The main message is that to successfully change anything you have to research and figure out the right behaviours to influence the change you seek. Change strategies which are based on behaviours (ie/ I will exercise 3x each week, or I will write down what I eat daily) rather than outcomes (ie/ I will burn more calories than I eat) result in more frequent success.
The book went on to mention that the successful behaviours for weight loss had already been observed and documented in a study by the (US) National Weight Control Registry. In this study the participants had lost 30lbs or more and kept it off for 5 years or more; the researchers noted the following behaviours that most of the successful subjects shared:
Quote:
o 78% eat breakfast every day.
o 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
o 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
o 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
* 98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.
* 94% increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking.
* There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.
I found this interesting because I can see how often I might jump to outcomes, but really I need to focus on the behaviour that will bring the outcome I desire..so that's my plan.o 78% eat breakfast every day.
o 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
o 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
o 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
* 98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.
* 94% increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking.
* There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.