In Search of Thinness: Secrets of People Who Have Lost Weight Permanently

Linda Jazzercises vigorously at least four times a week, religiously follows a low-fat diet and cannot shed a pound. She is so distraught, that she tried cutting more calories and still failed miserably. Sound familiar?

Part of the problem may be that Linda has unrealistic goals concerning her desired weight and has not taken her genetic background into consideration. Also, recent research is indicating that very active, athletic-type people are very efficient at using each calorie, making additional weight loss difficult. Gone are the days when weight loss could be simplified to an easy equation of "calories in minus calories out equals weight gain or loss." Many more variables have entered and complicated the weight loss game.

Researchers are now delving into the psychological component of weight loss. Two such researchers, Robert Colvin, Ph.D. and Susan Olson, Ph.D., have set out to learn more about people who lose weight and keep it off. The main thing they learned was that no single diet works for everybody and that successful slimmers cannot necessarily instruct other individuals. According to their research, here's why:

• Permanent weight loss is a highly individual process and a very personal issue. Successful weight loss programs were almost always home-built and custom-made.

• Like a great cook who can't always give you a recipe or a beautiful dancer who is unable to analyze her movements, winners often aren't aware of all the things they do correctly.

Colvin and Olson did find the winners were not superhuman and did not possess iron wills or endless discipline. The winners followed a distinct, predictable pattern that had four phases.

PHASE 1: A CRITICAL MOMENT WHICH STOPPED A VICIOUS CYCLE

Phase 1 changes are primarily in the brain tissue not the fat tissue. Two transitions bring about the critical moment. (1) The transition from self-delusion to self-honesty and (2) The transition from depending on others to independence. The second transition seems harder for women to accomplish. Until recently, males were traditionally educated to be independent, women were frequently taught that others will care for them.

PHASE 2: STARTING THE SPIRAL - SMALL WINS AND EXPERIMENTS

The winners that were studied felt this phase was easier than Phase 1. Now that they see themselves honestly and they realize that the responsibility for change is their own, they were ready to enter the active Phase 2. In this phase, the process of learning, experimenting and making mistakes begins. If your mental attitude is not set for change, you won't permanently lose the weight.

Big problems get solved using little steps. Rather than focusing on the immediate need to lose weight in time for the big high school reunion, focus on the little steps that will eventually get you there. For example, simply reducing fat and sugar from your diet can drastically reduce caloric intake, resulting in weight loss. Exercise can burn calories, help increase your muscle tissue and boost your resting metabolism, resulting in greater caloric expenditure every day. Each little step is a "win" and will lead to accomplishing the goal. Why do big problems get solved with small steps?

First, the emphasis on one big goal is reduced. Secondly, accomplishing each small step is still a considerable reward. In addition, a small failure is easier to cope with than a big failure. Lastly, when you know you have the ability to win with your own skills, you build confidence.

Typical diet programs continue to claim and emphasize the BIG wins. Perhaps that is why diet programs have a 95% failure rate.

In addition to small goal setting, the successful weight losers were enthusiastically willing to experiment with new ideas. When you feel good about experimenting, creative approaches to problem solving become fun and there is usually no question as to who is in charge.

PHASE 3: SUCCESS

This was the hardest phase for the permanent weight loss winners. Losing weight becomes uncomfortable because you've changed and need to redefine yourself, inside and out. As your appearance changes, people respond to you openly. Positive comments reinforce your efforts, which further your accomplishments. But, once you've attained your goal and changing turns to sustaining, you must learn to maintain your accomplishment without all the hoopla. That's not always easy.

PHASE 4: MAINTENANCE

For most dieters, maintenance is very difficult. That's because most dieters are attracted to some "magic" shortcut that promises miracles overnight. For winners, however, this phase is the easy one. Winners do the right things for themselves, in the right order. One small win reinforces another until permanent changes in behavior, attitude and values finally affect their weight.

Keeping weight loss in perspective as a health issue, setting realistic goals, and taking the process slowly, one step at a time, will help turn every dieter into a weight loss winner!

The information for this article was gleaned from literature provided by the National Center for Health Promotion in Michigan and the Jazzercise "Know More Diet" Instructor Newsletter