Losing weight is a goal that millions of people set every New Year, and one that only 20% keep for more than a few months. Once you have started losing weight, it is crucial to think of how to maintain that weight loss in the days and months ahead. It may seem hard to believe, but taking the weight off is the easy part. Maintaining weight loss for good is where the real challenge lies. People lose lots of weight on diets everyday, but 95% of them gain it back because they have focused only on the weight loss. They follow the diet until they get to a particular number on the scale and then shortly after, they go back to the old lifestyle that made them overweight in the first place. Of course, over time the weight comes right back.
The Keys to Maintaining Weight Loss
Exercise: Those who continued on with exercise were much more likely to maintain their loss. Whatever your form of exercise is, just don't stop!
Lose weight slowly: Regainers were more likely to be those who had lost large amounts of weight in short periods of time.
Watch your portion sizes: Just because you reached your goal weight does not mean you can go back to the amount of food you used to eat!
Keep a food journal: It doesn't need to be complex, with every milligram of sugar accounted for. A simple notebook in which food consumed during the day is written down works.
A balanced breakfast is still the most important meal of the day. No other meal has as much impact on keeping your metabolism high than your first meal. Successful dieters find pleasure in their new lifestyle. You need to be creative in your healthy meal preparation, and there are so many resources out there to do so. The Internet, magazines, and TV all have great information.
One of the most difficult parts of any exercise routine is not the exercise. It's staying motivated enough to keep at it week after week. Here are some tips to help out.
Always exercise on Monday. This sets the psychological pattern for the week.
Never skip exercising for two days in a row. You can skip a day, but the next day, you must exercise no matter how inconvenient.
If results are not seen in regular intervals, the willpower to keep exercising will disappear. Consider keeping a fitness journal to track your progress. This can include information such as:
• Current weight/desired weight
• Days of exercise in a given week
• Daily food intake
• Calories burned
• Body measurements (% body fat, chest, waist, etc.)
Another approach is to take a picture of yourself every month or so to track changes in your appearance. This is a great way to have a visual record of how well the program is working. It is very hard to notice the changes in your body when you look for them day to day, but once a month can be very noticeable.
There’s nothing like a personal trainer to keep a person working towards a goal. It is a trainer's job to help a person find the strength to keep going, and he or she can be a good source of inspiration.
Nothing is better than reaching a goal and celebrating. It’s definitely not a good idea to go out and splurge on dinner. A great reward is to grab that new piece of clothing that you have been looking at in the store.
These are just a few of the ways to stay motivated when it comes to a workout routine. Different people have different motivators, but the important thing is to keep at it! Exercising should be a lifelong goal to maintain optimal health. Just be sure to check with a doctor before beginning any routine to make sure the proper one is chosen.
Editor’s note: Mark Miller is the owner of Mark Miller Fitness in Salisbury and has more than 10 years of personal training experience. He specializes in general fitness, weight loss, rehabilitation and highly specific sports performance training programs. He is certified by the American Fitness Professionals Association and will soon be certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.
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