To lose weight, follow these habits

Healthy eating habits, physical activity, and improved lifestyle. This triad is almost a cliché among specialists when the subject is weight loss. Therefore, the obvious matter that needs discussing is: if the vast majority of people are aware of what needs to be done, then why many of them can’t loose their extra pounds?

Leaving aside the metabolic complexity which involves weight loss and the catches that still exist when the subject is feeding and exercising, some researchers have dedicated themselves on trying to understand the mechanisms that influence on the adherence to a healthier lifestyle.

In a recent research, the authors analyzed the cognitive and facultative functions to discover which would be the common characteristics among the people who actually lost weight and stayed lean.

Researchers found out that these people have three fundamental characteristics that, translating to a simple language, would be:

1. Learning and Knowledge
Upon analyzing the knowledge that the individuals had about feeding and exercising, the researchers realized that the people who were successful in losing weight were more interested in learning about the subjects. In other words, they revealed that, in order to ditch the extra pounds, you need to be informed and curious about the theme, since the old idea of following a step-by-step list of diet and training isn’t that effective anymore. You need to understand about the subject to be able to take smart decisions.

2. Planning and Organizing
People who can plan and organize their day are more successful in losing weight. This includes nothing more than the organization of what you eat and when you exercise. Simple attitudes, as going to the supermarket at the beginning of the week, organizing the snacks for the next day, and saving a specific time for exercising are of great help during this process.

3. Control
Like almost everything in our lives, weight reduction and maintenance need to be controlled. Individuals who use control mechanisms are more successful when the subject is weight loss. Such mechanisms may vary in very simple manners, going from the periodic measurement of waist circumference and control of body mass through a scale, to some more complex ones, such as electrical bioimpedance and skinfold-body-composition-analysis. You got to be in control!