Skip to main content
  • Patient Portal
  • Pay Bill
  • Request Appointment
MCHS_Logo_2024_BLACK
    • Services

      Featured Services

      • Cardiology (Heart)
      • Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Digestive Care)
      • Neurosurgery
      • Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB-GYN)
      • Oncology (Cancer)
      • Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery (Bones)
      • Primary Care
      • Spine Care
      • Sports Medicine
      • Surgery
      • Urology

      View all services
    • Providers
    • Locations

      Minnesota

      • Albert Lea
      • Austin
      • Belle Plaine
      • Blooming Prairie
      • Butterfield
      • Caledonia
      • Cannon Falls
      • Fairmont
      • Faribault
      • Lake City
      • Lake Crystal
      • Mankato
      • Montgomery
      • New Prague
      • Northfield
      • Owatonna
      • Plainview
      • Red Wing
      • Sherburn
      • St. James
      • St. Peter
      • Waseca
      • Waterville
      • Wells
      • Zumbrota

      Wisconsin

      • Arcadia
      • Barron
      • Bloomer
      • Chetek
      • Chippewa Falls
      • Eau Claire
      • Ellsworth
      • Glenwood City
      • Holmen
      • La Crosse
      • Menomonie
      • Mondovi
      • Onalaska
      • Osseo
      • Prairie du Chien
      • Rice Lake
      • Sparta
      • Tomah

      View map
    • Classes/Events
    • Blog
    • Wellness
    • Referrals
    Posted By
    Rhonda Jenson

    Rhonda Jenson

    Weight Management

    Recent Posts

    • Items promoting healthy weight
      Speaking of Health
      Are you ready to change habits to lose weight?
      January 14, 2021
    • Young woman tasting while cooking
      Speaking of Health
      Keep track of bite, lick and taste calories
      June 13, 2019
    • Mike LeDuc
      Patient Stories
      Weight loss, knee surgery have man living active lifestyle
      October 10, 2018
    Featured Topics
    • Behavioral Health
    • Cancer
    • Children's Health (Pediatrics)
    • Exercise and Fitness
    • Heart Health
    • Men's Health
    • Neurosurgery
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Orthopedic Health
    • Weight-loss (Bariatric) Surgery
    • Women's Health
    Join our email newsletter
    Speaking of Health
    Thursday, January 28, 2016

    Weight-loss strategies for success

    Topics in this Post
    • Weight-loss (Bariatric) Surgery
    • Exercise and Fitness

    Woman with hand weight next to healthy foodHave you often asked yourself “Why can’t I keep the weight off?”

    Weight management is a skill; and, like any skill, you need to practice it over and over again. You may be under the misunderstanding that you should be able to “just do it.” That would be like telling someone who wants to play the piano to “just do it” or saying “What do you mean you won’t let me operate on you? I read the ‘Surgery for Dummies’ book.”

    You also may have had obesity behaviors for your entire life. Changing is more difficult than learning a new behavior, because you have to undo the old behaviors. Be tolerant with yourself — skill development takes time and a lot of practice. We often tell our patients that we are looking for progress, not perfection.

    When you look at weight management as a skill, it makes sense that you need to make healthy choices. Two proven strategies include:

    Eating a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, which includes lots of vegetables and fruits; healthy fats, such as olive oil in moderation; small portions of lean meats, such as fish and poultry; and moderate amounts of whole grains. Eating five or more cups of vegetables and fruits a day not only fills you up, but they are packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that help prevent some major diseases and illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

    Exercise is critical for keeping weight off. Research suggests 60 to 90 minutes a day is needed. Find activities and exercises you enjoy, schedule time in your day and make it a priority. Try getting 15 to 30 minutes in before work, take health breaks at work and do something at night before you sit down. Move while you are at your children’s sporting events. Make excuses to move your body through space.

    With regular practice, you will soon change your behaviors, feel better, have more energy, improve your health and manage your weight by creating healthy habits.

    Rhonda Jenson is a weight management educator with Weight Management Services in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

    Topics in this Post
    • Weight-loss (Bariatric) Surgery
    • Exercise and Fitness

    Related Posts

    Wedding food How to watch your weight during wedding season
    Melody6 A new me: Making good habits stick (finally)
    swoboda_sm Bariatric surgery and healthy lifestyle help Chippewa Falls woman lose, keep off weight
    Mayo Clinic Health System
    About Us
    Careers
    Volunteer
    Donate
    Contact Us
    Patient Care
    Patients & Visitors
    Classes & Events
    Mayo Clinic Connect
    Mayo Clinic
    Resources
    For Medical Professionals
    Community Resources
    Financial Assistance
    Price Transparency
    Press Room
    Compliance
    Notice of Nondiscrimination
    Notice of Privacy Practices
    No Surprises Act
    Terms of Use
    Manage Cookie
    Privacy Policy
    © 2018 - 2025 Mayo Clinic Health System