Is Behavioural Intervention the Key to Weight Loss?
No doubt the hallmark study of the European Congress on Obesity was that involving eating vs. inactivity as a cause of obesity.
However, when perusing the other studies from this conference, a recurring theme on the importance of behaviour modification strategies for weight maintenance was evident. Here are the details of the findings:
Scottish researchers (lead by Susan Murray, MA, University of Aberdeen) looked at which weight loss interventions were most effective at maintaining an initial weight loss of more than 10% body weight. The weight-loss trials included only the most rigorously controlled studies which looked at the following interventions:
- Lifestyle
- Behavioural
- Pharmacological
- Surgical
Combined diet/Behavioural change: 89.5% of initial weight loss.
Diet only: 60.4%.
Pharmacological: 81.5% (drug interventions were always accompanied by dietary/behavioural guidance).
Which Behaviour Techniques Work Best?
The 3 most common (and successful) intervention included:
- Food Logs
- Education on making healthy choices
- Identifying barriers to success
Parting Words
This just goes to show that a weight loss (fat loss) journey requires a change in lifestyle, and a change in lifestyle requires a change in behaviour. It all seems to relate back to developing a healthy mindset.
If you find you've been struggling with weight or just need to know where to start, try the following:
- Start a food log today
- Write down any potential barriers to success
- Write down how you are going to tackle those obstacles
- Make simple dietary substitutions to include more dark-coloured produce, good sources of protein and other nutrient-rich foods.
- Make exercise a daily part of your life and include strength training.
Source: Eureka Alerts
11 Comments
Add Your Comment
ADVERTISING
New
- FROM DIET BLOG
- On-Off Fasting: Does It Work?
- 400 Calorie Fix
- 5 Factor World Diet
- Quick Giveaway: Powerhouse Weight Loss Game
- FORUM
- Low Carb Atkins Diet- Tips to Cut the Carbs.
- How Can I Gain a Healthy Weight and Keep it?
- How Do I Eat Healthy at University?
- Starving Myself and Exercising, But Not Losing an Ounce?
Categories
| Body Image Celebrities Diet Pills Diets Exercise |
Fast Food Funny Stuff Success Stories Teens and Kids Tips and Tools |
RSS Feed
Follow @DietBlog on Twitter
I really think everyone, regardless of current heath, buy a scale and keep a food/calorie log for a least 8 weeks of their life. It really forces you to look at portions in a new light.
I wish some of these studies mentioned if successful diets weight themselves everyday.
ReplyHere is a website gives statistical findings on what people who have successfully kept weight off did: http://www.nwcr.ws/ They report weighing themselves once a week on average, I believe.
ReplyThe "key" to weight loss is eating fewer calories than you expend.
I also wish Diet Blog would stop using the phrase "weight loss".
Concentration camp prisoners achieve weight loss. The goal is FAT LOSS.
Say it again: FAT LOSS.
Anyone can lose weight. It takes a bit of intelligence and work to lose fat and keep muscle.
ReplyI had a question about South Beach Diet for anybody that can help me. I just started phase I and im feeling horrible. This is my 2nd day. I'm nausiated, i'm feeling weak and just not feeling good at all! Is that normal on this diet??? Thank you for whoever can help me with this question.
ReplyI wish "keep a food log" was not such a universal piece of advice. For those of us who've battled disordered eating, they are really not a good idea.
Gina, I think sometimes if you ate a lot of carbohydrates before starting, you can initially feel like that on SB. Also, are you eating the recipes in the book? I think some people try to make SB into Atkins. If you make & eat the recipes in the book, your diet will be more balanced.
ReplyThanks Susan for replying back.
ReplyI feel like I had way to much water today and not enough food. At this moment I feel like going to the bathroom again.. I'm looking at other website and everbody is saying how hard phase I really is. I hope this "feeling sick" part goes away because I dont think I can handle this for 2 weeks. I will try your advice and keep a log book. I have not been following the exact recipes but i've been eating Very healthy and no carbs or maybe just a few.I've been good for this 2 days BuT WOW is it hard...
People are still doing atkins? I thought that was old news. A no carbohydrate diet is not the way to permenant weight loss.
ReplyI've never had an eating disorder, but I dislike keeping a food log and seem to be unable to keep to it for more than 3 days at a time. I've never kept a diary, either...
ReplyI used to keep a food log, but I started to get obsessive about it, so I stopped writing every little thing down. Instead, I just kind of mentally keep track of what I eat in a day so I have a general idea of how many calories I've eaten. I definitely don't just eat randomly anymore like I used to. Back in the day when I was fat, I used to plow through an economy-sized box of Goldfish in two days just by snacking on them while dong my homework. Now, I just eat similar foods every day, but if I do happen to indulge, I cut back somewhere else to compensate.
ReplyFor me, these three behavior techniques are huge!! Every time I was successful in managing my weight I always used a food log. Reading about health/fitness/nutrition etc. has always given me the motivation to continue, and journaling about my experiences is crucial too.
Reply