Weight Loss: Three People Who Found What Works

For many people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, losing weight is part of the treatment plan. "Eat less and move more" sounds simple, but if it were easy, millions of people would not be struggling with it, and even those who lose weight often find it hard to keep off.

A growing number of studies show that people respond differently to diets. Some lose weight on a low-carb plan, for example, while others gain; the same is true of other plans. CDC's advice is to focus on healthy, nutritious food, then experiment with eating, activity and goal-setting until you find a combination that works for you. These three stories, from CDC, show how different that combination can be.

Brooke: getting fit for adventure

Brooke had always been active but had long struggled with her weight, and each attempt to lose it got harder. This time, the timing was right. Her youngest child had just left for college, giving her more time for her own goals, and she had just turned 50, an age at which she figured getting in shape would only get harder.

A clear goal helped: she did not want to miss a long bike ride or hike because she was not fit enough. She started by cutting out all sugar and most carbohydrates and lost 15 pounds quickly, but she could not sustain that diet. She switched to a commercial plan that supplied portioned meals and snacks, and she liked having every meal measured for her; it let her stop worrying about food. She also stepped up her activity, going to the gym, riding with a cycling group, hiking, and taking the stairs at work.

Visits to her parents' house were a challenge, with food on the counters, in the cabinets, in the freezer and in a second refrigerator. Knowing she was an all-or-nothing person, she simply did not touch any of it and brought her own prepared meals.

Two years later, Brooke had reached her goal of losing 50 pounds and felt sure she could keep her healthy habits for life. Next on her list: places to go and mountains to climb.

Nadia: a wake-up call, then her own plan

Nadia had tried many diets and always regained the weight; she joked that her shelf of weight-loss books made good paperweights. She had sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke ran in her family, but she had given up trying. Then, at a checkup, her doctor began a sentence with a reference to her size. It was an unpleasant moment, she recalled, but it made her realize she had to act, and looking back she was grateful.

Instead of a specific diet, she chose healthy eating and activity that fit her life: smaller portions of home-cooked food such as grilled chicken and vegetables, and a walk every day. She drew on everything she had learned from past diets, and the weight started to come off. Her tips:

• If you are going to a party, walk longer to make up for anything unhealthy you might eat.
• When eating out, skip dinner salads; their calories are surprisingly high.
• Look at the menu and plan your meal ahead of time.
• Take half your meal home.
• Eat slowly; it takes 20 minutes or more for your brain to register that you have had enough.
• If you think you are hungry, drink water; you may just be thirsty.
• Eat some protein at every meal, and try to include fruits and vegetables.
• Write down everything you eat and drink to hold yourself accountable.

Nadia came to look forward to exercise and got up early to walk before work; in her view, there is always time for TV, but you have to make time to be active. She still had a few pounds to lose, and progress slowed as she neared her goal, but the weight she had lost stayed off for two years. Her cholesterol and blood sugar improved, her sleep apnea went away, and she could wear whatever she liked. Her most important advice: if you regain weight, just start again, because nothing is beyond undoing.

Daniel: getting in shape with friends

Between work and raising a family, Daniel had no time to exercise or cook healthy meals, and by his mid-40s he had gained 40 pounds, along with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and low energy. Knowing the extra weight raised his risk of problems such as type 2 diabetes, he decided to act.

He started by taking the stairs at work, and was surprised how quickly his blood pressure fell. A photo of himself on Facebook convinced him to lose weight too. He downloaded a phone app to track food and calories and found he was eating more at a single meal than he should in a whole day.

He started a Facebook group called "Let's get in shape together," inviting friends who faced the same struggles and friends who had succeeded. He listed his obstacles and how he would handle each one. Fried food was a big one, so he posted a contract on the group page committing to change.

His eating plan centered on lean protein, beans and other legumes, and vegetables, with unlimited amounts of some vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus and cauliflower, only zero-calorie drinks (water preferred), and one day a week to eat anything he wanted. It fit easily into his life, and it worked. As the weight came off he became more active, working out at the gym and running, and he kept posting his progress. Making it public, he said, made the difference. His view: the tools are out there, the job is to find what works, tackle one challenge at a time, and lean on family and friends, online and off.

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Weight Loss: What Works for Me." https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/articles/weight-loss-stories.html
• The quotations in CDC's article are paraphrased here, apart from the name of Daniel's Facebook group.
• Words on this page from people and organisations outside the federal government are paraphrased; rewritten in hubnx's own words.