CEO of Indian origin lost 45 kg through “sustainable habits”

He is CEO of Final Mile Consulting, a company specializing in behavioral sciences.

Losing weight is a difficult process that requires more than just exercise. From diet to lifestyle changes, a lot is required to lose weight. A user on LinkedIn recently revealed some unique lifestyle changes that enabled him to lose 45 kg. Ram Prasad, co-founder and CEO of behavioral research firm Final Mile Consulting, described four “sustainable habits” he used to lose weight.

“I lost about 45 kg (100 pounds) and this is not a motivational post. Instead, I write about building sustainable habits. As the co-founder of FinalMile Consulting (A Fractal Company), I have had the opportunity to lead and participate in many projects where we tackled complex behavioral challenges. I have often reflected on the value of these insights in changing my own behavior. At first, I was skeptical about applying these behavioral interventions to myself, mainly because we become too self-aware. However, I decided to put my skepticism aside and give it a try, and the results, at least in one area, have been incredible,” he wrote on the social networking platform.

He then listed and described the four techniques that had helped him. He identified some of the points: “Explore vs. Exploit,” “Traits vs. State,” “Habit Ladder vs. Motivation,” and “Delayed Gratification vs. Willpower.”

Mr Prasad said that once you have established a habit, you should only then switch to another one. This will avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed. The CEO said he spent his time developing routines such as giving up sugar for two months, walking for an hour every day for a year and eating healthy for four to five months.

He also suggests prioritizing “state” over “trait.” According to him, “context and goals significantly influence our behavior.” He also found that people who set clear, “higher” goals were significantly more likely to succeed. “Patients with higher-level goals (such as getting married or going back to work) did much better than those who just wanted to cure tuberculosis,” he said. This allowed him to set more ambitious goals than simply losing weight.

The CEO further noted that delaying awards was not a good idea as it could trigger a breakdown. He always gave in to his needs once a day, even as he was trying to lose weight. “I pushed my cravings to dinner and ate whatever I felt most hungry for that day,” Mr. Prasad wrote.

In his final piece of advice, “Explore vs. Exploit,” he suggested that to find the behavioral incentive strategy that works best for them, people should try different approaches before incorporating it into their daily routine. For example, calorie restriction may be most effective for certain people, while time restriction may be more beneficial for others.

Since it was shared, his post has garnered numerous reactions on social media.

“Great post on so many levels, Ram Prasad – not least because I’m in the process of changing my own habits to achieve a similar result. It’s useful to know what you did and that it took time. What do you think helped you stick with it? Higher-level goals?” wrote one user.

Another added: “I’m going through a similar phase of applying behavioral science mechanisms to myself, Ram Prasad. That’s so nice to hear! 1. Trial and error works over time – many give up too soon. The failures are taken too seriously. 2. The overarching goals seem to be anchors of an identity – a person I want to be and who I feel has these things under control.”

One person shared: “Very insightful, I felt very motivated on my journey to better health!”