When you’ve lost weight, it can be easy to be proud of yourself and think you’re done. But now you have to maintain your new body, so that it doesn’t all come back! This guide on how to maintain weight loss will help you stick with your healthy eating habits even after the initial excitement of weight loss has faded away.
Track your progress
You’ve probably heard that maintaining weight loss is a lot harder than losing weight. A study from 2001 found that 45% of people were able to keep off 10% of their weight one year after trying, and only 27% were able to do so five years later. It’s no wonder that so many people feel discouraged or disappointed about losing weight, because keeping it off for good seems impossible. However, there are plenty of things you can do to help ensure your success at maintaining your new, healthier body—and some small changes to your routine may be all it takes. For example: Diet and exercise don't go hand in hand. Exercising regularly won't cancel out a bad diet — and dieting won't cancel out lack of exercise.
Get enough sleep
Sleep deprivation causes intense cravings. If you’re sleep-deprived, your body doesn’t produce enough leptin, which is a hormone that makes you feel full and satisfied. Sleepiness also causes what scientists call sickness behavior, in which your appetite spikes and weight loss becomes secondary to feeling better. To avoid these vicious cycles, get seven to nine hours of sleep every night — or as close to that amount as possible. And remember: when life gets in the way (and it will), be sure to take naps throughout your day so that at least some of your missing sleep comes back quickly; maintaining a consistent sleeping schedule is essential for healthy weight loss maintenance.
Eat small meals
Keeping track of your weight loss will keep you motivated to continue with your healthy eating habits. Research shows that keeping tabs on your weight every day or every week leads to greater weight loss than simply stepping on a scale less often. For example, one study published in JAMA Internal Medicine followed 160 participants who weighed themselves daily and found that those who weighed themselves more frequently lost twice as much weight as those who stepped on a scale once per week. The best way to monitor your progress is to weigh yourself in small amounts throughout each day and track any major changes. For example, if you normally weigh yourself before breakfast, try weighing yourself after lunch or dinner instead so that any dramatic fluctuations are accounted for when tracking total changes.
Reduce alcohol intake
Though alcohol is calorie-free, that doesn’t mean it has no effect on your body. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol can increase your risk for diabetes and also cause you to store fat in your liver. If you are looking to lose weight, cut back on alcohol intake. For maximum health benefits, stick to wine in moderation (2 glasses a week). Beer and liquor should be avoided altogether. Also remember: Mixers are often filled with calories too! Do a shot or two of tequila with some lemon rather than adding cranberry juice into your vodka soda for extra flavor.
Stay away from junk food
Sure, some junk food may taste great, but if you’re trying to maintain your healthy lifestyle, you’ll need to stay away from it. The best way to maintain your health is to eat healthy and that means avoiding junk food as much as possible. If necessary, prepare a separate meal just for yourself. Remember: when on a diet, things like friends and family should come second. Put your health first!
Lower stress levels
Lowering stress levels can help reduce cravings and make healthy eating more manageable. If you feel like stress is taking a toll on your health, learn ways to relax and focus on what’s important to you. This could be finding time to meditate or connect with loved ones, but even small changes like taking some time to go for a walk outside or get more sleep at night can help cut stress out of your life. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle means being able to live comfortably; if that’s something stress is threatening, then cutting back will benefit both your body and mind.
Walk every day
The longer and more frequently you walk, the healthier your lifestyle will be. A study found that overweight people who walked at least 3,000 steps a day lost an average of 12 pounds in 12 weeks without making any other significant changes to their diet or exercise routines. Since then, I’ve become a walking fanatic, averaging about 10,000 steps a day on my fitbit with minimal effort required by me. It’s so easy and convenient to just walk outside (literally my office door is about two miles from where I live). If you want to maintain your healthy weight loss results over time, don’t stop walking after reaching your goal—commit to making it part of your lifestyle.
Take weekly selfies
Your initial goal may be to drop 10 pounds, but in order to maintain that weight loss, you’ll need some sort of accountability. Consider taking a weekly selfie and posting it on social media with your progress. This will keep you accountable for your goals and motivate yourself to stay on track. You may even inspire someone else along the way. Here are four easy ways to stay motivated during a weight-loss journey. When you stay motivated, you stand a much better chance at achieving success.
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