Following weight loss, people on average regain a third of their weight lost within a year and the rest within 3-5 years (Avenell et al. 2004, Dansinger et al. 2007). If you do not want to be one of these statistics and want to lose weight for the long term, then read on. If you are thinking “I’m only just starting on my weight loss journey, is this relevant for me?” the answer is yes – the quicker you start creating these habits and mindset, the easier and more successful your weight loss journey will be! Here are 15 strategies that are essential for losing weight in the long term.
1. Dig deep
The capacity to be prepared and put aside time to dig deep. If you want to create something sustainable, it’s likely you will need to look inside first and throughout your journey. Does this mean you need to be spending loads of time doing this? No! But you need to be brave enough to consider that you may have to do this. And if you’re not prepared to do this then it’s likely that you’re not truly ready to make the change or done truly know why you want to make that change.
2. Change your identity
If you’ve struggled to lose weight before and/or you’ve been at a higher weight for a period of time, it’s likely that you’ve become attached to this psychologically. So, it’s time to change your identity and create a new one that allows you to be at a healthy weight and loving it. Note, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to change the whole of you – it will obviously depend on who you are and the extent to which your behaviours and weight are attached to who you see yourself as.
Positively changing your identity is game-changing for sustainable change and feeling incredible.
3. Continually reflect & learn
Meeting any health or performance goal is a journey and you will likely encounter multiple successes and failures along your way. Successes are not necessarily more valuable than failures and in fact both provide the opportunity to learn and gain insight. You can use this insight to increase your likelihood of achieving your goals sustainably and becoming better equipped to deal with everyday challenges. This is how you gain the confidence in your capacity to lose weight and keep it off.
You can also read about the art of failing well by Albert, one of our behaviour-change specialists.
4. Self-regulation
Self-monitoring your weight and what you eat is key for staying accountable. Try to keep it objective and certainly regular. The data speaks for itself and is there to inform your journey to go forward.
5. Follow a realistic plan
Work back from your goals and create a personalised and realistic plan that will allow you to meet your goals. Be really specific. You can use this plan to refer to and adapt as you progress towards your goals. Your plan will very likely need to be adapted as you change during weight loss.
6. Connect with your “why”
Why do you want to lose weight? What is really motivating and driving you to make this change? Why is it important to you? Write it down, draw it, talk about it and most of all feel it and refer to it on a regular basis so that you take the daily actions you need to create change.
7. Create structure
Structure from your eating times to the types of food you eat, to your exercise times. Structure is key for establishing those healthy habits. Those healthy habits will facilitate you not only losing weight but keeping the weight off in the long term. That’s why if you want to lose weight in the long term, it is worth putting in the effort to make the change from the beginning – to establish those habits. From structure, you can establish routines and confidence.
Notice also that I say structure – structure means that you have the flexibility too. This is key for long term success. Flexibility allows you to incorporate different foods at different times and allows you to be healthy. Food is there to be enjoyed and being healthy is about working out the right balance for you. Structure in periods of planned flexibility with your diet. This will help you with change in the long run.
8. Be present
When you are truly present, quite often, many of the “problems” disappear. This will be helpful for appreciating the food that you eat and registering when you eat so diminish levels of hunger. Stress is a major cause of feeling less present. Some people will need to prioritise stress management to help with healthy habit consistency. A stressed brain becomes irrational and impulsive, two traits that you won’t find commonly associated to successful long term weight loss.
9. Collect feedback
Your weight loss journey will provide you with plenty of learning opportunities and making the most of these can aid your long-term success. Feedback can inform your next step on your journey.
10. Be compassionate
This is not an excuse to not have high standards for yourself. Treat yourself as you’d treat a friend/someone you love. Observe self-talk and see if it comes from a positive and compassionate place. Speak to yourself the way you would speak to a loved one. Importantly, love yourself enough to be compassionate and understanding with your actions.
11. Gain support
Support is an invaluable tool for any health transformation, especially changing your diet, lifestyle or weight.
Support can come in many forms. Friends and family are important and for some professional support may be beneficial as well.
We offer significant support to our clients, helping to increase accountability, review and set goals, assess changes, review challenges and help you overcome those blocking factors that have prevented weight loss or weight loss maintenance in the past.
For more details in relation to our weight loss offerings, go to our weight loss services page
12. Change your beliefs about food/weight
Spend some time reflecting about what you believe about food and weight. Do you think certain foods are “good” or “bad” and why do you really enjoy certain foods? This is a biggie – but again, if you spend some time exploring this one, you can save a lot of time for yourself in the long term.
13. Create a routine
Once you’ve created a routine these behaviours that make you successful at losing and/or maintaining weight loss are more automatic. This means that adherence isn’t an issue and you there is a sense of ease. Creating a personalised plan that is right for you is key in the first place – it’s all about habits that suit you and work for you in the long term!
Work with a weight loss specialist
Our clinicians specialise in weight loss. All qualified nutrition professionals, backgrounds in the exercise industries and a vast amount of experience coaching clients towards their goals.
Check out of weight loss specialist page, where you can learn more about our services, clinicians and the support and programs that we offer.
If you would like to enquire to work with one of our practitioners, please click the button below:
