Losing any amount of weight is a momentous achievement! Congratulations on all of your hardwork and discipline! Now for the next challenge: keeping those pounds you lost from finding your waistline again! Maintaining the routine that helped you achieve your goal is an obvious step towards keeping the weight off. And we have a few more things that you can consider bringing into your health journey.
Incorporate whole foods into your diet: Whole foods are plant foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible. These include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. These products give your body an energy boost and are easily digested. They also keep you satiated longer than high-fat, processed foods.
Work out first thing in the morning. Numerous clinical studies show that early morning exercise increases overall activity levels while decreasing the hunger pangs throughout the day that cause inactive people to gain weight.
Eat plenty of fiber. High-fiber foods help lower cholesterol and increase the sensation of fullness with less overall food intake. There are lots of great sources of natural fiber like green, leafy vegetables like broccoli or brussels sprouts, and the skins of fruits like apples, pears, and plums.
Stay well hydrated. Drinking plenty of water per day boosts your metabolism by 24%-30% and suppresses your appetite. A good rule of thumb is to divide your weight in half and that is how many ounces of water to consume throughout the day. Adding a slice of lemon improves taste and adds pectin fiber, which further reduces hunger. But don’t drink your water too late! Midnight bathroom trips will surely disrupt your sleep cycle.
Consume lean proteins throughout the day. Digesting lean proteins like fish, chicken or turkey burns more calories than digesting carbs or fat. Protein also maintains your sense of fullness after eating so cravings don’t return as quickly or as strong.
Cut out excess sugar! Not only does sugar add a lot of needless calories, sugar intake blocks the hormone that signals your sense of fullness, causing you to eat more than you would otherwise. Use natural, sugar-free sweeteners like stevia or erythritol instead.
Decrease eating as the day gets later. Eat a good breakfast with plenty of lean protein. Have a smaller lunch, but adequate for your afternoon needs. Then have a light dinner, mostly vegetables.
Add weight training to your exercise routine. Extended cardio training actually slows your metabolism down. Weight training raises your metabolic rate while doing the exercises, and for 48-72 hours thereafter while your muscle tissue rebuilds. It’s a great way to burn calories beyond the workout!
Reward yourself. You’ve worked hard to lose the weight – reward yourself with a treat every now and then. Being too strict for too long only leads to burnout and relapse. Balance is the key to maintaining your new, healthy lifestyle. And instead of indulgent foods, give yourself no calorie rewards! Get a massage, draw a warm bath with essential oils and epsom salt, or buy a new pair of jeans that look great on your new figure. There are plenty of ways to make a healthy lifestyle rewarding and still healthy!
Surround yourself with supportive people. Success breeds success, so stay in regular contact with others who are successfully adopting and maintaining healthy habits. You will encourage each other to stay on track and keep each other accountable!
Need more ideas for maintaining a healthy weight? Schedule a call with our educator, Kent, to discuss other ways to stay on the right track!
Have questions about how to successfully manage your diabetes or set realistic resolutions? Schedule a 15 min call with Kent, our diabetes educator and pharmacist. He can help you learn how to get healthy this year.
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