According to the American Society for Nutrition, people who lose weight and become satisfied with the number they see on the scale, often take a ‘vacation’ from healthy eating habits and relapse. This doesn’t have to be the case however. How do slim people maintain their weight? There are a few minor adjustments you can make to your daily life that can help those stubborn extra pounds stay off for good.

1)      Don’t eat out as often

The first reason cooking your own meals is a good idea, is because you know EXACTLY what’s going into your food. Even if you order a seemingly healthy dish from a restaurant such as a salad, it is usually stocked full of full-fat dressing, croutons, etc. making your ‘healthy’ meal not-so-healthy after all. Another reason why eating out is an easy way to pack on pounds is because portion sizes served at restaurants are often double or triple the amount you should be consuming at once. When so much food is placed in front of you, it’s easy to continue eating even when you’re satisfied. Seeing as how it is unrealistic to think you’ll never eat at a restaurant again, some easy ways to make sure you’re not consuming more than you should is by splitting an entrée with a friend, ordering a half sized portion if it’s available, or ordering an appetizer for your meal. Studies show that people who use these strategies are 28% more likely to stay slim.

2)      Make exercise your new BFF

Instead of dreading your workout, try thinking of it as your ‘me’ time. Out of all the hours in the day when you’re busy with other people, your time of exercise is solely for your benefit. Furthermore, studies show that people who do a minimum of 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week are twice as likely to keep weight off as those who worked out less. The main reason for this is that the lean muscle tone you build with resistance training helps you burn energy even when you’re at rest.

3)      Strive for five….

.. fruit and veggie servings a day, that is. Experts say loading your plate up with greens not only protects you against a multitude of diseases and sicknesses, it also helps you keep unwanted weight off. Fruits and veggies are low in calories, and high in fibre and water content, making you feel satisfied faster.

4)      Pump up the protein

Rather than getting energy from carb or fat-laden snacks, add protein to your diet. For example, try replacing the yogurt in your fridge with Greek yogurt, which is stocked full of protein. Eating more protein prompts the release of hormones that make you feel fuller. It also doesn’t cause your insulin levels to spike as drastically when compared to other energy sources.

5)      Hop on the scale regularly

According to psychologists, weighing yourself regularly is good for your self-esteem because it positively reinforces your healthy eating habits. Furthermore, it helps you catch small gains before they escalate. If possible, weigh yourself once a day. Studies show that people who did this were 82% more likely to maintain their weight loss than those who unfriended their scales once they initially lost the weight they wanted to.

6) Get a plan

You’re ten times more likely to succeed when you have a plan that you can follow. This is especially true when it comes to exercise. I have you covered with my program that you can do at home, on the road, pretty much anywhere.

Already have an awesome fitness routine? Use my plan when you’re out of town, when you can’t get do your regular routine or just for a change. Your body responds best when you change your routine up anyway.

This entry was posted on June 28, 2012 at 5:32 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Posted in Healthy Eating by Shawna 2 Comments