Losing weight is only half the battle. Anyone who’s tried to shed pounds in the past knows that the other half of the battle is keeping it off. Here’s how to keep weight off forever so you can enjoy an active, energy-filled, and healthier life.
7 Tips for Forever Weight Loss:
#1 Don’t diet. Change your lifestyle.
Diet for weight loss has often implied taking temporary measures: eating salads for a few months before a beach vacation or cutting out all carbs for a couple of weeks to look slim for a reunion. But forever weight loss means adopting an entirely different mindset that incorporates positive changes into your daily routine. Avoid overly-sugared, overly-salted processed foods. Eat properly portioned meals that are heavy on fruits, veggies, and lean meats. To learn more, check out 7 Simple Steps to Eat Clean. Brush up on how much to put on your plate with What is a Portion Size?
#2 Find exercise you enjoy.
If you hate running but force yourself to do it for weight loss, there’s a pretty high chance you’ll stop doing it. Make sweating fun. Do you gravitate toward activities like yoga? Make moderate-intensity yoga your go-to exercise. Are you a social animal? Join a gym, or find a friend who will sweat it out with you. Or grab your honey and enjoy this Couple Time Circuit workout.
#3 Try new things.
To keep the weight off, expect to exercise for the rest of your life. Keep boredom at bay by trying new things: take a class in the latest fitness craze or tag along during a friend’s workout. Have you ever tried kettle bells? Give them a go with our 4 Minute Kettle Bell Fat Blaster workout. Spicing up an exercise routine with new moves will not only keep your brain from being bored, it will also keep your muscles from being bored, too.
#4 Adjust to changes.
Life happens. You might find work schedules have changed or your child develops a serious food allergy. Anything can force you to reexamine how you eat and exercise. The most important thing is that you don’t give up. Find a way around the challenge so you can continue to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.
#5 Learn how to eat out.
It’s a common snag: we eat super-healthy at home but find ourselves pigging out when we’re with friends or at a restaurant. Or, sometimes, the anxiety of figuring out what we can or can’t eat prevents us from going out at all. If you’ve been eating healthy at home, you already have a basic understanding of what kinds of foods are best—it’s just a matter of brushing up on eating out tips. Find more in 5 Ways to Eat Healthy When You’re Eating Out.
#6 Be strong.
Peer pressure isn’t just a problem for middle school kids. Many of us have felt the pressure to have one more slice, one more helping, or one more drink. We know it’s not good for us, but we sometimes give in anyway—and then feel like crud afterwards. Instead of giving in, politely say “No, thanks.” You don’t owe anyone (no, not even grandma!) an explanation for your food choices. You are the person in control of your health—not anyone else.
#7 Don’t deny yourself.
You only have one life. So enjoy eating by choosing tasty, healthful foods and indulging in smart portions of treats. Sink your sweet tooth into this Skinny Mini Strawberry Cheesecake or Skinny Mini Banana Pudding.
Make healthy living a lifestyle and you can keep the weight off for good.
