Do Making Habits or Breaking Habits Influence Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance: A Randomised Controlled Trial

INTERVENTION: Intervention 1: '10 Top Tips' aims to increase habitual performance of healthy lifestyle behaviours such as 'Keep a food diary', 'Switch to low fat food', 'Practice portion control' etc. The tips are provided to the participants in the form of a single pamphlet which is provided at baseline. A tracking diary is also provided for record keeping. The intervention period is 12 weeks. Intervention 2: 'Do Something Different' aims to break daily habits and increase behavioural flexibility by assigning participants a different task to perform each day. Examples of these tasks include: 'Take a different route to work', 'Write a short story', 'Wear something you've never worn before' etc. These tasks are emailed or text messaged to the participants depending on their preference. Adherence is not monitored. The intervention period is 9 weeks. No intervention group will receive both interventions. Both interventions explained above will be administered by the principle researcher of this study who is a qualified dietitian. CONDITION: Obesity Overweight PRIMARY OUTCOME: Weight loss maintenance in kilograms at 12‐months from post‐intervention. This outcome will be assessed by the researcher weighing the participants 12 months post intervention using a calibrated seca scale. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Anxiety was measured using the validated tool called "Do Something Different Diagnostics" Behaviours were measured using the validated tool called "Do Something Different Diagnostics" Depression was measured using the validated tool called "Do Something Different Diagnostics" Habits were measured using the validated tool called "Do Something Different Diagnostics" Proportion of participants achieving 5% total body weight loss which will be assessed by the researchers weighing participants using a calibrated seca scale. Waist circumference measured in centimetres with a tape measure. ; Wellbeing was measured using a validated tool called "Do Something Different Diagnostics" INCLUSION CRITERIA: Obese or overweight by BMI classification (equal or greater than 25.0kg/m2) Able to consent for themselves Able to speak English Live on the Gold Coast, QLD Able to access their email and/or phone every day Able to exercise