Weight Control

Obesity seems to be more difficult to overcome than either smoking or problem drinking. Fewer than 5 percent of obese individuals successfully lose weight and maintain their new weight, whereas 20 to 25 percent of smokers and alcoholics report success at quitting smoking or alcohol abuse. One problem seems to be an emphasis on "negative change" goals rather than on developing healthy substitute behaviors, for example, concentrating on eating less cheese rather than focusing on eating fruit at snack time.

Another problem in maintaining desired weight is a disregard for either energy intake or energy expenditure. Both decreased caloric intake and increased exercise (caloric expenditure) are normally essential for maintaining desired weight. Disregarding either one dooms most people to failure.

Efforts to control weight can be thwarted by direct attacks on eating behavior rather than on the indirect reasons for the behavior. If a particular cue results in poor eating behavior, it can help to either avoid the cue or learn to react to it differently. The ready access of food and drink and media messages promoting a relationship between happiness and what you consume contribute to the problems people have in trying to change their eating behaviors.

It is important that you work toward your goal gradually in ways that you can accept physiologically and psychologically.