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| March 2009 |  |
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s people get older, excess weight becomes easier to gain and harder
to lose. This is a challenge for women especially who, on average,
put on 1-3 pounds a year after menopause due to hormonal changes and
a slower metabolism. But many women as well as men manage to win their own battle of the bulge. The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) from Brown Medical College in Providence, RI, tracks individuals who have lost more than 30 pounds and kept it off for more than five years. Here’s what the NWCR has learned about how its participants accomplished their weight loss initially:  55% got
help from some type of weight-loss program and 45% did it on their
own.98% modified
their food intake in some way.94% increased
their physical activity—most often by walking more.A majority of participants say they maintained their weight loss by following a low-calorie, low-fat diet and getting regular exercise. For example, the NWCR reported that: 78% eat
breakfast daily, and they don’t skip meals.75% weigh
themselves at least once a week, but not daily.90% exercise,
on average, about an hour a day. This doesn’t mean going to
the gym. It means increasing one’s activity level: for example,
doing errands on foot or parking further away and walking to the store.
The key factor is to find some activities you enjoy doing such as
walking, dancing or swimming—and to stick with them.For more ideas and tips from the Registry, visit www.nwcr.ws. 
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