Preventing Weight Regain (4 Habits of Weight Loss Maintainers)

What habits separate people who maintain their weight loss versus those who don't? The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition once did a study to find out. It turns out that just 4 habits separate Weight Loss Maintainers versus Weight Regainers. Check out these habits to ensure that you are on the right track to prevent weight loss regain. Be sure to stay tuned to Habit #4 because it is the top habit you must do to stay successful! 1. Most Weight Loss Maintainers use positive Social Support. Most Weight Regainers don't. Social influence makes a huge difference in our behavior. According to the study, 70% of Weight Loss Maintainers used available social support. In contrast, only 38% of Weight Regainers did. If you need positive social support on your weight loss journey, it could be as easy as joining a mall walking group or asking an in-shape coworker to be your accountability partner. You can even join our online Christian weight loss group through becoming a Take Back Your Temple program member. It's vital for weight loss maintenance to have wellness-minded people in your circle. Plus, it makes it easier to stay consistent when you associate with others daily who are dedicated to living a healthy, energetic life too. 2. Most Weight Loss Maintainers eat mindfully; Most Weight Regainers don't. Weight Loss Maintainers pay attention to their food choices and the amount they eat. They may heed their body's hunger/fullness signals, use a journal, or other tracking method to ensure they are eating the right amount to fit their body's needs. However, a sobering 70% of Weight Regainers eat mindlessly in response to their emotions. When I was obese, I used to eat mindlessly too. If I was sad, I ate. Bored? I ate. Tired? I ate. So I had to learn that food was not my answer for everything, but instead discover how to minister to my real needs. In that way, food could regain its proper place in my life. 3. Most Weight Loss Maintainers exercise. Most Weight Regainers don't. Exercise was the 2nd highest habit that separates Weight Loss Maintainers vs. Regainers. Among Weight Loss Maintainers, 90% of them exercise regularly. However, only 34% of Weight Regainers exercise. It's not surprising to me because exercise helps in managing your emotions greatly. After all, God designed us to stay active! Why else would we have movable joints? Moving through exercise helps to improve your mood, relieve stress, and gives you more energy. All good things that help you enjoy your daily life more. Because exercise is so important for weight loss maintenance, we have an exercise accountability group within the Take Back Your Temple program support group called the SWAT Team (Sweating Weight Away Together). 4. Most Weight Loss Maintainers confront problems directly. Most Weight Regainers don't. The courage to confront problems was the #1 habit that separates Weight Loss Maintainers vs. Weight Regainers. Among Weight Loss Maintainers, a whopping 95% confront problems directly. However, only 10% of Weight Regainers do. In the study, the researcher found that Weight Regainers practiced more escape/avoidance behaviors, such as overeating, sleeping too much, hoping the problem will go away, or procrastination. Recalling my own weight issues in the past, I definitely had a serious "I'll think about it tomorrow" problem. Not only did this attitude apply to my weight, but I also had over $19,000 worth of credit card debt at the time. My debt caused so much stress that I finally decided to confront it and get credit counselling. A scripture that gave me courage was Joshua 1:9:

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Once I got on a payment plan to repay my debt, I took a Crown Ministries course at a local church to learn how to manage my finances God's way. Although confronting my debt was a big step, I still wasn't ready to confront my weight problem seriously. It was only when I had a chest pain that I thought was going to kill me that I decided to do something about my weight once and for all. When the Lord said, "It is not supposed to be this way" in the midst of my pain, I was finally ready to hear what He had to say. At last, I was ready to turn my life around. So if weight loss is your goal, take a hard look at your life now. Do you have issues that you've been afraid to confront? With God's help, you can confront them. You have no need to fear. Ask the Lord in prayer to reveal them to you. He will give you courage to confront them and hold your hand through them. Your ultimate weight loss success depends on it! In summary, keep these 4 habits in mind to maintain your weight loss:

1. Use positive social support
2. Eat mindfully
3. Exercise
4. Confront problems directly with the Lord's help

May the Lord continue to bless you on this wonderful and worthy journey to lose weight His way! Be blessed with health, healing, and wholeness, Kimberly Taylor Author/Christian Life Coach of the Take Back Your Temple program P.S. When it comes to weight loss, do you often know what you should do but have a hard time doing it? I struggled with this issue on my own weight loss journey, but I discovered that “Nothing is different until you think differently.” The value of the Take Back Your Temple program is that you will learn how to think differently through using Biblical keys to overcome obstacles. You’ll discover how to win the Spiritual and mental battle that often causes us to become inconsistent and get off-track on our weight loss journey. Join a community of like-minded Christians losing weight and keep it off. Click here to learn more about the Take Back Your Temple program