8 ways to maintain weight loss after dieting

After intense months of dieting and making sacrifices, you reached the size you wanted. But now, you face a disturbing challenge : how can I keep the weight off? Will I have a rebound effect? ​​Should I be on a diet forever?

Studies confirm that most people who lose weight regain it, and can even gain up to double the pounds they lost , which means that the secret is not in the diet, but in knowing how to maintain it. in the time.

You must be careful, because so-called fad diets can create temporary eating patterns with short-lived results. And if you slip back into your old eating habits, you'll have to go back to the beginning of the journey.

Why do we regain the weight we lost?

There are three main reasons why you tend to gain weight after a weight loss diet plan.

The good news is that there are several healthy, scientifically proven strategies that can help you in your effort to maintain your new figure.

How to maintain the weight lost after dieting?

It is proven that to maintain your ideal weight, in the long term, the key is to establish a plan to maintain healthy eating, rest and exercise habits.

If you take responsibility and develop new healthy behaviors, your victory will be lasting.

1. Follow a healthy and realistic eating pattern: If you choose a healthy lifestyle, your challenge will be to consolidate the positive eating habits you adopt in the process of eliminating a few pounds.

Studies conducted on people who lost weight and kept it off for at least a year show that the majority continued eating a low-calorie diet, compared to what they ate before going on a diet.

What is the way to achieve it? I recommend the following:

2. Keep your eating patterns consistent: Follow your plan, regardless of changes in your routine. Plan carefully in advance for weekends, holidays and special occasions. This way, you can have healthy foods on hand when you share with friends and family.

3. Practice physical activity every day: Those who have lost weight and kept it off generally spend 30 minutes exercising at moderate intensity almost every day of the week.

For example, walking at a brisk pace in the morning, at lunchtime, or at night. Some people may need to consult with their doctor before choosing the type and level of physical activity that is best for them. Limit downtime and intersperse moments of movement

4. Take care of your sleep and make sure it is deep: clinical studies have proven that adequate, quality sleep offers a greater chance of maintaining your body weight. Therefore, it is extremely important that you comply with your rest hours. Remember that you should sleep between 7 and 8 hours a day.

If you have trouble sleeping or suffer from insomnia, we give you the perfect formula to sleep all night

5. Keep a diary to monitor your diet and physical activity so you can track your progress and identify your trends. For example, you may notice that your weight increases during periods when you work overtime.

Recognizing this will make you correct and opt for different behaviors, such as taking your healthy foods with you and taking breaks to do some exercise at the office.

6. Control and monitor your weight: it is important that you do regular monitoring to control the weight lost. This way, you can quickly correct your exercise and eating plan as needed. Set a warning weight, such as, “no more than 3 pounds.” If the scale increases, review what may have changed in your habits and take back control.

7. Control eating for emotional reasons: there are triggers such as stress, depression, sadness and happy situations such as parties, celebrations or going out to eat with friends, in which you can overeat. Make a plan to reduce your risk, especially controlling the emotions that drive you to eat more. You can exercise, read, take a walk or meditate.

8. Seek support from family, friends, and others : Studies indicate that those who manage to maintain their weight loss often rely on the support of others to stay on track and overcome obstacles. Having a friend or partner who is also losing weight or trying to maintain their new size can help you stay motivated.

Remember that achieving and maintaining your ideal weight not only has benefits for your figure.

Your health will also improve, your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, your blood pressure may normalize, you will have less stress on your bones and joints, and your heart will do less work.

But this requires your maximum effort and a lot of commitment. Of course you can do it, with a combination of habit changes in your life, diet and physical activity.

And keep in mind that if you fall back into your old habits, it doesn't mean the battle is lost.

Try to determine what caused your relapse and find another way to cope. Refocus on your eating plan, get plenty of rest, and exercise.