If you’re one of the millions of Americans who’ve lost weight, and have gained it all back (and maybe even a few extra pounds too), you already know that the toughest part of weight management, is maintenance.
In fact, up to 95 percent of all dieters are unable to keep their weight stable after shedding unwanted pounds, and these so-called ‘failures’ can really take a toll on your physical and emotional health.
So, what about the 5 percent of dieters who manage to beat the odds and maintain their weight loss in the long run?
Researchers have identified many factors that impact weight regain after dieting, including:
Eating A Consistent Diet
Dieters who kept eating the same types and quantities of food once they hit the maintenance stage of their weight loss program achieved better long-term control over their weight than dieters who ‘fell off the wagon’ on a consistent basis.
This means that once you’ve discovered a healthy eating plan that works for you, it’s important to stick with it, otherwise, falling back into your old habits will leave you reaching for your fat pants again.
Control Over Emotional Eating
If you tend to turn to food when life gets stressful, finding alternative ways to cope with tough times is key to maintaining a healthy weight. Instead of turning to the snack drawer when you’re feeling anxious, bored, or angry, try taking a walk, riding your bike, or giving a friend a call.
Rebound from Relapses
When it comes to maintaining a healthy body weight, nobody’s perfect. Even hard-core dieters slip up from time to time, but what sets the successful weight maintainers apart is their ability to recover quickly when they’ve re-gained a few pounds.
Keeping close tabs on your weight with weekly weigh-ins will help you spot any unwanted weight gain right away, giving you the chance to tweak your eating and exercise plan before things get out of control.
These are just a few suggestions to maintain a healthy weight. It’s important to know your body and stick to what works for you.
All content and information are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for the advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment by a qualified medical practitioner.
Before starting any diet or exercise regimen, check with your physician to see what’s best for you.
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