5 habits of people who lose weight and keep it off

The key to staying at a healthy weight is to reinforce healthy habits. You’ve been successful at losing weight and now the real work sets in – keeping it off.  Maintaining a healthy body weight is a major part of getting and staying healthy.  When we gain excess weight not only is it uncomfortable but it can lead to major chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and even some forms of cancer.

To sustain the momentum of keeping the pounds off you managed to lose, there are certain habits that must be done daily to continue on the path towards living your best life yet.  Here are 5 daily habits that if practiced consistently and regularly, will help you be a weight loss winner in effectively keeping weight off in a realistic and healthy way:

1.     Keep tempting foods out of the house

Why tempt fate?  If you think about it, part of the reason why you gained to begin with was due to tempting foods and admit it, they weren’t celery sticks.  This is where you need to replace those not-so-healthy foods such as cookies, cakes, sugary beverages, and chips, and replace them instead with healthier substitutes.  Always have fresh fruit and veggies on hand, buy whole wheat bread, or have nuts like almonds and walnuts available as a pick-me-up snack.

When you clear your home of tempting foods and beverages, everything falls into place helping keep you on track of eating foods of superior nutritional value which is kinder to your waist line.

2.     Everyday be physically active

One of the top ways to get in shape and then to maintain staying that way is to exercise.  Here’s a secret – you don’t have to spend hours achieving the benefits exercise provides.  Ideally at least 30 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous exercise can accomplish what you need.  Physical activity comes in many forms and can be done in short bursts – 10-minutes increments spread throughout the day will do a world of good for you and your body.

3.     Eat consistent, regular well-balanced meals

Yes, this is easier said than done but very essential towards aspiring of getting the body you want.  Skipping meals is not your friend and can backfire by slowing down your metabolism setting you up for excess storage of fat when you do finally eat during the day.  By having a breakfast, lunch and dinner, this aids your body in keeping blood sugar in check, reduces cravings, and helps decrease overeating or choosing unhealthy food choices.

Well-balanced meals are defined as having a wide variety of foods at each meal.  Have a food source of protein, a vegetable, fruit and whole grain.  Add in dairy in the form of yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese or milk.  Remember, one food, meal or snack does not make or break a healthy diet – it’s the balance of food groups over time that counts.  The focus of healthy eating should reflect the overall pattern of food eaten each day.  Place less emphasis on foods to avoid and more emphasis on foods to add for health and vitality for the rest of your life.

4.     Have a good support system

We all can use some support in our lives.  Eating healthy and maintaining a healthy body weight is no different.  When we surround ourselves with social support, this goes a long way in achieving our weight loss goals.  Have a supportive family member or friend who can help you become resilient in weight management and you have the key to being successful. 

Name at least one person who will:

·      Be there for you when you are tempted by high-calorie food

·      Talk you out of stopping at a drive-thru fast food window on the way home from work

·      Encourage you to keep working out when you don’t feel like moving a muscle

·      Cheer you on when you are successful in keeping the weight off

5.     Be a planner not a procrastinator

All good ideas need a plan.  Once weight loss has occurred, you need a plan to keep it off.  For many, when the weight comes creeping back on, one reason can be because there was no structure or plan in place on how to keep it off.  When you plan your meals and snacks, there is less chance for overeating.  When you plan to exercise, there is less chance you will find an excuse not to. When you plan before you go to the grocery store to buy food, there is less chance you will end up with a grocery cart overflowing with chips, soda, boxed meals or salty snacks. 

It’s when we don’t plan ahead that we become a fish out of water.  We find ourselves flopping around trying to figure out what to do when the answer is make a plan and then stick to it.