What are the Best Ways to Maintain Weight Loss?
21-08-2017 | Posted By: Chhavi | 2961 View(s)
Congratulations! You have worked hard, followed the strict diet plan and exercised rigorously and achieved your weight loss goal. But is that enough? No, it’s not. As hard as it is to lose weight, it is even harder to maintain weight loss after you have stopped dieting. Most people fear that they will gain weight once they have stopped dieting. But, don’t get discouraged! Experts say that there are several ways to maintain weight loss that works efficiently!
10 Effective Ways to Maintain Weight Loss
1. Keep Your Weight in Check
One of the convenient and best ways to maintain weight loss is to weigh yourself daily. Many studies suggest that people who check their weight once a day are twice as successful at keeping off weight as compared to those who do not weigh themselves regularly. It is because knowing your weight daily can help you stay aware of your progress and behaviours.
A study found that people who checked their weight six times a day in a week, consumed 300 fewer calories every day than those who weighed themselves less frequently. When you keep your weight in check, it helps you know if you have gained weight or not, which in turn helps you to make a plan to cut calories from your diet to maintain the weight loss. Hence, the bottom line is that you should weigh yourself daily to prevent weight gain.
2. Don’t Skip Exercise
Doing exercise regularly plays a significant role in weight maintenance. Regular exercise helps in burning calories and increase metabolism which in turn aids weight loss. Various studies have found that people who do moderate physical activity for half an hour a day (after they have lost weight) are more likely to maintain their weight than those who do not exercise. So, what does it mean? It simply means that you have to devote at least 30 minutes of your daily time to physical exercise if you want to maintain your weight loss.
3. Eat your Breakfast Every day
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating a healthy breakfast can make you feel energised all day, and it also boosts metabolism. Various researchers suggest that eating a healthy breakfast daily is one of the most common habits of the people who have succeeded in maintaining weight loss. But, this does not mean that you start eating unhealthy food like fries, sugary food and junk food in your breakfast. Your breakfast should be full of healthy food such as Yoghurt, sprouts, oats, milk, fruits and dried fruits.
4.Control Your Cravings
Yes, when you are on a strict diet plan for weight loss; you are not allowed to eat junk food such as Pizza, Burgers, Fries, Noodles, etc. You crave so much to eat your favourite dishes, but you can’t because you have to burn fat. And after you achieve your weight loss goal, you just can’t handle it anymore! The moment you see your favourite foods, you are tempted to eat it. And that is completely acceptable. After all, who does not like to eat those finger-licking pizza and hot dogs? Everybody does! While, it is fine to give your tongue the taste of your favourite meal once in a while, but this should not become a habit, or else you will again start gaining weight. Hence, you must curb your cravings and avoid eating fatty foods as much as you can.
5. Keep Yourself Hydrated
Drinking water helps you feel full and hence is one of the easiest ways to maintain weight loss. Studies show that people who drink water before eating a meal reduce 13% of their calorie intake, compared to those who do not drink water.
Also, drinking water helps in increasing the number of calories you burn throughout the day. So, drink at least 3 litres of water every day. Sounds simple right? Well, this can be the easiest way for you to burn calories and maintain your weight loss.
6.Sleep Like a Baby
There is a strong connection between sleep deprivation and weight gain. When we do not get proper sleep, the level of ghrelin increases in our body. ‘Ghrelin’ is a hunger hormone that increases our appetite and then we start eating more than we should, which in turn leads to weight gain. Additionally, when we sleep less, we feel tired and exhausted. We do not feel energetic, nor do we feel motivated to make healthy food choices and do exercise, and hence, we start gaining weight. Thus, one of the best ways to maintain weight loss is getting at least seven hours of sleep every night.
7.Practice the 80/20 Rule
Experts say that following the 80/20 rule can also help you in maintaining your weight loss. According to the 80/20 rule, you should eat whole foods 80% of the time, and the rest 20% of the time you can allow yourself to enjoy your favourite dishes. This proper balance in the diet helps you to stay in shape and also lets you fill your stomach with finger-licking foods.
8. Add Dairy Products to Your Diet
Many people think that including dairy food in their diet can make them put on weight. But, several studies have shown that dairy food, if taken in a moderate amount can help us keep off the weight. According to a study, including three servings of low-fat dairy, a day can help you maintain your weight loss.
9.Focus While You Eat
One of the best ways to maintain the weight loss is practising mindful eating. This includes focusing on what you are eating, listening to your mouth, teeth and tongue while you chew the food and paying full attention during the eating process.
If you want to maintain the weight you have lost, you must eat without any distractions. Put away your phone, do not watch TV and do not talk to anyone while you are eating. Chew your food slowly and with every bite that you take, feel the aroma and taste of your meal. When we do not focus on our food while we eat, we do not feel full, and as a result, we overeat. Studies show that mindful eating target and prevent unhealthy behaviours that are commonly associated with weight gain, and hence you must focus on your meals to keep your body in shape!
10. Stay Away from Stress
High-stress levels are linked with weight gain. It is because when we take the stress, our body releases a hormone called cortisol, and high levels of cortisol in the body increase the appetite which in turn leads to weight gain. Additionally, when we take too much stress, we tend to eat a lot even when we are not hungry to combat negative thoughts. So, to maintain your weight loss; you must keep your stress level down. And how to do that? You can try yoga, deep breathing and meditation to beat stress effectively. You can even focus on your hobbies, talk to a friend or seek the advice of a medical expert to manage your stress.
So, now that you have successfully lost weight; follow these simple tips to maintain your weight loss and stay fit and healthy always!
