The 10 Best Ways To Maintain Weight Loss
Unfortunately, many people who lose weight end up gaining it back. In fact, only about 20% of dieters end up keeping the weight off in the long term.
However, don't let this discourage you. There are a number of scientifically proven ways you can keep the weight off, ranging from exercising to controlling stress. These 10 strategies might be just what you need to tip the statistics in your favour and maintain your hard-won weight loss.
1. Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise plays an important role in weight maintenance. It may help you burn off some extra calories and increase your metabolism, which are two factors needed to achieve energy balance. Exercising for at least 30 minutes per day may promote weight maintenance by helping balance your calories in and calories burned.
2. Don't Skip Breakfast
Breakfast eaters tend to have healthier habits overall, such as exercising more and consuming more fibre and micronutrients. Furthermore, eating breakfast is one of the most common behaviors reported by individuals who are successful at maintaining weight loss.
3. Eat Lots of Protein
Eating a lot of protein may help you maintain your weight, since protein can help reduce appetite and promote fullness. Protein increases levels of certain hormones in the body that induce satiety and are important for weight regulation. Protein has also been shown to reduce levels of hormones that increase hunger.
4. Weigh Yourself Regularly
Monitoring your weight by stepping on the scale on a regular basis may be a helpful tool for weight maintenance. This is because it can make you aware of your progress and encourage weight control behaviors.
5. Be Mindful of Your Carb Intake
Weight maintenance may be easier to accomplish if you pay attention to the types and amounts of carbs that you eat. Eating too many refined carbs, such as white bread, white pasta and fruit juices, can be detrimental to your weight maintenance goals. These foods have been stripped of their natural fibre, which is necessary to promote fullness. Diets that are low in fibre are associated with weight gain and obesity.
6. Be Prepared for Setbacks
Setbacks are inevitable on your weight maintenance journey. There may be times when you give in to an unhealthy craving or skip a workout. However, the occasional slip up doesn't mean you should throw your goals out the window. Simply move on and follow through with better choices. It can also help to plan ahead for situations that you know will make healthy eating challenging, such as an upcoming r holiday.
7. Stay Hydrated
Drinking water is helpful for weight maintenance for a few reasons. For starters, it promotes fullness and may help you keep your calorie intake in check if you drink a glass or two before meals. Additionally, drinking water has been shown to slightly increase the number of calories you burn throughout the day.
8. Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep significantly affects weight control. This is partly due to the fact that inadequate sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin, which is known as the hunger hormone because it increases appetite. Moreover, poor sleepers tend to have lower levels of leptin, which is a hormone necessary for appetite control.
9. Control Stress Levels
Managing stress is an important part of controlling your weight. In fact, high stress levels can contribute to weight regain by increasing levels of cortisol, which is a hormone released in response to stress. Consistently elevated cortisol is linked to higher amounts of belly fat, as well as increased appetite and food intake. Stress is also a common trigger for impulsive eating.
10. Eat Plenty of Vegetables
Several studies link high vegetable intake to better weight control. For starters, vegetables are low in calories. You can eat large portions without putting on weight, while still consuming an impressive amount of nutrients. Also, vegetables are high in fibre, which increases feelings of fullness and may automatically reduce the number of calories that you eat during the day.