links.
By Erin Milller. Skinny Ms.
We want to begin by congratulating
you on approaching – or reaching – your fitness goals! It’s an
incredible accomplishment, and you should be very proud
of it! It’s extremely important for you to realize, however, that the
journey doesn’t end here. Following these tips for keeping the weight
off will ensure that you maintain all of your hard-earned progress for
good!
Tips for Keeping The Weight Off
When it comes to maintaining a
healthy lifestyle, it is critical that you continue to eat right and
exercise often. These two things will make certain that your physical
health is in tip-top shape! With that being said, your mental and
emotional health are just as important! These tips will cover every
aspect of your life so that you can continue enjoying your new healthy
lifestyle.
Keep the Kitchen Stocked with Clean, Healthy Foods
Temptation is – by far – one of the
most common reasons that people give up on a healthy lifestyle. Simply
put, if you don’t have easy access to unhealthy food, you are way more
likely to stay on track. Instead of bringing high-calorie, processed
foods into the house, stock your kitchen with nutrient-dense, whole
foods!
Meal-Prep, Meal-Prep, Meal-Prep!
Meal-prepping is one of the most
helpful things that you can do for yourself if you’re trying to maintain
your weight loss. Whether it means you skip the fast food for your
already-prepared meal at home, or you simply get an extra 10 minutes of
sleep in the morning, it will always be worth it! When you don’t have
food prepared ahead of time, you greatly increase your chances of
slipping up. Do your waistline a favor and begin meal-prepping on a
regular basis.
Eat Breakfast, Always
Unless you’re practicing intermittent fasting, you should never skip breakfast. There are several reasons why breakfast is the most important meal of the day, including:
- Improving concentration and performance.
- Suppressing appetite.
- Ensuring that you make healthier choices throughout the day.
- Lowering cholesterol levels.
Don’t Skimp on the Protein
Protein isn’t a magic weight loss
tool, but it’s pretty darn close. We recommend consuming no less than 1
gram of protein for every pound of body weight each day. In other words,
if you weigh 150 pounds, you should aim to eat at least 150 grams of
protein every day. Protein will help you burn more calories throughout
the day by boosting metabolism. It will also keep you feeling fuller for
longer, and you’ll be less likely to snack and thus, overeat.
Remember to Drink Plenty of Water
Most of us don’t drink enough water.
If you want to maintain your weight loss, drinking the proper amounts of
water each day can be extremely beneficial. Staying hydrated will allow
you to maintain a fast metabolism. Furthermore, if you drink a full
glass before each meal, you will consume significantly fewer calories
throughout the day.
Stay Active
We’re not just talking about hitting
the gym; there are many different ways to stay active! You can go on a
hike, go swimming, take a bike ride, or participate in any of our fun
and effective workouts and fitness challenges!
Keep in mind that you can also make
every day activities more active, too. Take the stairs instead of the
elevator, park further out in the parking lot, jog to and from work, or
anything else that you can think of! Get creative and maintain your
weight loss for good!
Always Have a Goal
You may have reached your first goal,
but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t set new ones. Having a goal to work
towards will help you stick to the program. These goals don’t always
have to be weight-oriented, either. Instead, set a goal to compete in
your first race or commit to working out for 30 minutes a day for the
next month. It’s up to you, just choose a goal that will keep you
motivated!
Reward Yourself (but NOT with Food)
This one kind of goes hand-in-hand
with having goals. As mentioned above, goals can keep you motivated to
succeed, but so can rewards! Keep in mind, however, that rewards don’t
always have to be food-related. Instead of a sweet or savory cheat meal,
reward yourself with a new outfit, a night of relaxing, or a fun
adventure with your friends!
Don’t do it Alone
Finding a support group – or even
just one person for that matter – can be incredibly helpful to keeping
the weight off. Often times, feeling like you’re alone on this journey
can cause you to backslide towards your old habits. Finding support and
motivation in others can keep you on track for continued success.
Be Kind to Yourself
This is one of those tips that we seem to forget way too
often. Once you reach your weight loss goal, you do have to continue
putting in the effort. That being said, one cheat meal or slip-up here
and there is not going to cause you to gain all of your weight back.
All too often, we beat ourselves up
for eating something we probably shouldn’t have. In reality, we just
need to pick ourselves up, move on, and make healthier choices next
time! Beating yourself up is not going to help you at all. You’ve come
so far on this journey, it’s okay to treat yourself every now and then.
Remember that changing your lifestyle
is a lifelong commitment. As long as you make healthy choices most of
the time, you will be successful long-term!
What did you think of our tips for
keeping the weight off? Do you have any that you want to share with us?
Let us know in the comment section!
