Slow and Steady Wins the Race for Life!

Want to melt your midsection and whittle your waistline? A new study shows that focusing on the behaviors needed to maintain your weight first before shedding the pounds is the key to long term success. Researchers discovered that setting a goal of maintaining your current weight and developing the tools to succeed at that initial easy goal works better for long term weight loss results.. They termed this approach "relaxed attention" to weight.

Reporting on the new study in her Oct. 31 Shape blog, registered Dietitian Cynthia Sass explained that Stanford scientists evaluated more than 260 overweight and obese women. One group started a 20-week weight loss plan immediately while the other were taught how to maintain their weight for the first eight weeks. After two months, the first group learned to maintain while the second began the diet and exercise program. Although both groups lost an average of 17 pounds at the end of the study, the scientists received a shocker when they checked in a year later. That first group had regained seven pounds, more than twice as much as the women who began by focusing on maintenance.
What the new study reveals: Cynthia points out that by "taking the pressure off of losing weight," you can focus on the "foundational skills and mindset changes for long-term." Although being aware of your weight is key, it's also essential to understand that shedding extra pounds and maintaining your goal weight results from a healthier relationship with food. In other words, that "relaxed attention" can relieve the stress of focusing on your weight and help you finally win your battle of the bulge.