Those familiar with The Anderson Method know that it’s a program of training in behavioral methods to “install” the habits that make people lose weight “on automatic” by employing behavioral reprogramming techniques. What are the habits we want to install?
The National Weight Control Registry
When I first set out to create my program, I studied the work of researchers at Brown University who were becoming known as experts in weight loss research. They were studying people who were successful at losing weight and keeping it off and they developed a huge body of knowledge about how they did it. This was immensely valuable because rather than being someone’s idea of what they thought should work, this was a collection of information about what actually did work. I structured my training to model the behaviors of success, added techniques from behavioral psychology and was successful at solving my own weight problem. I then went on to become one of their study subjects and then to start helping others. The result was The Anderson Method.
The researchers at Brown went on to become the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) now the largest and oldest longitudinal study of weight loss success in the world. It now has 10,000 study subjects and has been in existence almost as long as I’ve maintained my weight loss success, 30 years. I and many of my clients and readers (it’s all voluntary) are among those they study!
Here’s some interesting info about people who have been successful at permanent weight loss, regardless of the methods they used.
From the NWCR:
“There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.
78% eat breakfast every day.
75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
We have also started to learn about how the weight loss was accomplished: 45% of registry participants lost the weight on their own and the other 55% lost weight with the help of some type of program. 98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight. 94% increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking.”
My program has evolved in to a comprehensive training program where the client takes a small step at a time, starting with a phone call to set up a consultation. One thing leads to another in a format designed to teach, train and coach without overwhelming.
My book explains what clients learn and has helped many to succeed, even without the one-on-one training.
Explore all the pages and articles on this website and I encourage you to get my book or call one of my therapists if you want to get going on solving your weight problem.
Bill Anderson
