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Behavioral Modification

Evidence-based strategies to support lasting lifestyle and behavior changes for improved health.

This is a large topic just on its own, but here are a few tips, just to get started on the road to a successful lifestyle modification.

  • People that lose weight and keep it off keep track of their food consumption and physical activity.
  • Set clear realistic goals for weight loss. We all might want to lose 25, 50, or 100 lbs., but as little as 5-10% loss of your total body weight loss will make real biological change in your physical health. At 10% weight loss blood pressure decreases, blood sugar decreases, people can often look at you and tell you lost weight, and doctors will often have to adjust in your medications due to your improved health. Also, set non scale related weight loss goals. For example, make it a goal to be able to walk around the block 4 times or play for an extended time with your kids without getting winded. These are often more fulfilling goals than the numbers seen on the scale.
  • Behavioral modifications around exercise often are linked to an examination of time spent throughout the day and an evaluation of what adjustments can be made to those behaviors as well as willingness to change those behaviors. For example, do you live in a building with stairs? Can you take the stairs instead of the elevator? Can you park further from the entrance of the store? This is lifestyle exercise. Do you enjoy watching TV or reading? Can you shorten this time and go for a walk? Listen to an audiobook during your walk instead of reading.
  • It is also important to not use food as a reward. If you have a bad day, don’t console yourself with food. If you did well, don’t reward yourself with food. Instead celebrate your success with nonfood rewards. Go to the salon. Treat yourself to a nice book or walk. Don’t see food as “good food” or “bad food”. It’s just food, its fuel, we use it in different ways. Don’t develop excuses or rationalizations for positive or negative behavior, instead counter negative thoughts with positive self-statements.

Created by Kelly Wood MD MSPH Total Body Renewal

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