Healthy Eating and Exercise Tips for Weight Management

After reaching your target weight, it is easy to fall back into old habits. If you revert back to your old eating and exercise routine, eventually your weight will start creeping back up. A few adjustments can help you maintain the ideal weight that you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Most dieters are ready to put away the dreaded scale immediately after reaching their target, but weighing yourself regularly will allow you to monitor any fluctuations. Weigh yourself weekly and under the same circumstance to get the most accurate measurement. Also keep in mind that your weight can gravitate several pounds in either direction. If the scale says you have gained three pounds in a single week, most likely it is water weight, not three pounds of fat.

Make sure you increase your calorie intake gradually. If you had been restricting your calories to lose weight, your body has become accustomed to the reduced daily intake. Add 50 to 100 calories per week to the amount you had previously allowed yourself until you reach a balance between your intake and activity level.

Examine the habits that caused your weight to creep up unnoticed and how you replaced or addressed them. For example, if you replaced your afternoon chocolate binge with a healthy low calorie snack, continue the new tradition. If you have switched to low fat frozen yogurt as opposed to full fat ice cream, don’t revert back. These minor adjustments will keep you from returning to your original weight.

This is not to say you should always deprive yourself of the foods you once enjoyed. High calorie meals or snacks loaded with sugars should be treats instead of a daily part of your diet. Try to balance your intake. If you know that the weekend will bring some festivity revolved around food, restrict your intake slightly for the preceding days and try to squeeze in another work out. Also, do not gorge yourself; simply enjoy a moderate portion and continue with your healthy eating habits.

Even after the diet has ended, continue drinking water and incorporating protein into your meals. Water allows your body to function properly and acts as an internal cleanser. A 2004 article in the International Journal Obesity remarked how even a slight increase of protein when trying to maintain healthy weight resulted in a 50% decreased chance of weight gain.

Exercise was most likely a vital component of your weight loss plan. Continuing to exercise will keep your metabolism up and your weight down. Instead of the cardio activities you engaged in to lose the weight, perform strength exercises to build muscle. Muscle burns calories continuously whereas fat burns nothing. Doing more repetitions with lighter weights will develop lean muscles that will enhance the appeal of your slimmer weight.

If you fear that you may immediately revert back to the old habits that caused your weight gain, continue with the support you received during your diet. It is easier to maintain your weight when you surround yourself with others who are in your same position.

These guidelines will allow you to enjoy your weight loss success and not have to suffer through the pain of dieting again.