PHOENIX -- People who have lost a significant amount of weight and keep it off for years are constantly vigilant about what they consume, rarely overeat for emotional reasons and do about an hour a day of exercise, a new study shows.
"They are doing the behaviors that we know work, and they are doing them every day. They don't give up," says Suzanne Phelan, assistant professor of kinesiology at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. She presented her findings here at the recent meeting of the Obesity Society, an organization of weight-loss researchers and professionals.
Phelan examined the habits of 167 long-term successful dieters. They had dropped an average of 66 pounds, reached a healthy weight and maintained it for an average of 14 years.
She compared them with about 300 obese people who had tried and failed to shed weight. She found that successful dieters:
*Are physically active for about an hour a day, burning about 2,600 calories a week with exercise.
*Do high-intensity activity, such as jogging, aerobics, biking, for about 70 minutes a week.
*Are highly restrained eaters who are always aware of calories.
*Are less likely to binge or overeat for emotional or environmental reasons than obese people.
*Have fewer TVs than heavier people.
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