I pulled this out of the main thread because I want to stop and meditate on it a while.

Originally posted by Catherine (hippievanlady):

For those of you who haven't heard of this, The Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado maintains the National Weight Control Registry. To register, you must have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least a year. The average person on the list has lost more than twice that. They found that most maintainers had 7 habits in common. They are: 1. Expect failure, but keep trying, 2. Don't deny yourself, 3. Weigh yourself often, 4. Do serious planned exercise, 5. Add little bits of physical activity into daily routine, 6. Followed a low fat/high carbohydrate diet, 7. Eat 5 meals a day. They also found that successful losers made many unsuccessful attemps before getting on a winning track, more than half lost weight without help from a commercial plan or gym, and 66% said they were chubby children. If it helps any, they also found that once you have kept your weight off for 3 years, it gets much easier to maintain.


I do most of these, but not all of them, and I'm very tempted to make these habits a new mantra.

As I said above, I was intrigued by this list and wanted to think this through (in writing... where I do my best thinking) a little more.

1. Expect failure, but keep trying.

I think this is one area where 3FC has helped me a lot. Seeing the folks who post with great intentions and then disappear reminds me of how often I've started with great intentions and then stopped trying whenever I ran into a little trouble. On the other hand, watching people like 2Cute and Thin, consistently working, planning, adapting, trying... completely FOCUSED, gives me a great model for this particular habit. KEEP TRYING. KEEP TRYING.

2. Don't deny yourself.

This is one I learned the last time I lost successfully. I have to allow myself my favorites now and then. I can't go around feeling hungry or just wanting food--I've got to do something about it. Otherwise, the inevitable result seems to be binging. So I think I've got this one down pretty well, too.

3. Weigh yourself often.

This is a new one for me. I used to be of the weigh-too-often-get-discouraged school of thinking. But someone... sorry, I'm not certain I remember for sure, now, I think it was Barb.... posted an article about making friends with your scale, and it made a lot of sense to me. I've been weighing daily for a while, and sometimes I weigh at night and again in the morning, so I have a pretty good idea now of how much my clothes weigh, how much different there typically is between a nighttime WI and a morning one, etc. So it's easier not to be alarmed. Plus, I'm desensitized to small changes--I know that even 2-3 pounds can be water. And it's also a reminder every morning that I'm engaged in a change of life style.

4. Do serious planned exercise.

This is my biggest stumbling block. The key word for me here is PLANNED. I don't plan my exercise. I just keep saying that I'll try to fit it in somewhere. That's not working. And I know, from looking at my old diet journal (when I got down into the 260s, 5 years ago), that the significant exercise was a key to my previous success.

The difference between then and now is that then I was married and my life was very scheduled: I worked 8-5, came home, made dinner, had one hour of "leisure" time, and then either went to class (I was in graduate school) or read/wrote. So I knew that that hour of "leisure," was my only time for exercise, and I got on my stationary bike and biked while I watched whatever our current addictive television show was. I did about 45 min., most of it pretty vigorous. That was serious cardio for me, and I know it helped a lot.

These days, I live alone, but I hate to BE alone, so I avoid my apartment a lot. I tend to be home long enough to sleep at night, and to shower/dress in the morning, and to spend most of the rest of my time outside the apt. I no longer have a TV. My days are very unstructured; compared to my old office job/grad school, I still have plenty of work, but most of my time is mine to schedule. I teach my classes, I have some meetings, but much of my day is up to me. I can leave campus if I like, or I can stay in my office until 2 in the morning. Often I end up doing spontaneous socializing with friends. In many ways I like this, but it's VERY easy to avoid doing something I don't feel like doing, like exercise. Obviously I need to find a way to make the exercise structured, part of my daily routine, so that I can't avoid it. I've thought about joining Curves, but honestly the discussion here has really discouraged me from doing that. I really don't want to go to the student recreation center, surrounded by 18-year-olds, many of whom will turn up in my classes--plus, it's pretty expensive, unless you want to use it only during the wee early a.m., and I don't think that's likely to work. What I need is a time of day that becomes a habit, like my old 7-8 p.m. habit. This one requires more thought.

5. Add little bits of physical activity into daily routine.

I've started working on this, but I could do much better. I think I'll try to come up with one addition at a time and, when I've managed to do that for a whole week, I'll make another. So here's my added physical activity for next week: I will NOT park in the first row of parking spaces next week.

6. Follow a low fat/high carbohydrate diet.

I haven't been counting fat at all. High carbs I do naturally. Low fat I gave up last time I dieted, and it worked. I'm not sure that I'm exactly HIGH fat when I'm OP, I'm just not counting so I don't really know. I think I'll keep with my current eating plan for a while and use Fitday to keep tabs on my fat and see where it is.

7. Eat 5 meals a day.

This one I don't do at all--I'm pretty proud when I eat 3 meals a day. I've finally gotten to the point where I do eat breakfast every day. Next week I'll start working on making an afternoon snack a habit.

I got a lot out of this too.
I actually made it into a page and printed it out and put it on my fridge to remind me. Last year, I had all of those happening with the exception of the weigh-often one ... and I lost weight. This year I've let some of them slip and it's showing ... so this is a good wakeup call to get back on track.

Please don't let my bad experience at Curves turn you off it. When I went back this week it was quite good and I actually felt those muscles afterwards .. something I haven't done for a while! There were no skinny minnies there at all and if you can work your own hours most of the time (as I can) you can pick times when it's not busy to go. Maybe you should visit and see what your local one is like?

3. Weigh yourself often ... hmmm this is one I fall down on. If being weighed at the dieticians around once a week counts - then I do it. But at the beginning of this year I had finally lost enough to weigh myself on my scales ... and then they died. I haven't been able to replace them yet and part of me is reluctant because if I had scales in the house I would be weighing myself on them all the time ... and I wonder if I would get depressed on those days when my weight naturally fluctuates up? Hmmm I need to think about this one a bit more.

I need to do the "up the daily physical activity" one as well. I'm going to park further away this week as well! I'm also going to do my housework faster - vacuuming etc. to pump up my heart rate. We can do it!

Leanne

I never know when I am going to start something. Since I don't work right now, I have been able to make losing weight a full time job. Since you gals are breaking them down, I thought I'd put in my own take on them.

1. Expecting failure is not something I have ever allowed myself to do. I've had to try to add some humble pie to my perfectionism. The never giving up part I have decided that I will have to make a lifetime commitment.

2. Not denying myself has probably been the easiest part. I like how someone put it that it's not that you can't eat something, you don't eat something. No one gives vegetarians trouble anymore for choosing not to eat meat. I can chose to not eat certain things because I would rather eat other things. When I have a craving, I go ahead and eat it, I just make allowances for it, and portion control it.

3. Weighing often didn't come with a definition of often. I've seen some reports on tv that most overweight people underestimate their actual weight by an average 30 pounds. Before I ended up in the hospital 5 years ago and was weighed at 535, the last time I weighed I was 240. I actually got into an argument with the nurse that I couldn't possibly weigh that much. I don't weigh daily. I saw a woman on tv who keeps hers in front of the fridge. I weigh once a week on Sunday mornings. I never want to gain an 1/8 of a ton again and not know I'm doing it.

4. I also have trouble with the planned exercise part. I have a bad back and left knee. I don't know from day to day how much pain I am going to be in. My insurance pays for YMCA membership and my roommate joined starting April 1st, so I am going to start swimming. I am going to swallow my pride, and just swim laps.

5. Adding physical activity has been my greatest pleasure lately. I have parked in the handicap space for so many years, that I have forgotten how to park right. My old vw van doesn't have power steering, and regular spaces are much smaller. Walking in the grocery store is hilarious. I can't find anything. I was used to see everything sitting, and now standing everything looks different. I keep doing things without thinking that I haven't been able to do in years. Leaning over to put on my shoes, standing up to put on pants, and not realizing until later that I had been able to do it without sitting down. Each small victory a gift from God.

6. Low fat/High Carb. My mom put me on Atkins in 1975, not long after it came out. I lost weight, but went crazy for food later. In College, I went vegetarian, and lost my gallbladder. At 28, I was doing Nutrisystem. I am mostly trying to eat a balanced, nutritional diet, and if you do follow the food pyramid, low fat/high carbo comes along naturally.

7. Eating 5 meals a day. I used to be a no breakfast, fast food lunch, and graze all night dinner kind of eater. At my worst, I could eat 10 large hamburgers, or two large pizzas, and not even feel like I had eaten anything. I would tell the doctor that I didn't eat that much and couldn't figure out how I got this large. I couldn't "feel" the food, so I convinced myself I hadn't really eaten it. Now I figure if the old way didn't work, I should at least try something new. Now I feel like I am eating all the time, but I know what I am eating. I can taste and feel the food. I smell it, I experience it, and I own it.

Now I'm going to start looking through my clipping for another big topic.

Catherine

1. Expect failure, but keep trying
This is a hard one, especially if I expect to fail and I do..then I get really down..and if I try really hard and I fail..I feel worse. But that can be my personal challenge. I once read "Shoot for the moon, even if you fall short, you will still land among the stars.

2. Don't deny yourself
This is what my WW leader means when she talks about feeding our inner child. If the child gets fed then the child does not rebel later. If the child is constantly denied and punished then the child causes trouble and wreaks havoc...wherever and whenever...and however.

3. Weigh yourself often
If weekly is often then I am fine. But i have decided not to weigh myself between weekly weigh ins at WW. I tried to weigh myself on a WW scale at someone's house one night and I did not like what I saw. I am going to stick to the same scale, same time each week method. HOWEVER..that is more than I have weighed myself in years...so there ya go!

4. Do serious planned exercise
Seriously I have not been planning exercise. I need to get that part of my plan into gear. I am making too many excuses for why it's not happening.

5. Add little bits of physical activity into daily routine
I have been trying to get out of my office more, take the stairs more, and move more in general. I am parking farther away from places so I have to walk more than 10 steps to get there. Again, this will come in time..but the time needs to be now.

6. Followed a low fat/high carbohydrate diet
This is very interesting. Carbs are my problem...well complex carbs..such as bread and pasta and sugar. If high carbs = lots of fruits and veggies..then yay. I have also really increased the amount of lean protein I am getting though, which has realy helped me with cravings. I know that there is some 30-40-30 "formula" for healthy diets with respect to the percentage of your daily fod intake that is supposed to come from fats, carbs and proteins..but I don't remember which is the 40....can someone remind me?

7. Eat 5 meals a day.
I am not eating 5 full meals, but I am snacking when I get hungry instead of waiting until I actually have time to eat and thinking that if I wait long enough I won't be hungry anymore. I am also finding that I am less hungry and it takes less to fill me up.

These were great habits and I plan to refer back to this constantly to keep me on track!!! Thanks Catherine!!!

I think this is a great little self-evaluation:

1. Expect failure, but keep trying
I don't know how well I believe this. I've been known to say, "Expect the worst and then if it doesn't happen you're pleasently surprized." Which I suppose is the same thing. If you keep trying to lose, but think it'll do no good, then you're happy when it does. I think the key here is the "keep trying".

2. Don't deny yourself
Okay, this is my 1/2 a bratwurst! I agree with this. I wouldn't be able to stick to any plan that said something I love was off limits forever.

3. Weigh yourself often
Like everyone else...weekly is about it for me. But I do think that's "often" compared to only weighing when you go to the doctor. So I do this one okay.

4. Do serious planned exercise
I am working on this one. Right now DH and I are working on going to the Y every Wed., Fri., and Sun. Walking the rest of the week, weather permitting.

5. Add little bits of physical activity into daily routine
This one is hard for me. I know it amounts to taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther from the store...but it's one I need work on for sure.

6. Followed a low fat/high carbohydrate diet
Now this one I love. The only time I ever kept weight off after losing was a program my Dr. put me on. No more than 1500 cal. no more than 40 grams fat. And they told me to TRIPLE my carbs. Lost 40 pounds in seven months and kept it off over a year...then went back to my high-fat life. Pasta, here I come!

7. Eat 5 meals a day.
Like Julee, I am not eating 5 full meals, but I am snacking when I get hungry if I have a long wait until a meal. That keeps me from over eating at the meal itself.

I'm so glad this was posted. I'm printing this off for reminders in the future.

Lilion

1. Expect failure, but keep trying:
It's not in me to expect failure, per se. It's in me to expect setbacks, because I don't think I could function if I expected everything to happen when I want it to happen - I'd be sorely disappointed. I agree though, that the important part is to keep trying.

2. Don't deny yourself:
There should be a disclaimer on here that says, "Don't deny yourself, unless you want a whole tub of Ben & Jerry's." My biggest problem is portion size - I don't deny myself, but when I give in and eat what I want, I tend to overdo it. This is something I need to work on.

3. Weigh yourself often:
"Before I ended up in the hospital 5 years ago and was weighed at 535, the last time I weighed I was 240."

That applies to me as well. I didn't realize how bad it had gotten until I went into the hospital in July. They weighed me, and I thought.. that can't be right! I'd been on a losing trend last year (down to nearly 250), and then bam! "You're 350lbs" seemed worse than the fact that I wasn't going to be able to walk for a while.

4. Do serious planned exercise:
Another of my downfalls. I am just not motivated to exercise. I had a membership at the YMCA, and I think I will renew it now that I am back here. The hospital pays a percentage of it, so it would be a good idea. I am considering planning a time (depending on whether I work a day shift or a night shift) to do my WATP or go for a walk around the neighborhood. I'll come back to this, most definitely.

5. Add little bits of physical activity into daily routine:
This, I need to start doing as well. I'll start with the parking issue - rather than park right up close, I'm going to start parking a ways away. Baby steps.. right?

6. Followed a low fat/high carbohydrate diet:
The low fat part of it is what I'm working on at the moment. I'm watching carbs, rather than counting them, but I'm focusing more on having them come from fruits, veggies, and whole grains rather than processed crap. That's my main goal right now. I watch calories as well, but only recently have I decided to try watching fat content.

7. Eat 5 meals a day:
Pfffft! I'm lucky if I eat 2 meals a day. I am working on this, but this one will take me a while. I'll get there, but.. like I said, baby steps!

1. Expect failure, but keep trying.

I'm not sure I agree with this wording, but I see where it comes from. Expect to fail once in a while, but keep trying DESPITE these reoccuring failures, you're bound to make it EVENTUALLY.

2. Don't deny yourself.

Today was a bad day for me, foodwise...but I am not going to berate myself, I'm just going to do my best for the rest of the day, and brush off the dust, move on. It doesn't mean I am quitting.

3. Weigh yourself often.

This, I have to agree with. I think we are kidding ourselves when we refuse to get on the scale and face that number. It's very liberating to finally just come to terms with how much you weigh...it can be scary though...i'm sure you all know that feeling that happens when you know you've put on weight but are afraid to find out how much.

4. Do serious planned exercise.

This has always been my weakness, I am not gradually introducing routines into my week. I started off small, just twice a week, half a mile each time. I'm now up to two miles, three days a week. Soon I'll do some strength training.

5. Add little bits of physical activity into daily routine.

This I have to work on, but I'm finding as the weeks progress, I'm not dreading my workouts anymore, in fact I'm looking forward to them. I already did a walk today, and I'm thinking about doing my new Denise Austin DVD.

6. Follow a low fat/high carbohydrate diet.

I haven't concentrated on fat so much, mostly carbs because of my PCOS. I count my calories every day though, and I try to stay away from the saturated/trans fats.

7. Eat 5 meals a day.

I don't eat five meals a day, but i DO eat at least five TIMES a day...I eat when I'm hungry, or else I'm most likely to binge later.