Having a target weight will make it easier for you to plan a diet program. However, you need to know how to maintain weight after weight loss so that it doesn't return to normal.
How to Maintain Weight After Weight Loss
Even if you have succeeded in losing weight, that doesn't mean you can eat mindlessly and stop exercising.
The reason is, you can gain weight again after a diet because you don't try to limit your intake and feel free from a strict diet.
Follow these tips to maintain your ideal body weight after dieting.
1. Create a meal plan
Making a meal plan or food menu that will be consumed is a way to maintain your weight so it doesn't return to normal.
According to the International Journal Of Behavioral Nutrition And Physical Activity (2017), meal plans can help you choose more varied foods.
Keeping a food record also aims to help you control your appetite and identify the number of calories that enter the body.
In addition to writing down the menu, you should record the time you eat, so you can refrain from eating too much.
2. Stay active in sports
Even if your weight is stable and balanced, regular exercise or exercise will help you maintain healthy body weight.
The CDC recommends about 75-150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week for long-term weight maintenance.
There are several types of exercise to maintain body weight and can be adjusted according to your abilities and hobbies.
You can jog, swim, cycle, do aerobics, do yoga, and jump rope.
3. Check the scales regularly
Another way to help control a balanced weight is to regularly weigh yourself.
This can make you fight the urge to overeat or overeat.
How to maintain weight after this diet may be fairly easy. You only need to check your weight regularly once a week.
Check your weight scales in the morning after defecating and before eating.
4. Don't forget to get used to breakfast
Did you know that breakfast is an important factor in preventing weight gain again?
Yes, breakfast can prevent you from having a rumbling stomach and the desire to eat a snack which will actually make it difficult for you to control it.
In addition, a hunger that is left until lunchtime will make you eat more than usual. As a result, the number of incoming calories also increases.
Therefore, breakfast with a nutritious menu is one way to maintain weight after a diet, as well as help you manage your mealtimes properly.
5. Make a healthy lifestyle motivation
There's nothing wrong with motivating yourself to look healthy, fit, and attractive.
That way, you can remind yourself that eating healthy food and exercising diligently is a lifestyle that must always be applied.
The problem of gaining or losing weight is the only bonus you can get from this healthy life.
In addition, maintaining a healthy weight and living can prevent you from the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and other chronic diseases.
6. Ensure fluid needs are met
Meeting fluid needs is one way to maintain weight after dieting.
Having a glass or two before a meal can increase satiety and help you keep your calorie intake under control like you would on a diet.
Quoted from the Journal Of The American Dietetic Association, drinking water before eating can reduce calorie intake by 13%, compared to when not drinking water.
In addition, meeting your fluid needs will prevent you from becoming dehydrated.
7. Avoid staying up late
Adequate sleep can significantly affect weight control.
Lack of sleep causes higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, this hormone works to increase appetite.
Besides, sleeping for a short period of time will only lead to fatigue. This will have an impact on the lack of motivation to exercise and choose healthy foods.
Apply sleep hygiene to help build a habit of sleeping every day.
Sleep at least 7 – 9 hours to control weight and maintain overall health.
8. Manage stress
Managing stress is part of how to lock in weight after dieting.
In fact, according to the journal Current Obesity Report (2018), high-stress levels can contribute to increased weight back.
Stress can increase cortisol levels. Consistently elevated cortisol is associated with higher amounts of lower belly fat, as well as increased appetite and food intake.
Stress is also a common trigger for impulsive eating, which is when you eat even when you're not hungry.
9. Find a support system
How to maintain an ideal body weight after dieting will be easier if you find the right support system.
Having a friend or partner who both wants to adopt a healthy lifestyle will make you even more motivated to maintain your weight.
A study in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine (2015) found that when a person adopts healthy habits, their partner tends to follow suit.
You can invite your friends or friends to exchange healthy food menus and arrange a sports schedule together.
10. Be consistent
Consistency is a way to lock in weight after a diet so it doesn't go up again.
You don't need to start a diet from scratch, but just continue the healthy lifestyle you built while on a diet.
Even though it's not easy because you may not have a weight gain target, it doesn't mean it's impossible to do.
Make up your mind, and rearrange your intention to live a healthier life.
There's nothing wrong with consulting a nutritionist you trust to find out how to maintain the right weight.