Interesting article about a review of the NWCR that shows that the most successful dieters tend to be meticulous, planning sorts. In addition, most went through a transformation that resulted in a new life.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/perso...ead/index.html

That's fascinating, thanks!

So the people that lose the most and keep it off longer are :

"B" quadrant (lower left): These people are controlled, methodical, disciplined sticklers for structure and routine. Punctual and neat, they always have a plan, timetable and calendar with appointments penciled in.

Oh gee, that explains a lot from where I'm sitting

Hmmm, I DEFINATELY am not meticulous or a planner. For me, I had to just make sure I surrounded myself with all the right foods, and ridded the house of the wrong stuff...or at least my sight of it. And filled my house with exercise equipment to prompt exercise. I do keep a log in Fitday, but slack on it even from time-to-time. But I don't plan my days out in advance.

Suzanne -- The successful ones are not only the punctual planners (in the first study), but also somehow the people who manage to be risk takers and change their lives (in the second study). It seemed to me these findings might be a little contradictory, as most of the controlled planners I know are NOT risk takers!

Or, maybe that's the point?? Risk-taking controlled planners succeed?

Hey! Good article, although I'd really need to know more about the study to have much faith in it.

Actually, I'm both a planner and a risk-taker. They aren't necessarily contradictory... I think?

Jay

yeah, I don't think they are necessarily contradictory, but I do know that these are considered very different aspects of personality, based on the people who measure such things... So you CAN have both, but they don't necessarily go together.

Okay, I know I'm not explaining this well! TIme for bed.

Only ten people were involved in the study. That doesn't seem like enough to really establish a pattern. JMO.

In my opinion, the meticulous, organized planner is more sucessful, in general, so I tend to believe their conclusions regardless of the small number.

I see myself as the emotional type and I feel like that is a handicap, as far as getting anything constructive done .

Ten people? Why, that's not a study at all!

Anyone can succeed, no matter what "type" they are! Don't let someone's study ever deter you from trying!

Jay

I don't know about other people, but i do know that for me....planning my meals in advance spell success. On the days I don't plan and prepare my food in advance, it leaves me a little out of odds and food up in the air. There's really no telling what i'll eat on a day that i haven't pre-prepared my food or planned out my food. Tomorrow I plan to go out and have crab legs and boiled shrimp and my total intake for the day seems to be only adding up to 655 calories!!! I have got to really think about what foods in can eat that will keep my proteins and carbs up and my fats down but also give me a nice 1200 calories. Planning, planning, planning....keeps me getting smaller, and smaller, and smaller!!!! :-)

Yeah, I agree - ANYONE CAN succeed! This was an interesting article, though the findings are, indeed, a little contradictory.

I'm not a detailed planner. I'm a dreamer, so I have plans on how to achieve and live out those dreams, though from my experiences, plans are meant to change just like rules are meant to be broken. I don't have a set diet plan for myself - I've tried following plans and they haven't worked for me because I've gotten bored and given up.

I think as long as we right brain girls have spontaneity and excitement in our lives that may be created by weight loss, motivation shouldn't be too difficult to come by.

I wondered about the number of people too. Seemed they reported 2 studies and each may have had different numbers of people. The women who was cited as the author is an anthropologist, and they typically do studies with fewer people... but it IS nearly impossible to generalize from such a small number...

I am not the type to sit down and do a menu plan for a week or even a day. It turns out that I eat similar things every day, so not too much detailed planning is required. What I do plan is what to buy - lettuce, for instance, because I eat at least two dishes per day that contain lettuce. I also plan to buy only things that are fresh, additive free and low fat. That allows me to be spontaneous about my meals within the parameters of what's available in my kitchen.