Weight loss is a difficult process that involves more than just physical activity. From diet to lifestyle adjustments, there is a lot that goes into losing weight. A user on LinkedIn recently revealed some unique lifestyle adjustments that enabled him to lose 45 kgs. Co-founder and CEO of the behavioural science solutions company Final Mile Consulting, Ram Prasad, described four "sustainable habits" he used to lose weight.
"I lost about 45 kg (100 lbs), and this isn't a motivational post. Instead, I write about building sustainable habits. As a co-founder of FinalMile Consulting (A Fractal Company), I had the opportunity to lead and participate in many projects, where we tackled complex behavioural challenges. I often pondered the value of these learnings in changing my own behaviour. Initially, I was skeptical about using these behavioural interventions on myself, largely because we become too conscious about it. However, I decided to suspend my skepticism and gave it a try, and the results, at least in one area, have been incredible," he wrote on the social networking platform.
Then he listed and described the four techniques that had been helpful to him. He identified some of the points: "Explore vs. Exploit," "Traits vs. State," "Habit Laddering Vs motivation," and "Deferring Rewards vs. Willpower."
Mr Prasad said once you have established one habit, only then you should switch to another. By this, the feeling of overwhelming is avoided. The CEO said he spent his time forming routines such as cutting out sugar from the diet for two months, going for daily walks of an hour for a year, and eating clean for four to five months.
He also suggests prioritising "state" over "trait." According to him, "context and goals significantly influence our behaviour." He also noted that individuals who set clear, "higher" goals had a significantly higher chance of success. "Patients with higher-order goals (e.g., getting married or returning to work) did much better than those just aiming to cure TB," he said. This allowed him to set more ambitious objectives than simply losing weight.
The CEO further remarked that delaying awards is not a good idea since it can trigger a breakdown. He always gave in to his needs once a day even though he tried to reduce weight. "I deferred cravings until dinner and ate what I craved most that day," Mr Prasad wrote.
In his final piece of advice, "Explore vs. Exploit," he suggested that to find the behavioural incentive strategy that works best for people, they should test out various approaches before incorporating it into their daily routine. For example, calorie restriction may be most effective for certain individuals, while time restriction may be more beneficial for others.
Since being shared, his post has amassed a lot of reactions on social media.
"A great post on so many levels, Ram Prasad - not least because I am about to re-intervene on my own habits for a similar outcome. Useful to know what you did and that it took time. What do you think has helped you sustain /persist? Higher-order goals?" wrote a user.
Another added, "I'm going through a similar phase of applying behavioural science mechanisms on myself Ram Prasad. So good to hear this! 1. Trial and error does work over time - many give up too soon. The failures are taken too seriously. 2. The higher order goals seem like anchors to an identity - a person I want to be and feel like has these things sorted."
A person shared, "Very insightful, I felt very motivated in my health journey!"
