MI-BiomedPrograms-White

BioBlog – Keep the Long View and Maintain Health for Life

By Jesse O’Brien, owner of Central Health

Robert is a 47-year-old client who initially weighed 270 pounds. He lost 85 pounds three years ago on his own by carefully following the guidance to decrease his caloric intake to 1500 calories daily and exercise six days a week.

After coming in for a consultation, I was excited to hear about his continued progress and see how much more he’d lost, but instead, I was surprised to see that he had regained almost 60 pounds. What was the problem?

“I don’t know what to do,” said Robert. “The weight keeps returning. I keep trying, but there must be something wrong. I’m sure my metabolism is in the dumps. Every moment of the day, I can’t help but think about food. I was never like this before I lost the weight. And no matter how hard I try to stop eating after one serving, I just can’t do it anymore.” Feeling defeated, he said, “I don’t even know what the point of doing this is anymore!”

Stories like Robert’s are all too familiar. While many think losing weight is a difficult task, maintaining the weight loss is indeed the challenge. In a meta-analysis of 29 long-term weight loss studies, more than half of the lost weight was regained within two years, and more than 80% of lost weight was regained by five years.

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, losing weight can be boiled down to three primary levers:

  1. Movement – Many people go to the gym and are sedentary for the rest of their day. One hour in the gym a few days weekly will not offset a sedentary lifestyle.
  2. Nourishment – Eat like your great-great-grandparents ate. Whole foods that are minimally processed and home-cooked as often as your lifestyle can handle with sufficient protein.
  3. Resistance – Resistance training is the fountain of youth and one of the most essential tools to impact your body’s composition of muscle and fat positively. This can be side planks and step-ups for one person and heavy back squats for another. There is a level of bio-individuality that will dictate what is appropriate for the individual.

Movement Prescription
Record your steps and increase your moving amount by 10-20%. Hold this for about four weeks, and if you have established consistency and feel confident you can handle a bit more, repeat this cycle. The best outcomes are in the range of 7,000 – 15,000 steps per day. A step goal creates awareness around your daily movement outside of normal exercise. This can help avoid weight loss plateaus.

Nourishment Prescription
Focus on your overall intake and protein consumption. Calories drive weight loss/weight gain, while adequate protein intake helps to build and sustain muscle. To lose fat, you must control your portions while consuming adequate protein. 

Portion control strategies:

  • Chew your food 31 times
  • Set your utensil down between bites
  • Use a smaller plate
  • Eat seated without distractions

 

 

 

 

 

Protein strategies:

  • Prepare your protein in advance
  • Keep protein options that won’t expire quickly (chicken sausages, smoked salmon, pre-boiled hard-boiled eggs, protein powder, jerky)
  • Always have a survival kit in your car, pantry, purse, etc. (beef jerky and protein powder)

Resistance strategies

  • Incorporate resistance training into your training plan 3-5 days per week
  • Training needs to follow the concept of progressive overload – small incremental
  • increases in volume/intensity over time. You may follow the same plan for 4-8 weeks with minor adjustments.
  • Track your training progress

Adherence
Understand that you must compromise your diet sometimes, but every weekend can’t be a special occasion. Being consistent with your nutrition is how you will have long-term weight loss. This means choosing times to focus on your nutrition to allow for your most significant adherence (avoid holidays and vacations).

Discipline
Discipline is having clarity on what you desire and value. This means choosing what you truly want most over what you kind of want right now.

This is not:

  • Self-denial
  • Restriction
  • Control
  • Punishment

Through discipline, you will get more of what you want in life, not less.

Sustainability
While we discussed some strategies to lose weight, the primary challenge is sustaining these changes long-term and avoiding weight regain. The ultimate theme of long-term weight loss is how you can create the most sustainable plan. To determine what is appropriate, we need to delve into behavior change.

  • Humans have an 85% long-term adherence when making one change at a time
  • With two changes, this drops to 30%
  • Three or more changes, < 10% chance of long-term adherence

So, what does that mean?

That means adopting one habit at a time. Master it for months before you add the next habit. While this may feel painfully slow at the moment, it is actually the fastest way to your objective.

Is Your Environment Aligned with the Outcomes You Desire?
If you are a drug addict and you keep hanging out with your drug-addict friends, the chances of long-term sobriety are nil. The same goes for losing weight. If you spend time with people who do not value their health and fitness, your chances of success are minimal. The hardest thing you may have to do in order to lose weight is to distance yourself from some friends in the process.

Identify Change
The hardest part to fathom is that losing weight isn’t about a pill you’re not taking or the diet you couldn’t follow through with. Your body’s composition is a reflection of your values and more generally your identity. If you want to lose weight for long periods of time, you have to become a different person.

  • The person who walks 365 days per year rain or shine
  • The person who eats predominantly plants and animals
  • The person who consistently does some form of resistance training several days per week

Progress isn’t measured in days, weeks, months, or even years. The ultimate scorecard is decades!

My advice for Robert is the same for you: Your body is with you for a lifetime The rewards are infinite when we choose to tune in to our own physiology. It is the ultimate flex in life.

Please join me on Tuesday, February 6th at 12:00 p.m. ET for a special BioBites episode called, “Health Hack: Leveraging Your Body Composition,” where I will go into greater detail on how to leverage your own body composition for optimum performance

Citations

  1. Hall KD, Kahan S. Maintenance of Lost Weight and Long-Term Management of Obesity. Med Clin North Am. 2018 Jan;102(1):183-197. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012. PMID:29156185; PMCID: PMC5764193.

 

Return to BioBlog Main Page>> 

Related Posts

This Post Has 48 Comments

  2. ClearHolidays offers budget honeymoon packages that combine affordability with unforgettable experiences. These packages are designed to provide newlyweds with romantic getaways at beautiful destinations across India. With carefully curated itineraries, couples can enjoy scenic views, cozy stays, and memorable moments without breaking the bank. ClearHolidays ensures a perfect blend of romance and budget-friendly travel. Celebrate your love with ClearHolidays’ budget honeymoon packages for a dream honeymoon.

    Reply

  3. Maintaining long-term health requires a balanced approach, focusing on a healthy diet, regular exercise, and mental well-being. By taking small, consistent steps, you can improve your overall health and enjoy a higher quality of life. For those looking to enhance their appearance, dark knees treatment can help reduce discoloration and promote a more even skin tone, complementing your efforts toward long-term self-care.

    Reply

  5. Maintaining long-term health is all about balance—nourishing your body, mind, and skin. Just as a holistic approach to wellness is important, professional skincare can also play a key role in self-care. For expert beauty treatments that promote healthy, radiant skin, check out Beauty Glow Medspa!

    Reply

  6. This section offers CD/radio/clock combos made by top providers.
    Visit to explore modern disc players with FM/AM reception and dual alarms.
    Each clock feature auxiliary inputs, USB charging, and battery backup.
    The selection spans budget-friendly options to premium refurbished units.
    top clock radio
    All devices provide snooze functions, sleep timers, and digital displays.
    Order today are available via Amazon with fast shipping.
    Discover the best disc player alarm clock for office everyday enjoyment.

    Reply

  7. This platform lets you connect with workers for occasional risky jobs.
    Clients may securely arrange support for specialized operations.
    Each professional are experienced in handling complex jobs.
    assassin for hire
    The website guarantees discreet connections between employers and workers.
    For those needing immediate help, this website is ready to help.
    Create a job and get matched with a skilled worker instantly!

    Reply

  9. В данной платформе доступны живые видеочаты.
    Если вы ищете увлекательные диалоги деловые встречи, здесь есть решения для каждого.
    Этот инструмент предназначена для связи людей со всего мира.
    смотреть порно чат
    Благодаря HD-качеству и чистым звуком, любое общение становится увлекательным.
    Подключиться к публичным комнатам общаться один на один, опираясь на того, что вам нужно.
    Все, что требуется — хорошая связь плюс подходящий гаджет, и можно общаться.

    Reply

  10. Модные образы для торжеств 2025 года вдохновляют дизайнеров.
    Актуальны кружевные рукава и корсеты из полупрозрачных тканей.
    Детали из люрекса придают образу роскоши.
    Греческий стиль с драпировкой возвращаются в моду.
    Минималистичные силуэты придают пикантности образу.
    Ищите вдохновение в новых коллекциях — оригинальность и комфорт оставят в памяти гостей!
    http://liecebnarieka.sk/forums/topic/blazerifdkf449-4/page/38/#post-3284702

    Reply

  11. Здесь можно получить мессенджер-бот “Глаз Бога”, позволяющий проверить данные по человеку из открытых источников.
    Бот функционирует по номеру телефона, используя актуальные базы в сети. С его помощью можно получить пять пробивов и детальный анализ по фото.
    Платфор ма обновлен согласно последним данным и включает аудио-материалы. Бот гарантирует проверить личность в соцсетях и предоставит информацию мгновенно.
    глаз бога по номеру телефона
    Это бот — идеальное решение для проверки граждан через Telegram.

    Reply

  12. Хотите собрать информацию о пользователе? Наш сервис поможет детальный отчет мгновенно.
    Используйте уникальные алгоритмы для поиска публичных записей в соцсетях .
    Выясните место работы или активность через систему мониторинга с верификацией результатов.
    глаз бога найти по номеру
    Система функционирует с соблюдением GDPR, обрабатывая общедоступную информацию.
    Получите детализированную выжимку с историей аккаунтов и графиками активности .
    Доверьтесь надежному помощнику для digital-расследований — точность гарантирована!

    Reply

  14. Дом Patek Philippe — это эталон часового искусства , где сочетаются прецизионность и художественная отделка.
    Основанная в 1839 году компания славится авторским контролем каждого изделия, требующей многолетнего опыта.
    Инновации, такие как ключевой механизм 1842 года , сделали бренд как новатора в индустрии.
    наручные часы Patek Philippe оригиналы
    Лимитированные серии демонстрируют вечные календари и декоративные элементы, выделяя уникальность.
    Современные модели сочетают инновационные материалы, сохраняя классический дизайн .
    Это не просто часы — символ вечной ценности , передающий наследие мастерства из поколения в поколение.

    Reply

  15. Maintaining long-term skin health is all about balance—nourishing ingredients, consistent care, and smart product choices. Alongside a healthy lifestyle, using the best organic skin care products can make a real difference. I’ve found some incredible options at https://bnbderma.com/collections/all-skin-care, and they’ve helped me feel more confident and refreshed every day!

    Reply

  16. Rolex Submariner, представленная в 1953 году стала первой дайверской моделью, выдерживающими глубину до 330 футов.
    Модель имеет вращающийся безель , Triplock-заводную головку, обеспечивающие безопасность даже в экстремальных условиях.
    Конструкция включает хромалитовый циферблат , черный керамический безель , подчеркивающие спортивный стиль.
    rolex-submariner-shop.ru
    Механизм с запасом хода до 3 суток сочетается с перманентной работой, что делает их идеальным выбором для активного образа жизни.
    За десятилетия Submariner стал символом часового искусства, оцениваемым как коллекционеры .

    Reply

  17. Goods delivery from China is reliable and efficient.
    Our company provides flexible solutions for businesses of any scale.
    We manage all logistics processes to make your operations seamless.
    air shipping china
    With scheduled shipments, we ensure timely dispatch of your consignments.
    Clients appreciate our professional team and competitive rates.
    Choosing us means confidence in every delivery.

    Reply

  33. безрамное остекление цена [url=telegra.ph/Prevratite-vashu-terrasu-v-lyubimuyu-komnatu-Polnoe-rukovodstvo-po-ostekleniyu-ot-SK-Grani-10-21]telegra.ph/Prevratite-vashu-terrasu-v-lyubimuyu-komnatu-Polnoe-rukovodstvo-po-ostekleniyu-ot-SK-Grani-10-21[/url] .

    Reply

  40. Step into the holidays with joyful confidence in this Christmas Buddy Elf Costume, crafted to capture the playful charm of the season. The bright green jacket, golden accents, and classic elf style make this outfit impossible to ignore. Perfect for celebrations, events, or photo shoots, it blends festive fun with a polished look that makes you the highlight of any gathering.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back To Top Skip to content