Study Shows Consistency Is Key When Trying To Lose Weight

by Dr. Brian McDonough

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Is it better to lose weight over along period of time or quickly? The best study to look at this was in the journal The Lancet in which over 200 Australian men and women were put into two groups: a 12-week rapid weight loss or a 36-week gradual program. The goal was a fifteen pound weight loss.  So what did they find out? After the fifteen pound loss, patients in both groups regained about 70 percent of the weight within two and a half years. Ultimately those who were the most successful actually changed elements of their lifestyle, including things like exercising more consistently and making more educated food choices. But for that dramatic return on investment, whether it was a three month diet or a nine month, the results were not all that different. Consistency over even longer periods made the most difference.