Super Loser's Guide To Weight Loss Success

Often the most challenging part of losing weight is creating a new, healthy way of life. Structure House, a residential weight loss facility, has completed a study which followed a group of successful weight loss participants to discover their strategies for losing weight and keeping it off. The project, entitled "The Skinny on Super Losers," followed 29 Structure House graduates and was presented at NAASO, The Obesity Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.

"Structure House is not simply about losing weight; it is about making lifestyle changes to ensure that our patients can stay healthy," said Lee Kern, Clinical Director at Structure House. "This research has allowed us to identify which tactics prove most successful for our patients. It also helped us learn how each person applied our treatment recommendations to their own lives so that we can better advise future patients."

Participants in the study lost 11% - 51% of their starting weight, and the average participant lost 66 pounds over a three-year period. Results classified Super Losers as someone who managed their meals and exercise routines and who had a positive outlook on losing more weight and their new appearance. The most prominent tips toward losing weight, according to the study include:

Structured Eating. Defined as three meals a day that follow a similar model

Doing cardio exercise 4-6 times a week

Being mindful of healthy food choices

Monitoring your appearance improvement

The two challenges most frequently noted by the Super Losers were staying motivated and dealing with change and stress. In order to combat these setbacks, participants reported that they reminded themselves of the health benefits of losing weight. In addition, the participants noted that seeing improvements in their daily functioning and social confidence helped to keep them on track.

The results of "The Skinny on Super Losers" found that keeping a positive attitude toward becoming healthier was key for long-term weight loss. Weight loss plans will not go perfectly, and mistakes are to be expected. However, creating and following a structured meal and exercise plan will lead to weight loss success. The Super Losers have allowed Structure House to evaluate their program based on the long-term successes of their clients and see the ways in which long-term weight loss has forever changed their lives.