In the March/April 2011 issue of ACSM's Health & Fitness journal~R the authors highlight key strategies that National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) members have used to achieve success in losing weight and maintaining their weight loss over time (2). Despite the fact that we live in a society where weight-loss programs abound, very few people are able to succeed in their weight loss efforts. Approximately only one fifth of overweight and obese individuals in the United States have been successful at maintaining weight loss. Therefore, studying a group of "successful losers" can help health care providers offer better advice to the majority of people who struggle to achieve and maintain their weight loss. The NWCR is made up of more than 6,000 individuals who have maintained a weight loss of at least 30 lb for an average of 5 yr or more. A majority of NWCR members (91%) had attempted to lose weight in the past, with their successful attempt usually being linked to either a medical or emotional trigger that forced greater compliance. Almost all NWCR members (89%) used a combination of diet and physical activity to achieve and maintain their weight loss.
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