Behavior Change Strategies + Social Support: A Scientific Approach to Weight Management*
Breaking bad nutrition and fitness habits can be
complicated. Through constant repetition, they become part of our lives.
Furthermore, when you add pleasure to those unhealthy habits –like how good
pizza tastes– the pleasure centers of the brain will create the craving to repeat that stimulus.
Following a brief, scientifically referenced
discussion of the widely accepted psychological principles of behavior change,
several published studies from third-parties and independent from Herbalife
Nutrition underpin social support in weight management. These studies were held
over varying time periods and with various groups but all suggest that when it
comes to weight management, the combination of two approaches is most likely to
work for substituting bad habits with healthy ones: behavior change strategies
reinforced by social support.
Habits are, essentially, patterns of behavior, so
by tackling a pattern, you are working on breaking the habit itself. Scientific
literature stresses three specific behavior modifications techniques that work
when trying to manage weight:
Self-monitoring
It’s not about accuracy, but about being aware of
what you eat and how much you exercise. Research has consistently demonstrated that
self-monitoring is associated with improved treatment outcomes, and patients
report that it is one of the most helpful tools in weight management.
Stimulus control
Identifying and modifying cues associated with
overeating and inactivity can make it easier to maintain healthy habits.
Controlling cues associated with overeating or a sedentary lifestyle can be
helpful for long-term weight maintenance because exposure to these triggers may cause
weight regain.
Stress management
Stress is a primary trigger for overeating, Deep breathing, muscle
relaxation and meditation are proven stress reduction
techniques and can
reduce distraction from stressful events which can interfere with the adoption
and maintenance of new behaviors.
Social support can make a difference when trying to
lead a healthier and happier life. We know that good habits are tough to
establish, so having a community around you for support, guidance and
encouragement can be critical.
Several independent studies show that higher levels of social support are
associated with greater success in achieving and maintaining weight loss. A key
finding is that groups do not need to be primarily oriented toward weight
management. Peer support can help people to become more self-accepting, develop
interpersonal skills or new ways to manage stressful situations, all of which,
in turn, might help with weight management objectives as a secondary positive
consequence.
It’s also important to note that nowadays, social support comes in different shapes and sizes. It can
be exercising with a friend, joining a supervised attendance program, engaging
on weekly e-mails with tailored feedback and lessons, or even posting regularly
on social media. High online activity, positive votes or likes received per post and
engagement in discussions that might provide social support are associated with
greater weight loss.
While more research is needed in this area, these
initial findings are promising. Whatever the motivation to be in better shape
may be, engaging in a weight management journey entails many positive outcomes,
such as having more energy to be with your loved ones, better overall health
and getting to know like-minded people. That is why this important decision
should be undertaken with discipline, joy and any tool for behavior change that
can be helpful. Remember: no effort is too small or dismissible.
*By: David Heber, M.D., Ph.D.,
F.A.C.P., F.A.S.N. – Chairman, Herbalife Nutrition Institute
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