How to set yourself up for weight-loss success

What if we told you that losing weight has more to do with what’s in your head than what you put on your plate? It’s true! In one study, people who had the best weight-loss success had the highest levels of activity in the brain region linked with self-control.  

That part of the brain processes long-term information — such as the desire to be healthy — and balances it with the desire for a large order of fries.   

So, if you’re looking to reach a healthier weight, start with your mindset, not with the latest fad diets. After all, those diets don’t have a great track record for long-term success. For example, studies suggest that even when people lose weight on a fad diet, most of them regain it within about 4 years.  

Need help reframing your thinking? These six strategies can help you shift your mind into healthy weight-loss mode and boost your chances of lasting success.   

Seek your inner motivation 

“The statement ‘I want to lose weight’ should be replaced with something like ‘I want to get healthy,’ or ‘I want to be stronger mentally and physically,’” says Pamela Peeke, MD. She’s an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland and coauthor of The Hunger Fix. This shift in thinking will help stop you from obsessively focusing on the number on the scale.   

To find your inner motivation, ask yourself: Why is losing weight important to me on a long-term and wellness level? “Connect it with what gives you meaning and purpose in life. For example, to keep up with your children and grandchildren,” says Dr. Peeke. “If you develop health problems from excess weight, you won’t be able to enjoy your time with them as you should.”  

Find your support team 

Losing weight can be challenging when you do it alone. On the other hand, people who have strong support from family and friends are often more successful. The key is to find folks who will stay positive throughout your ups and downs.  

“You don’t want the food police,” says Dr. Peeke. “You want to find people who are nonjudgmental, so that you don’t have to deal with finger wagging if you have a bad day.”  

It may also help to have some professional support. This could be from a nutritionist, a fitness trainer, or a health coach.   

Your health plan offers expert-guided wellness and weight-loss programs as a benefit at no extra cost. You can join them through Wellframe, a digital health management app that’s covered by your plan. Wellframe connects you with a personal health support clinician through your insurance, making it a handy tool for both physical and emotional support.  

Take stock of where you are 

Take a few days to jot down what you eat and drink, and your activity level. This gives you a baseline to start from. From there, look for unhealthy patterns. Then use them to set up specific goals for improvement.  

For example, you might notice that you tend to snack late in the evening. “Set a goal that you’re only going to eat during a 10- to 12-hour period,” Dr. Peeke advises. This way, you can help cut down on extra nighttime calories.  

Or maybe you realize that you’re sitting at a computer for most of the day. In that case, set a goal to get up and move for a few minutes every hour on the hour. These changes might seem small. But they help create habits that set you up for long-term success. 

Make sleep a priority 

Improving your sleep habits may be the most relaxing way ever to lose weight. One recent study looked at young, overweight adults who got fewer than 6.5 hours of sleep a night. They ate about 270 fewer calories per day once they started to get more sleep.  

“Irregular sleep schedules can impact your appetite and hunger hormones,” Dr. Peeke says. Ideally, she suggests, you get into bed at around 10 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. The goal is to have enough energy in the morning so that you can exercise. You will also be less tempted to overeat if you’re well rested.   

Try to stress less 

Feeling anxious or overwhelmed? That can block your weight-loss efforts. Research suggests that people who join stress management programs and learn relaxation techniques such as deep breathing lose more weight than those who don’t.  

Once again, hormones are at play. Stress can raise levels of hormones such as cortisol. This in turn ramps up your appetite.   

To keep stress in check, look for healthy strategies that help clear your head and reset your outlook. Tempted to flip on the TV or pour a second glass of wine? Try taking a walk or calling a good friend instead. Your health plan also offers stress management programs through the Wellframe app for no extra cost.  

Set one small goal at a time 

It might seem to make sense to track every bite you take and every move you make. But micromanaging your habits all day, every day can make you feel overwhelmed, says Dr. Peeke. And that can put you on the path toward frustration and fatigue — and failure.  

Instead, Dr. Peeke suggests focusing on one small step at a time that brings you closer to your weight-loss goal. Then check that small step off your list. Next, add a new one and keep going from there.  

“Let’s say your goal is to eat clean,” says Dr. Peeke. “Your next step is to make a healthy food list and set up a time to go to the grocery store.” Grocery shopping complete? Set your next clean-eating goal. Maybe it’s to cut up veggies so you have healthy snacks handy when hunger strikes. “Once you’ve started that process, other things like regular physical activity will naturally fall into place,” she says. 

Article sources: 

Study on weight loss and brain activity: Cell Metabolism  

Fad diets research: Obesity Review  

Social support and weight loss study: Obesity  

Sleep and weight study: JAMA Internal Medicine 

Stress and overeating: Harvard Health Publishing