Over the past few months, I’ve watched my husband change his eating habits and steadily lose weight, including those pandemic pounds. He’s cut back on his beloved sweet tea, passing up chocolate, and eating fish without drowning it in tartar sauce. He’s notching his belt, and buying clothes in a smaller size.
This all came as a surprise to me, given his long-term struggle with weight gain and high blood pressure. He had a pattern of crash dieting every two years before his physical came due, only to gain back every pound and then some. I worried about him, but I’d pretty much given up. And then, our primary care physician casually mentioned a lifestyle program the practice offered, and my husband agreed to try it. It entails weekly visits, and a modest weight loss of six pound in six months. My husband’s done that and more.
He's not alone in facing the reality that diets often don’t work. Changing lifestyle can be much more effective — if you manage to stick with it. That journey takes honesty, goal setting and vigilance. And if you want to go that route, here’s what to consider as you decide what works best for you:
