The National Weight Control Registry is an ongoing study to identify common factors that allow some people to lose weight and keep it off. The study does not look at a single approach to successful weight loss rather it has followed over 5000 patients who have lost an average of 66 pounds and kept it off for an average of 5 years. It is the largest study of it’s kind and has shed light on some interesting findings.
As stated before, one of the important findings of this study was that no one approach to successful weight loss worked for everyone. Some of the patients in the study used medical weight loss programs whereas others used commercial programs such as Weight Watchers® or Jennie Craig®. Still others simply employed the age-old approach of cutting back on the volume of food they were eating and increased the amount of activity the were participating in. If you’ve read my prior blogs, you know that this reinforces my position on the weight loss mills who employ a one size fits all approach to weight loss which, just as this study reveals, is not the “best,” or “most effective,” form of weight loss as many of these clinics claim. Each individual must find what works for them in order for weight loss to be sustainable.
To break it down further, 55% of the participants lost weight on their own whereas 45% used some type of structured weight loss program. 98% of the participants reported altering their food intake and 94% reported that they increased their activity level. Walking was the most common activity reported.
The other interesting aspect of this study was that they focused on what the participants did in common to maintain their weight loss. The findings are as follows:
1. The number one thing the participants did in common to maintain successful weight loss was that they participated in daily exercise. More specifically, 90% of the participants reported exercising for an average of 60 minutes daily. No sugar coating this one folks, 30 minutes of exercise 3 days a week is not nearly enough activity to maintain weight loss. To successfully lose weight and keep it off, expect to participate in some type of activity on most days for at least 45 minutes. I would also add that the farther along in weight loss you go, the more important resistance training becomes in order to ensure that you are maintaining as much muscle mass as possible.
2. The most common diet related finding was that 78% of participants ate breakfast every day. If you’ve read my prior blogs on weight loss you know how important this one is. Your metabolism slows down over night and the best way to get it jump started is to start your day with a good breakfast that contains at least 25 grams of protein and at least 6 grams of fiber.
3. 75% of participants weighed themselves at least once per week. This is another point I have blogged about in the past. The bottom line: if 2 people are on the same diet and exercise program and one of them weighs themselves regularly and the other doesn’t, research show that the person who weighs themselves loses more weight. Think of it as self accountability. Yes body composition change over time is more important than the number of pounds the scale reads, but knowing what is going on on the scale is an important barometer of progress. Ideally you have access to a body composition scale like the one we use in our office which gives a break down of body fat and muscle mass as well as weight, so we know if our patients are losing too much muscle in the weight loss process.
4. Finally, 62 percent of the participants reported watching less than 10 hours of television weekly. When I read this the first time I thought to myself, 10 hours is a lot of time in front of the idiot box but then I realized I have logged that much time in a long weekend of college football! The main point here obviously is that the participants were doing something other than being sedentary in front of the TV which many times is accompanied by mindless eating of unhealthy foods. They tended to find something else to occupy their time like cleaning out closets or going for a leisurely walk in their neighborhood – not all activity has to be arduous exercise to burn calories.
The study is being conducted by Dr. Rena Wing, Ph.D., from Brown Medical School and Dr. James O. Hill, Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. The study is ongoing and you can be a part of it if you meet eligibility requirements. You can find more information about this study at http://www.nwcr.ws/.
If you are trying to lose weight, try this simple dietary approach and see how you do. For one week try to get 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight divided into at least 3 meals and at least 25 grams of fiber, again divided into at least 3 meals. Track your progress through an online site such as www.Fitday.com, a free diet diary website. There are also many apps these days that allow you to track this info using your smart phone. Obviously you need to watch overall calories for this approach to be effective but meeting these two criteria goes a long way to maintaining normal insulin levels, a very important aspect of any weight loss program. Let us know how you do.
Until next time, Stay Healthy and Live Well…. Dr. Mike
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