Tips For Keeping The Weight Off

After all of the hard work that it took to lose those pounds, the last thing that you want is to see them suddenly re-appear!  Here are some tips to keep those surplus pounds at bay.

1) Eat Healthily

If you return to your old way of eating, then it will be no surprise that you will return to your old weight.  It was these eating habits that caused the weight in the first place.The biggest tip to staying thinner is to eat a healthy diet, similar to the one that helped you shift the pounds. That means following a low-fat, high-fibre diet that contains the required five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

2) Start the Day with Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for those who are watching their weight. A large on-going study that monitors the habits of successful slimmers, has shown that 80 percent of those slimmers who keep the weight off  also eat breakfast every day.  It doesn't just help you lose weight by keeping hunger at bay it sets you up for the day.  Try wholegrain cereals with skimmed milk, or a boiled egg, with wholegrain toast and fruit or fruit juice most of the time.

3) Portion Control

Portion sizes are important and essential in maintaining your weight. This goes for everyday meals as well the fast food, super sizing is definitely out!  Sensible portions are very satisfying!

4) Get the Mix of Foods Right

As a golden rule, once you've lost weight you should fill a third of your plate with veg or salad, a third with starchy foods like potato or pasta, and the remaining third with protein-rich foods like meat, fish or chicken.

5) A Little of What You Fancy does you Good!

The key word here is 'little'.  If you are not dieting it is very easy fall back into the bad habits of too many treats! Don’t feel guilty about the occasional treat, in fact look forward to it and enjoy.Try finding treats that don't involve food. Reward your good food practise with a shopping trip, an extra half hour in bed or a facial, this will help to lift your mood, make you feel special - and are calorie-free.

6) Be Calorie Conscious

Knowing just how many calories you should have each day to keep your weight steady is a matter of trial and error, but on average most women need around 1,900 to 2,000 calories a day, while for men it's between 2,500 to 2,600 calories daily.You will be pleasantly surprised to find that you will probably need fewer calories once you've lost weight than before you started dieting.  This is because you use less calories to move the smaller you!For example, a 35-year-old moderately active woman who has dropped from 12st to 11st needs, on average, 109 calories less each day to maintain her new weight.

7) Get Some Exercise

Walking is the easiest form of exercise, do more of it! Studies shows that people who stay slim walk twice as far as those who don't.Join an exercise group or a sports group.  The bonus is that you will meet new people and gain new friends.  These new friends are likely to provide great support in keeping the weight off.  If you are looking for something different then you could even try pole dancing  

Although it may seem tough, keeping the weight off is not too difficult providing that you concentrate on it.  Keeping the fat at bay should actually become easier as time goes on and your new lifestyle becomes permanent.