An important part of weight loss or maintenance includes lifestyle and behavioral changes. An article on the American Psychological Association’s website listed a few behavioral changes that can be made to aid in meeting weight management goals.

The insight was provided by David Sarwer, PhD, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at the College of Public Health at Temple University, Amy Walters, PhD, a clinical health psychologist and the director of Behavioral Health Services for St. Luke’s Humphreys Diabetes Center, and Rebecca Puhl, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity.

These include the following:

Start with modest goals: When people make small changes, they’re more likely to succeed. Those successes give people the confidence to set more goals.

Establish new routines: Disruptions to routines during the pandemic contributed to weight gain. Creating new schedules is important for establishing healthy habits.

Create an environment for success: In a home full of junk food, snacks are nearly impossible to resist. Walters suggested removing processed foods and sweets from the kitchen and replacing them with healthy snacks that are prepped and ready to grab when hunger strikes.

Track yourself: ‘The more people self-monitor their behaviors, the more weight they lose over time,” said Sarwer. That monitoring can be in the form of a handwritten paper log or digital apps to help track food intake and physical activity.

Emphasize health, not weight: “Focusing on nutrition, activity, sleep and screen time can take some of the stigma away from talking about weight or body mass index,” Puhl said.

Make it a family affair: APA’s Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Obesity and Overweight in Children and Adolescents recommends family-based multicomponent behavioral interventions.

For more information, visit www.apa.org.

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