Successful Losers
By Carol Plotkin, MS,RD

“Atkins beats Zone, Ornish, and US diet advice,” claimed a recent news media headline. This headline refers to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that evaluated four weight loss diets over the course of a year. The study included 311 overweight/obese premenopausal women. Women following all four diets lost weight, but those following the Atkins regimen lost more weight (10 pounds) than the others (about 3 ½ pounds). The authors of this study conclude that following “a low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat diet may be considered a feasible alternative recommendation for weight loss,” although the long-term effects of such a diet are unknown.

The majority of the American population is overweight, with over a third being obese. Overweight/obesity is a risk factor for many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure. Weight loss for overweight individuals and maintenance of a healthy weight are imperative for disease prevention. Arguments abound as to the best way to lose weight, but to date there is no best method, despite the current study results.

The women following the Atkins diet lost the most weight, but on closer examination they also regained the most weight by the end of the study. The important issue then is weight maintenance. How does one maintain weight that is lost? Characteristics of successful losers have been studied by the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR). The NWCR was founded in 1993 and is a study of people 18 years and older who have successfully maintained a 30 pound weight loss for at least a year. The registry includes about 4,500 individuals. The average registrant has lost about 60 pounds and has maintained that loss for over five years.

The NWCR has discovered that no particular diet “wins” with respect to weight loss. Participants on the registry used many different methods to achieve weight loss. Women seemed to use formal programs, such as Weight Watchers, more than men, who preferred to lose weight on their own. Motives leading one to lose weight varied greatly, but methods for maintaining weight loss had several common traits.

Successful losers:

1. Eat a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that is modest in calories. They eat at fast food establishments no more than once a week and eat four to five times a day.

2. Eat breakfast every day. Breakfast has always been considered the most important meal of the day, but when looking at maintaining weight loss, it may be more important than previously thought.

3. Weigh themselves frequently. Stepping on the scale often is discouraged by health practitioners, but it appears that weighing oneself frequently is important to prevent weight regain.
4. Participate in regular physical activity. Physical activity levels among participants were high, with 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day. Walking was the most popular form of physical activity, but most people also participated in some form of planned exercise.

The goal of weight loss is improved health and quality of life. More emphasis needs to be placed on maintaining weight loss. The four strategies outlined above are traits of successful losers. Those striving to lose weight successfully would benefit by adopting these traits.

About the Author:
Carol Plotkin, MS, RD is a registered dietitian. She is owner of ON NUTRITION, a nutrition practice specializing in wellness/disease prevention and sports nutrition. To find out more about her services, go to rochesternutrition.com. Contact her at cplotkin@rochesternutrition.com.