You have put so much time and effort into reaching your goal weight and maintaining it is challenging, but it certainly can be done.
Many people who lose weight often find themselves gaining it all back and then some, especially if they lost weight the “wrong” way, but that doesn’t have to happen to you! Here are some tips and tricks to help you relax your diet and preserve your weight:
Daily exercise is one of the most important ways you can maintain the weight you have lost. Including both cardiovascular and resistance exercises in your workout will give you maximum results and keep your metabolism high. And while you don’t have to log 60 minutes on the cardio machine, you should make sure to stay active. If pressed for time, try out our YouTube videos by Dr. Emily; Some of them are only 5 minutes long! By continuing to exercise you will be burning extra calories each day, and that will enable you to relax your diet without regaining the weight.
When you have achieved your target weight you can have a few cheat days here and there. Reward yourself for the hard work you’ve put in so far by allowing yourself a few of your favorite snacks. This will prevent you from getting those big cravings which lead to binge eating. With that cheat day in mind, remember that a cheat day is not an excuse to eat a pint of ice cream, an extra large bag of chips or a king sized candy bar. Studies show that you can be satisfied with just 15% of the snack you set out to have. So scoop some spoons of ice cream into a smaller bowl, pour some chips into a baggie or break off a piece of that candy bar. Many times, a small taste is all you needed.
Maintaining the weight you have lost is going to be tough, but exercising, allowing yourself a cheat day, and having self-control will be your keys to success. That’s the difference between a diet and a lifestyle change. And remember, if you take good care of your body, it will take good care of you!
