Losing weight is a difficult task, but maintaining that weight loss can be even more difficult. The idea of keeping the weight off once you've lost it is often overlooked until it becomes a problem. Planning, determination, motivation, dieting, and exercising all play into how successful your weight-loss plan will be, but these extra tips can prevent a relapse and keep you right where you want to be.
Adhering to Your Diet
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Once you've reached your goal weight, finding a diet that works for you isn't always easy because it's more than just a change in nutrition — it's a change in lifestyle. You don't have to run a calorie deficit, but you also don't want to fall victim to temptation. Late-night fast-food runs, a sweet tooth, or the inability to say no to your favorite unhealthy foods can all derail your progress.
The idea is to limit your cravings and access to these foods by establishing some rules. For example, you might get hungry at 11 p.m. and only fast-food places are open. If you make a rule that you can't eat after 8 p.m., you effectively crush the urge and opportunity to eat fast food as a treat, a reward, or a habit.
Tracking Your Calories
You can lose a pound of body fat by burning 3,500 calories, but it's not always simple to track how many calories you're burning. Depending on your age, lifestyle, and gender, the human body burns between 1,800 and 2,400 calories from day-to-day activities. Any exercise on top of that, such as weightlifting, running, or swimming can help you burn more calories and contribute to maintaining your current weight.
That's what makes a calories-burned calculator such an asset. If you're having trouble maintaining weight when you return to a non-weight-loss diet, this calculator can help provide the knowledge you need by showing how many extra calories you burned. It also allows you to see what you put in your body daily, especially on the so-called “reward” days. Without it, you're merely guessing at how effective your weight maintenance program is.
Losing Weight Gradually
Fad diets, late-night infomercials, cleansing products, and pills all promise to help you lose weight quickly in time for a special event or swimsuit season. While these products may work, they wreak havoc on your body and aren't sustainable in the long run. The reason they don't work over time is that they don't teach you proper eating and exercising habits.
When you lose weight gradually, you have effectively changed your behavior — even if you haven't noticed — because you have made it a lifestyle change. This enables you to keep up with your weight-loss program and maintain your weight.
While all these aspects help you maintain weight loss, focus most on the ones that cause you trouble. If you can hit the gym for two hours but can't say no to pizza, place more emphasis and discipline on your diet and less on your workout habits. Once you've determined your strengths and weaknesses and added these key components to your plan, you should keep your weight right where you want it.
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