You have probably heard that “almost nobody keeps the weight off.” The research says otherwise — and it tells us something more useful than any single success story: what the people who succeed actually do.
The people researchers study
The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) follows people who have lost at least 30 pounds (13.6 kg) and kept it off for at least a year. In a 10-year analysis of 2,886 registry members, 78% were women and their average age was 48 — close to the readers of this site (Thomas et al., 2014).
Outside the registry, research suggests that about 1 in 5 people who are overweight succeed at long-term weight loss, defined as losing at least 10% of their starting weight and keeping it off for at least a year (Wing & Phelan, 2005).
Most of them kept it off for a decade
Registry members had lost an average of 31 kg (about 69 pounds). Ten years later they were still keeping off an average of 23 kg (about 51 pounds), and more than 87% were estimated to be maintaining at least a 10% weight loss at years 5 and 10 (Thomas et al., 2014).
What they have in common
- They move a lot — about an hour of physical activity a day, on average (Wing & Phelan, 2005).
- They eat breakfast. In a registry study of 2,959 members, 78% ate breakfast every day of the week; only 4% never did (Wyatt et al., 2002).
- They keep an eye on the scale — they monitor their weight regularly (Wing & Phelan, 2005).
- They eat consistently — a similar eating pattern on weekdays and weekends (Wing & Phelan, 2005).
- They eat a lower-calorie, lower-fat diet (Wing & Phelan, 2005). Worth knowing: the registry began in the 1990s, when low-fat eating was the standard advice.
What predicted regaining the weight
In the 10-year analysis, weight regain was linked to doing less leisure-time physical activity, less dietary restraint, weighing less often, and eating a larger share of calories from fat (Thomas et al., 2014).
It gets easier with time
Maintenance appears to get easier the longer it lasts: after people have kept their weight off for 2 to 5 years, their chance of longer-term success greatly increases (Wing & Phelan, 2005).
What this research doesn’t tell you
These are observational findings from people who volunteered for a registry. They show what successful maintainers do — not proof that each habit causes the success. They also don’t address what is specific to women over 40, such as perimenopause and menopause. For that, see our guides to perimenopause weight loss and menopause weight gain.
Share your story
Have you lost weight after 40 and kept it off? We’d like to hear what worked — and what didn’t. We only publish real stories, with the person’s written permission. Write to us.
Sources
- Thomas JG, Bond DS, Phelan S, Hill JO, Wing RR. Weight-loss maintenance for 10 years in the National Weight Control Registry. Am J Prev Med. 2014;46(1):17–23. PubMed
- Wing RR, Phelan S. Long-term weight loss maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82(1 Suppl):222S–225S. PubMed
- Wyatt HR, Grunwald GK, Mosca CL, Klem ML, Wing RR, Hill JO. Long-term weight loss and breakfast in subjects in the National Weight Control Registry. Obes Res. 2002;10(2):78–82. PubMed
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider before making significant changes to your diet or exercise.
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