called "Experts" you are doing it wrong it should be done this way etc.Well I see the results and with proper supervision and having the individual notify his or her physican that they are on a weight loss program it is perfectly safe and providing individuals who are obese or morbidly obese an opportunity of hope. Maybe the experts hould get out of their offices and wsork with the people.
It most certainly is a lifestyle change. No, that's not what people want to hear, but it's the truth. I've lost 100lbs and have kept it off, my secret? Counting calories, and eating healthy food. I do eat some of the junk I used to eat occasionally, but now I watch myself and have control. People are afraid that they have to give up cookies and whatnot for the rest of their lives, and it's not true! If you eat good 95% of the time and do whatever with the other 5%, then you're leading a healthy lifestyle. It's just people have trouble eating good 95% of the time.
ReplyJenifer .... you are an inspiration to a lot of people! Good for you not only for losing the weight, but for doing it sensibly in a way you can live with for the rest of your life. Kudos!
ReplyDon't take away my cookie! Grrrrr, I'll slay any man/woman who comes to take away my last remaining joy of ooey-gooey Krispy Kremes. I have at least 3 in the morning!
ReplyThe thing is lifestyle changes don't have to happen all at once. It can be done in small increments that add up to major change.
ReplyExactly. Large, sudden, radical changes almost never stick long-term. It's too hard. But if I can change one small habit at a time-- and make SURE it sticks-- then move on to the next one, always constantly tweaking and improving-- then over time it amounts to radical change that sticks.
Sometimes human psychology makes the obvious solution impractical. If you can learn to eat an apple instead of a cookie, and get used to it, you'll feel good about having won one little battle. That gives you enough will power to try the next little thing, and so on. Plus, the cravings will, over a long period, adjust to your gradually changing new diet.
ReplyI'd agree that small changes are better than trying to do a big overhaul in one go. Keep chipping away, one habit at a time and you'll make more permanent progress.
ReplyI lost 90 lbs around 9 years ago and have kept it off since then. I will say that I did indeed give my lifestyle a major overhaul to do it. I basically decided to join WW and follow the program. I went from a diet of cheeseburgers and pizza to eating cereal and milk, fruit, salads, raw veggies, etc. and I started walking. I lost about 30 lbs very quickly and I decided to start running while continuing to eat well and I lost another 60 lbs. I think the "small changes" philosophy may help people that only want to lose a small amount of weight or as a kick start for those that have a lot of weight to lose and don't know exactly where to begin.
ReplyBesides I've read about HAES, fat acceptance is IN baby!
ReplyI've read a lot about the whole fat acceptance movement, it's leaders like Kate Harding (a very nasty woman), and now HAES (health at every size). I think it's more their answer to the obesity problem: just give up, love me as I am. I don't care what these folks think, you can't be fat and healthy, not to the extreme so many people are overweight. And I'm sorry, but fat is not attractive. I spent many Saturday nights alone when I was obese and I certainly couldn't blame anyone for not wanting me. I seriously doubt this movement will ever gain wide acceptance.
ReplyYou're mistaken. It's not "giving up". It's about focusing on a healthy lifestyle. The focus solely on weight loss can lead to unhealthy habits like consistently under-eating, eating unhealthy food, binge eating(as a result of over restricting), diet restrictions in place of physical exercise. It is the philosophy of the health at every size movement is that the focus on healthy lifestyles results in healthier weight. The health at every size movement is not an excuse for eating tons of junk foods and sitting on your ass all day as people like Meme Roth would have everyone believe.
Why can't everyone agree that focusing on a truly healthy lifestyles is what everyone needs, thin fat and in between? Negative attitudes about obesity does nothing but perpetuate the problem by causing those that are struggling to want to hide because of shame.
ReplyI actually liked what Angie had to say. Personally, I have lost about 85-90 pounds recently, but I did not do it by going on a restrictive, very low calorie diet. I really agree that low calorie diets just lead to binging. I did it mostly by exercise, but also eating moderately and sensibly. I really believe that not everyone can be a thin as I have become, but I would recommend moderate eating, along with a lot of exercise, so that if someone doesn't actually lose a lot of weight, at least their health would be greatly improved.
ReplyI know personally that changing a unhealthy diet to a healthy diet is key to losing weight. Adding fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet combined with some form of cardio does wonders. I even hate saying the word diet it's more like a life style change for the better. I agree with with Duane Fat is not attractive I swear I get more attention now than when I was 95 pounds over weight. And Spectra is right it's the small things that helped me get started as well. Just like a baby......from crawling to walking....lol
ReplyFor me big sweeping changes worked better. Batch-cooking healthy meals from scratch on the weekends, counting my calories online, cardio, strength training, full nights' sleep...they all work together to make me my best. I see success and that motivates me to keep going!
ReplyI think the real point is, ONE small change in behavior will not lead to major body/health changes. But it CAN make it easier to adopt other small changes, and then to make each of those small changes a little bigger. And THAT can lead to bigger body/health changes.
Some people are more comfortable with a lot of big changes at once. My sister just did this - started drinking a lot more water, exercising, and eating extremely healthily all at once. It's working great for her. I'm better with smaller changes, and the small changes that I've made over the past several years have added up to what is now a healthy diet and decent amount of exercise - but always room for improvement!
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