How to Maintain Your Weight after Dieting Keep It Off

Losing weight can be difficult. Keeping it off can be even more difficult. Lots of people exercise lots of self-control and determination while they’re losing weight, get down to their weight goal, and then put the pounds right back on after they’ve achieved their goal. Then they have to go on another diet and lose the weight again. The cycle can be frustrating and unhealthy.

It’s important to remember that the basic rule of weight loss is to decrease your caloric intake to a level that is less than your caloric expenditures. If you are burning more calories than you are eating, you will lose weight. Likewise, if you’re burning approximately as many calories as you’re eating, you will remain at the same weight. After you get down to your ideal weight, the key is not to revert back to your original habits and tendencies. These were the same habits and tendencies that made you want to shed some pounds in the first place.

Before you went on a diet, you were unhappy with your weight. When you went on a diet, you lost weight, and you were happy with your weight. It stands to reason that many of the practices you employed while you were losing weight are ones that will be healthy even after you’ve lost the weight. For instance, if exercise was an important part of your weight loss regimen, don’t stop exercising once you’ve reached your desired weight. Exercise improves metabolism which helps you burn calories faster. Remember, you’re trying to keep your caloric intake even with your caloric expenditures.

Eat foods (or continue to eat foods) that are high in fiber. Fiber helps your body process the food you eat quickly and effectively. It is also a great alternative to the fats, sugars, and carbohydrates that might have been a larger part of your diet before you started eating healthier. Also, avoid too much sodium. Having too much sodium in your system makes you retain water, which will deceptively inflate your weight and frustrate you.

Finally, make sure your habits aren’t exactly the same as they were while you were dieting. Remember, you had a negative net caloric intake when you were dieting. When you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight, you want a net caloric intake of zero. One easy way to do this is to keep your meals the same, but add a small, healthy snack between meals. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and low-sodium crackers are great snacks that will up your overall caloric intake just a little bit, allowing you to maintain that optimal weight you worked so hard to achieve.