According to the study published in the journal Obesity, those who lost weight in consistent bouts were more likely to achieve long-term weight loss than one who showed no consistency.
Planning to shed some quick pounds? Make sure you choose a program that helps in losing a consistent number of pounds each week, it may prove more effective in the long run than a program where your weight keeps fluctuating, according to a study. According to the study published in the journal Obesity, those who experienced consistent weight loss in the first six and 12 weeks of the programme were more likely to have maintained their weight loss after 12 and 24 months, as compared to those whose weight loss was erratic during the period of the study.
The study shows that a person who lost four pounds one week, regained two pounds the next week, and lost one pound the following week was less likely to achieve long-term weight loss than one who consistently lost one pound over the same three-week period.
Lead author Emily Feig, postdoctoral student at the Massachusetts General Hospital said, “It seems that developing stable, repeatable behaviours related to food intake and weight loss early on in a weight control programme is really important for maintaining changes over the long term,” Michael Lowe, professor at Drexel University, US, added, “Settle on a weight loss plan that you can maintain week in and week out, even if that means consistently losing three-fourth of a pound each week,”
For the study, the researchers enrolled 183 individuals who were overweight or obese into a year-long weight-loss programme. The study used meal replacements along with behavioural goals such as self-monitoring, calorie monitoring and increasing physical activity as part of their programme. The findings revealed that participants who reported lower preoccupation with food, lower binge eating, and lower emotional eating at study baseline experienced greater weight fluctuation and lower total weight loss. These interesting findings led the researchers to conclude that perhaps it isn’t a person’s relationship with food or food-related behaviours that influence long-term weight loss. Rather, it may be linked to the consistency of weight loss.
Here are some foods that you can include in your daily diet to ensure steady and healthy weight loss.
1.Guava: They are rich in fiber, have low glycemic index and prevent constipation. They also activate the metabolic rate which helps in weight loss.
2.Apples: Apples are one of the few fruits that contain pectin, a substance that keeps you feeling fuller for longer. Apples take a while to digest, and end up tricking your brain into believing that your stomach is full. If you don’t like apples on their own, you can easily toss them into a salad or into your morning bowl of muesli, yoghurt or oatmeal.
3.Oranges: Add some tang to your diet with this nutrient-dense, low-calorie fruit. Oranges provide only 47 calories per 100 grams. Orange is considered to be a negative calorie fruit which means that it contains less calories than what your body requires to burn it. Simply put, you burn more than what you eat.
4.Oatmeal: Oatmeal is loaded with fibre which makes it an excellent food to curb those hunger pangs, while using very few calories to do so. It is the perfect way to start the day.
5.Eggs: Packed with protein, eggs are the wonder food you must include in your weight loss diet. Eggs, specifically, the egg whites (100 grams) contain just 52 calories.
(Inputs IANS)
