6 Secrets of Successful Weight Loss

July 28, 2005 -- Once you've lost weight, keeping it off actually gets easier with time, according to a new study that details the six secrets of successful long-term weight loss.

About one in five overweight people who try to lose weight are successful at losing at least 10% of their body weight and maintaining the weight loss for at least a year.

By studying these so-called "successful losers," researchers say they've identified six commonsense weight loss strategies critical to long-term weight loss success.

6 Strategies for Long-Term Weight Loss

In the study, researchers analyzed the weight loss strategies of the more than 4,000 members of the National Weight Control Registry who lost an average of 73 pounds and kept it off for an average of five years.

A little more than half lost the weight with some help from a commercial weight loss program, doctor, or nutritionist. The other half did it on their own. Nine in 10 of them lost weight through a combination of diet and exercise, and only 10% did it through cutting calories alone.

In maintaining their weight loss, researchers say the successful losers shared six major strategies.

Get Active and Stay Active

Men and women who have kept the weight off report a high level of physical activity. The most popular form of exercise is walking, followed by cycling, weight lifting, and aerobics.

Women reported burning off an average of 2,545 calories a week in physical activity. Men reported an average of 3,293 calories per week. This is equivalent to about an hour a day of moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking.

Crunched for time? Higher intensity activities can burn calories faster.

Vigorous physical activities include:

• Running/jogging (5 miles per hour)
• Bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour)
• Swimming (freestyle laps)
• Aerobics
• Walking very fast (4 1/2 miles per hour)
• Heavy yard work, such as chopping wood
• Weight lifting (vigorous effort)
• Basketball (competitive)

Eat a Diet Low in Calories and Fat

Successful losers report consuming an average of 1,381 calories per day with 24% of those calories from fat.

The participants generally eat out less than 2.5 meals per week on average. They also average less than one meal a week in a fast food restaurant.

Researchers say about half of the weight loss registry members are still trying to lose weight, and many also tend to underestimate their calorie intake. Therefore, they estimate the dieters' daily calorie intake at about 1,800.

Don't Skip Breakfast

More than three-fourths of the registry members eat breakfast every day, and only 4% say they never eat breakfast. A typical breakfast is cereal and fruit.

Eating breakfast can increase your metabolism, helping your burn more calories during the day. It also helps avoid overeating later in the day.