Congratulations are definitely in order if you've lost weight. But now what? How are you going to keep it off? The truth is, losing weight isn't nearly as difficult as keeping it off, especially if you return to your old eating habits. In fact, if you're not careful, the weight you lost can come back quite easily, along with a few extra pounds for good measure (or bad!).
7 EASY WAYS TO KEEP OFF THE WEIGHT YOU'VE LOST
Of course, the most important thing to remember is….don't forget! Continue to implement the strategies you used to lose the weight in the first place. Chances are some, if not all of the ideas listed below were initiatives you used during your dieting days. Stick to them and chances are good, you can keep off those pounds you worked so hard to shed for a good long time.
1. Exercise Your Right To Move: Many women find that exercise has become a welcome part of their life. Others don't love it, but exercise anyway. Regular exercise ( at least four days a week) is important for burning calories, so it's good for your body, plus, it's great for your heart.
2. A Fistful Is All the Punch You Need: When it comes to portion control, the general rule is, if it's bigger than your fist, chances are good that your chosen portion is way out of proportion. For most foods a fistful is usually just about the right amount to eat at one sitting. But beware, a fistful of chocolate chips, nuts, fat filled cheeses, etc. is still off limits and too much. Along with portion control, smart food choices still rule!
3. Plan Ahead: Make sure that the cupboards are never bare. Be sure that you have healthy foods on hand at all times on your kitchen shelves as well as the refrigerator. Plan your meals ahead of time so that you aren't tempted to cheat or go off your diet plan of healthy choices.
4. Write it Down: If you haven't been keeping a journal or food diary, start one now. Writing down everything you eat and drink helps keep you in control of your eating. Plus, it's a great way to see when, where and why you eat, which is especially helpful for those times when you eat something you know you shouldn't.
5. Eat Less, More Often: This particular trick is not without its controversy. One school of thought is, to stick to three square meals a day. The other is, eat small meals more times a day. The thinking behind this is that the human digestion machine burns calories just to first up its digestive track, so the more small meals or snacks you eat throughout the day, the more calories you'll burn. There isn't much solid to back this up, but many experts believe that compared to eating very heavy meals a few times a day, smaller, more frequent eating is a more healthful.
6. Don't Skip Breakfast: Don't go hungry. If you skip breakfast, you may end up eating more calories at lunch, or during other times of the day. Eating a healthy breakfast gets you ready for your day. Be sure to cover all the important food groups in the morning with a bit of protein, dairy and whole grain.
7. Hydrate for Health: You've heard it before….now hear it again. Drinking around eight cups of water a day may help burn up 100 extra calories a day. Plus, it fills you up especially when taken before meals, or when you're having those inevitable pangs of hunger. Drinking water also helps your skin and general health. If you don't like plain water, add lemon or lime, whatever it takes to get those 8 glasses in, will work wonders towards keeping you on track.
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