No More Yo-Yo Dieting: 15 Secrets to Keeping Off the Pounds for Good

Woman's transformation losing weightBy Amy Hendel

Having trouble dropping extra weight? You might be following the wrong strategies. Nutritionist and health coach Amy Hendel shares 15 secrets to lasting weight loss.

1. Establish Short- and Long-Term Goals
Your weight loss efforts will fizzle out if you don't first set meaningful long- and short-term goals. The short-term goal -- eat a healthy breakfast every morning for a week, for example -- will motivate your initial desire for change while the long-term goal -- lose 20 pounds -- will keep you on track once you pass smaller milestones. Make as many goals as you need to take you through the first six months of your healthier regimen. If, for instance, you want to exercise more, set a short-term goal of running one mile in 11 minutes and a long-term goal of finishing a 5K in three months. If weight loss is your focus, promise yourself a new pair of smaller pants in a month as your short-term goal and a new bathing suit for next summer as your long-term project. Each time you accomplish one goal, like losing 5 pounds or eating breakfast daily, there's a sense of satisfaction that makes reaching your next goal more exciting

2. Customize and Personalize
Resist the urge to follow the latest celebrity diet or something that worked for a friend. Find or create a program that works specifically for you. It should reflect your likes and dislikes, your time constraints and your travel schedule. If your plan is truly customized it should be easy to follow and stick with. And, remember, changing habits takes time so there may be a period of transition and fine-tuning before you arrive at health plan that works for you.

3. Focus on Feeling Good
Admit it; most of us want to lose weight because we think it makes us look better. And it's easy to stay motivated while our clothes are feeling looser. But what happens when you hit a plateau? By focusing on how you feel and how your health is improving you can stay committed to healthier habits. Celebrate longer-term payoffs like lower cholesterol. The combination of a short-term visible reward and a long-term health benefit can help you battle cravings and other temptations.

4. Give Yourself Pep Talks
You can't lose weight and commit to a healthier you if you don't think you are worth the effort. Don't be shy about giving yourself regular pep talks. Write short declarations like "I'm worth it," "I am entitled to better health," "My daily exercise comes first" on sticky notes and post them in strategic locations (or keep them in your purse). Set up your online calendar or email system to send you reminders of why you deserve to be healthy and lose weight. Carving out time to shop for whole foods, prepare quality meals and exercise shows that you value yourself and your well being.

5. Make Changes -- for Good
Losing weight and keeping it off requires a lifetime commitment. Dieting, by contrast, requires you to follow a regimented program until get to a certain weight. When you reach that number, it's common to abandon the program, especially if you couldn't eat certain foods or were constantly hungry. Instead of going on a diet, assess your current habits and patterns and see how you can change them in a sustainable way. Simple things like cutting back on portions, not eating in front of the TV, eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more water and taking a walk after dinner are changes you can sustain indefinitely. You may lose weight slower, but you will keep it off for good.

6. Get Extra Support
What's the trick to losing weight? Participants in The National Weight Control Registry -- a study of people who have lost 30 pounds and kept it off for at least a year -- say it's following a healthy eating program, exercising most days of the week and having a strong support system. Beef up your efforts by enlisting the help of doctors, nutritionists, exercise buddies, mentors and therapists, especially if you eat for emotional reasons. Reach out to friends and family and online acquaintances to keep you accountable and motivated.

7. Measure Progress off the Scale
Don't be a slave to your bathroom scale. It only tells part of the story -- and not always the truth. For instance, if you've started lifting weights you're building muscle, which weighs more than fat, so while you may look thinner (and your clothes may be looser) the number on the scale may actually be higher than you anticipate. Pay attention, instead, to how your clothes fit. Or measure the midpoint of one bicep, your waist, your hips and your bra size and track how they change over time.

Click here to read the other 8 secrets!

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