Behavioural Modification for Weight Loss

BEHAVIOURAL MODIFICATION
FOR WEIGHT LOSS
BY - MISS FATIMA KADER
(MSc. Clinical Nutrition and
Dietetics)
Clinical Nutritionist,
Urjaa Homeopathic Centre

For relatively permanent weight
loss solution, one needs to adopt
habits that are conducive to
weight maintenance.
“Habits are difficult to change
but not impossible”
-Ms FATIMA KADER. Clinical Nutritionist , MSc (Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics)

• If your weight loss programme are not
successful in bringing lifestyle change
• The entire efforts put in for weight loss is a
waste
After a
Weight
loss
regime
Gaining
weight all
over again--
 as habits
were not
modified

Specific behavioural modification
strategies include the following:
Self-monitoring
Stress management
Stimulus control
Problem-solving
Contingency management
Cognitive restructuring
Social support

Behaviour modification is an
approach that has been used
successfully to change habits like
o Smoking
o Chronic alcohol consumption
o Overeating
o Stress management
o Exercise

BEGIN WITH IDENTIFYING AND
CATEGORIZING YOUR HABITS

Identify people or situations that
insist or make you perform those
bad habits/eat junk and try and
find out solution to deal with that

• E.g. You may not like
eating sweets and high
calorie food but the
continuous insistence
of a friend or relative
who forces you to do
so is the main reason
for you to consume it.
Then the solution lies
in making them
understand your need
to change.

• Deal with one
habit at a time
begin with the
simplest one first.
• Replace every
habit by another
habit (good habit)
so that you do not
find a lacuna or
an emptiness.

Few examples of habits that favour weight gain,
are:-

Identify those habits that need
immediate attention
Habits with higher
frequency (e.g.
frequent tea
drinking)
Length of time of the
behaviour/habit
(sedentary for long
time/ continuous
sitting at work)
Conspicuous i.e. even
others have noticed
your habit (e.g.
consuming large
portions of sweet)

GOAL
SETTING

• Developing specific and
realistic goals that can be easily
measured
• e.g. walking for 20
minutes, three times per week

Developing a reasonable plan for
reaching those goals
 Check how new changes will fit in existing
living conditions
 Ask these questions- is it possible and
practical to follow?
 If it is possible, start following THE PLAN
 Or else -- is it not possible now but necessary?
Then look for solutions

Making incremental changes
(rather than large changes) to
promote successful experiences
that can be used as a foundation
for additional lifestyle alterationsI have to
lose 20 kg
I have to lose 4 kg
every month , for 5
months

• Include frequent
contact with the
health care
provider
-Ms FATIMA KADER. Clinical Nutritionist
, MSc (Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics)

• The more contact people have
with members of their treatment
team, the longer they maintain
their weight losses.

Encourage using verbal
praise
-Ms FATIMA KADER. Clinical
Nutritionist , MSc (Clinical
Nutrition & Dietetics)

Use motivational strategies
• When motivational
strategies are
utilized in a weight
loss program, a
person has better
attendance, self –
monitoring, and
exercise compliance
skills.

Reward for achieving goals.
o Rewards should revolve around something that
encourages positive behaviour.
o E.g. giving sports equipment as a reward, or a
gym membership may encourage more
physically active behaviour.
o Avoid using food as a reward
-Ms FATIMA KADER. Clinical Nutritionist , MSc (Clinical
Nutrition & Dietetics)

• Develop a social support network
(family, friends and neighbours)
that can encourage healthy eating
and exercise habits
-Ms FATIMA KADER. Clinical Nutritionist ,
MSc (Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics)

• Participants recruited with friends have
increased weight losses over a 10 month
period over those who are recruited alone.

• Daily record of food
intake, which can be
accomplished through a
simple recording of food
intake and activity duration
and type.
• Keeping a food diary shows a
higher success to achieve
weight loss compared to
those who do not record
their food intake.

Fat/Overweight people
believe they eat less
• Overweight people underestimate their
caloric intake by as much as 30 to 40%. Some
underestimations can be as much as 1200
calories per day.
• Maintaining a food and exercise diary helps
track the reality for both the nutritionist and
for yourself.

Attempt to change false beliefs
about weight and body image
to realistic and positive ones
o Expectations are higher than actual results
o A person’s weight loss expectation is mostly
higher than the actual average weight loss
o This reinforces the need to provide realistic
expectations and goals.

Few other points to be considered
 Eating family meals together
 Limiting television/computer/video game time to one to two
hours per day (the strategy of reducing sedentary behaviour can
be more effective than a strategy of promoting physical activity)
 Limiting drinks to water, milk (Skimmed or toned) and a only a
small amount of 100% fruit juice
 Quantify your daily tea/coffee intake e.g. 2 cups per day and
stick to it
 Including fruits and vegetables in your diet also helps to cut
down excessive calorie intake
 Limiting fast food consumption to once per week
 Getting at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day
 Eating a low sugar, low-fat breakfast every day
 Keeping the last meal (Dinner) as light as possible

Behaviour-
modification
techniques will
help you to
redefine your
attitudes and
beliefs about
food as well as
your self-esteem

“You can change your body only
by training your mind to do so”
• This training doesn’t happen overnight
• It requires repetition of act, motivation and
positive stimulus for a long period of time-----
--------------------------Till it becomes a Lifestyle

Behavioural Modification for Weight Loss

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