In the running for a diet? Try to be more tortoise than hare

A “TORTOISE and the hare” approach to weight loss is most likely to succeed in the race to shed the pounds.

A study of 183 people, published in the journal Obesity, found that “hares” who crash dieted their way to slimness lost less weight over two years than “tortoises” who shed a consistent number of pounds each week.

Overweight participants were enrolled into a year-long weight loss programme. Bigger weight fluctuations in the first six and 12 weeks led to poorer weight control two years later.

For example, a person who lost four pounds one week, regained two pounds the next week and then lost one pound a week later, fared worse that someone who shed one pound per week consistently for three weeks.

Prof Michael Lowe, a psychologist from Drexel University, Philadelphia, who led the investigation, said sticking to weight-loss goals was important, even if progress was slow. He said: “Settle on a weight-loss plan that you can maintain week in and week out, even if that means consistently losing three quarters of a pound each week.”