How to Maintain Weight Loss
by Victoria

Once you have started losing weight, it is crucial to think of how to maintain that weight loss in the days 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. If you are like me, you have tried countless diets only to gain the weight back. 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 truth is, almost everyone can lose weight but only 5% keep it off. These are the Weight Loss Registry's figures, not mine. The WLR followed highly successful dieters and came up with seven reasons why people were able to keep the weight off. Here are the seven reasons the dieters were successful

The dieters accepted failure and kept on trying.

The dieters did not deny themselves--they indulged from time to time.

They weighed themselves often.

They exercised one hour a day.

They added little bits of activity into their daily life.

They followed a high carb and low fat diet.

They ate 5 meals a day.
When I compare my own weight loss success to the list above, I would say I learned how to maintain weight loss due to the following:

I do the best I can with what I have available. Sometimes I am not always in a perfect situation with the healthiest choices, but I make do with what is there and I stick to the plan. If I make a not so healthy choice, I don't beat myself up for it.


I eat YUMMY and whole foods. Using the finest ingredients makes the most delicious meals and has helped me stick to Living Well. If I wanted to indulge, I would make it from scratch using the healthiest ingredients possible. To me, indulging does not mean eating junk.


I use a tape measure to keep tabs on my weight and occasionally weigh myself.


I really struggle with exercising regularly and I have NEVER exercised for one hour a day consistently. I will do heavy housework and other activities around the house to get my heart rate up and I try different forms of exercise all the time because I get bored easily.


I think it is vital to get moving every day, somehow, and it doesn't always mean you have to be in an aerobics class or on some sort of machine to get your heart rate up.


I eat organic whole foods and healthy oils. I am not sold on the idea that low fat and high carb is the way to go. High fat is not the answer either, but healthy oils are not the enemy. The rights oils will actually speed up the metabolism.


I eat only 3 meals a day and rarely snack. I do better when I don't snack or graze on food all day. BUT, you may be different. You have to do what works best for you and your unique body.


This is the MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL I think of the health I have now and my future health EVERYDAY. I really want to enjoy my older years and I want to be healthy. I don't want to sit in a rocking chair, talking about all my symptoms and the things that ail me when I am in my golden years.
The Weight Loss Registry tips and my maintenance tips are not the only path for everyone, but instead are some ideas you can use to come up with your own way to keep the weight off once you have lost it.

Ultimately, I think it is crucial to focus on your health when changing over to a healthy lifestyle. So many people are in a hurry to lose weight. They spend their entire lives putting on the weight, losing the weight temporarily on diets and just want to get rid of it as fast as possible not taking in consideration their state of health. I know you have heard this many times before but if you don't have your health, you don't have much. Being thin will mean nothing to you if you compromise your health along the way.

Even if you are losing weight slowly, good for you! The idea here is to take off the weight and keep it off for good. Even just a couple of pounds a month adds up over the course of a year. And for those that were doing everything they could and continuing to gain weight, just stopping that weight gain is a measure of success.

With these tips, you now know how to maintain weight loss. Give yourself time to adjust to a new and healthy lifestyle and enjoy yourself along the way. A year from now your body will be thanking you for it!

What a wonderful article editor! Are these also some of your own experiences and words?

I did not weigh myself often. It was a hard and fast rule to only weigh once a week. This has been turned all around since I maintained, and even now, while losing I weigh myself daily. This is as not for those that obsess with the scale or who have an eating disorder. Fine line!

I did not and never will eat 5 small meals a day. If I start to eat too early, I eat all day and am never satisfied---diet or maintain. I wait on hunger and because I don't have medical issues, is the best course for me. The rest were all do's.

I know Annette will address this too. And we have got to have you prepared for this time that is only a few pounds away, when the scale and others no longer reward all our hard efforts. That was the hardest adjustment for me.

Thank you! Just curious, are you close to maintain?

Oh no! Not even. When I threw in the towel, I gained back all my original loss of 85 pounds. So, as you can see I'll have the excitement of a weight loss each week for quite awhile yet. :)

And the lessons we are learning along the way! Blessings!

Dear Editor, great article and interesting comments and lessons you made along the way. Ironia, I also enjoyed your comments and feedback as well. :)

This article made excellent points with a personal touch. These are some of my personal experiences as they relate to the article:

The dieters accepted failure and kept on trying.

I have reached my weight loss goals several times, and gained it back, but I have never given up. My plans are to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep off the weight this time.

The dieters did not deny themselves--they indulged from time to time.

I usually have a small treat everyday, and yes, it’s usually chocolate. :) If I know that I am going to go somewhere special and eat a decadent dessert, usually on the weekends I plan for it.

They weighed themselves often.

When I was losing weight I weighed myself once a week, but after research I found out that most successful maintainers weighed once a day, so I tried it and it is working for me. There are times I will take a few days break, if I’m on vacation or I think I might get negatively affected emotionally. It is important to remember the scale only gives information about your progress it does not determine whether you are a failure or not.

They exercised one hour a day. They added little bits of activity into their daily life.

I mindfully exercise about 1-1.5 hours a day, walking at a moderate pace. I enjoy walking and it affects my mood in a positive way. I begin walking 2-3 miles a day now I walk 5-8 miles a day. I gradually worked my way up to about 7 miles a day. It took me about a 1-1.5 years to get to this point.

They followed a high carb and low fat diet. They ate 5 meals a day.

I usually eat 5-6 meals/snacks a day, high carb, moderate protein, and low fat. This personally keeps my hunger pangs manageable and my energy levels up.

*******

Like I mentioned these are only my personal experiences, after trial and error. I found out what behaviors worked best for me, although I continue to make adjustments and improvements along the way. I have constantly had to fight against the urge for a quick fix. You know the kind “Take off 10 pounds in one week”, or “Eliminate whole food groups”. I have allowed the Holy Spirit to be my guide leading me to the practices that are best for me. When we put our trust in the Lord, and do our part by being diligent and patient AND also doing our homework we will find the perfect fit for us personally. :)



:god: ALL :ghug:

This is a really good article, and I have to agree more with the observations, than I do the original information. Annette, I appreciated your information, also. I know I feel better and weigh less when I stick to whole foods, only one carb serving per meal or snack (and always balanced with a good oil or protein), and no white stuff. It's really hard to do, tho.

:grace: Editor, Annette and Betsy, thank you for sharing! The information here is so rich and free!!!

Thanks, Annette for always adding your wisdom and experience!

:wave: Hey, Betsy!!! I have found when I eat too many carbs or junk food I don’t feel as energetic or alert. The wholesome foods, the way God made them, like you mentioned in previous posts, are so much better for our bodies. :)

:wave: Hi there Ironia and Our Dear Editor.

I thank you all for your gracious fellowship. :) I hope you three that posted on this thread, along with the other members of our “Grace” family have a wonderful and blessed week.

:rain: ALL :ghug:

We have to get away from the not wholesome food and when we do indulge, we can feel the effects they have on us. To just do it, remember it, and learn our lesson once for all. Read labels if you don't believe your body's protest. That'll do it.