Achieving your weight loss goals requires a ‘long game’ mentality. However, some individuals stop their health and weight loss programs early thus thwarting their ability to reach their goals. Individuals stop for a variety of reasons including changes in life, work, travel, stress, weight plateaus or fluctuations or something else! However, having a ‘long game’ mentality and approach is key for success!
First of all, what is ‘long game?’ Long game is, simply put, the idea of avoiding short term diets that may or may not be sustainable or health promoting, and instead, striving for a healthy, steady approach over the long term, moving forward, despite any and all obstacles, roadblocks or setbacks until goals are reached and maintained!
Here are my top 4 reasons to stay on a health promoting weight loss program for the long term!
Number one: Research shows the those who stay on a weight loss program for at least a year or more, lose the most weight! Those who stop programs after a few days, weeks or even months have subpar results. However, staying on for years, not just a year, is ideal for long term and permanent weight loss!
Number two: While this may appear obvious, it’s worth repeating, that if you quit and go back to your previous way of eating, you will most likely regain all of the weight you had lost!
Number three: If you are on a health promoting weight loss program, which I create for my clients along with follow up and support, then you will be experiencing other benefits in addition to weight loss! You may be feeling better, have more energy, more confidence, improved lab results, better health, better exercise performance, improved quality of life and more! If you quit your program, in addition to regaining weight, you will probably lose all of the positive health benefits you’ve experienced!
Number four: A big part of developing a new lifestyle is creating health promoting habits that you practice over time, thus making the program easier to stick with. Quitting a program means that those hard-earned precious habits will start to weaken and disappear!
There you go! My 4 top reasons to stay on a health promoting, weight loss program for the long term and strive for a ‘long game’ mentality and approach!
Yours in great health!
Kevin Grodnitzky, MS, RDN, CDE, LDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Certified Personal Trainer
