Keep that weight off for good

If you’ve lost weight, the last thing you want to do is put it on again. This requires implementing healthy lifestyle choices. No one enjoys yo-yo dieting, it helps to be consistent when it comes to weight loss and a yo-yoing diet plan will not get you to slip into that beautiful dress you bought last month in the hope of losing weight to fit into it. To put an end to the cycle, it’s important to learn to lose weight and keep it off for good. This is possible by making good lifestyle choices. Here are four ways that you can take off that extra weight and keep it off for good.

1. Be active - Everyday

It’s important to be active every single day. It shouldn’t be something you do when you have gained a couple of kilos or when you are feeling a little puffy. Don’t allow yourself to make excuses so that you don’t have to work out. If it’s raining, do squats and lunges at home. If you have to spend the day at the mall shopping, take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. There is always something you can do. Don’t allow excuses to get in the way of your weight loss.

2. Have a healthy, filling breakfast

Just because you are trying to lose weight in a week without exercising doesn’t mean you should skip the most important meal of the day. Whether you are on a diet or not, you should always have a healthy, filling breakfast every morning. Sure, it doesn’t mean eating the bacon, meat, soup, or extra pancakes in the morning. Your breakfast should be filled with protein, which will help control your hunger. Also, opt for healthy snacks throughout the day.

3. Don’t indulge too often

If you think that being very active means that you can indulge more often, you’re mistaken. While you might eat a little more healthy stuff to keep your energy up, you do not want to eat lots of rich meals and desserts. Make those indulgences a rare treat. You will appreciate them more and you will keep your body healthy and toned. Get used to saying “no, thank you” when people offer you things you don’t want to put into your body because it’s going to happen a lot. A little treat now and then is perfectly fine, but avoid the larger packages of any treat. If you’re going to buy a treat, go for the smallest package possible. This way, you can enjoy what you like without too many extra calories.

4. Plan your meals

Meal planning is so important to a healthy lifestyle. You want to plan meals that get you excited, but are also low-fat and within your budget. You can find recipes for tasty and healthy meals online or most certainly in your mum’s basket of recipes. Planning your meals means that you can go shopping and only get the items you need instead of wandering around the supermarket and seeing items that will tempt you. Don’t forget to plan snacks as well as meals because you want to have healthy snacks on hand so that you don’t head for the unhealthy stuff.

5. Have a health buddy

It helps to enlist the help of someone else who is interested in health and fitness. You can keep each other motivated to make the right choices and share your experiences. If you need more of an experienced buddy, look for someone who is ahead of you in terms of weight loss. Maybe she lost weight two years ago and is succeeding in keeping it off. Someone like that could be a great inspiration to you. If you find that a goal buddy is sleeping on the 'job' and really has no interest in achieving the goals she talks about, don’t feel bad about finding another buddy. It has to be a two-way street where you both motivate and inspire each other.

6. Hydrate well

Drink a glass of water before and after your meal. Water has no calories, and it helps keep you full and help to eat less. If you often overeat and it’s the major reason why you gain weight, try drinking a tall glass of clear water before your meal. Not only will it help you to lose weight in a week, it will also help keep your weight under control down the road.

7. Get enough sleep

And finally, we all need at least six hours of sleep to regenerate. In fact, the earlier we sleep the better it is. I have read studies which say that those who sleep earlier (by 9pm max) tend to have better eye-sight and thinking ability. Sleeping late causes eye-problems as well. Early to bed, early to rise is the healthiest way of living.

photo:madamenoire.com