How to Maintain a Healthy Weight

What’s the best way to maintain a healthy weight? There are plenty of answers to this question, and many approaches you can take in your own life to reach and maintain a healthy weight that works well for you. The key is finding the right method—and making sure you stay consistent with it in order to reach your goals. In this article, we’ll explore six strategies that will help you maintain a healthy weight in ways that work well with your lifestyle, your schedule, and your body type.

Think your diet through

When it comes to weight loss, your diet is everything. Don’t eat? You lose weight. If you want to maintain healthy eating habits, write out a food plan for yourself. Plan out what you will eat each day and how much of it; be sure to write down beverages like water, coffee and tea as well. When you do eat or drink something new (or unusual), jot it down in your notebook too so that you can keep track of exactly what’s going into your body. And if you don’t know where to start when it comes to meal planning, check out these sample daily meal plans from registered dietitians. They offer ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner—and even snacks! And when in doubt about portion sizes? Check out these charts on proper serving sizes by age group.

Go shopping with a list

Studies have shown that people tend to buy more when they shop without a list, and it’s because they don’t know what they want, so they grab anything that strikes their fancy. You see, your brain is primed for novelty—it wants new things all of the time. Going shopping with lists helps you plan ahead and avoid impulse buys. The same is true when grocery shopping—don’t just wander around! Go with a plan in mind; if you haven’t planned what you’re going to eat for dinner yet, try browsing on Pinterest for some inspiration before heading out. It’ll help you stick to your goals.

When it comes to losing weight, you need to take your diet and exercise into account. You can cut calories and burn more energy with regular exercise.  While going on a treadmill or elliptical is one great way of getting your heart rate up and burning calories, there are plenty of other exercises that you can do without leaving your home that will help you lose weight and tone your body. Click here for 9 Easy At-Home Exercises That Will Melt Your Stubborn Fat Away!

Take care of your body - it's your only one

One of the main problems people face when they are trying to lose weight is that they don't take care of their bodies. When you eat healthy and exercise, you feel better and have more energy; because of that, your motivation is higher and you have less interest in eating unhealthy foods. Your health should be your first priority. To get started on losing weight, schedule doctor appointments for blood work, dental exams and cancer screenings. In addition, schedule an appointment with a nutritionist or dietician for advice about creating a meal plan based on your daily activity level. If you want to stay fit but lack motivation, find someone who can help support you – from friends to family members or even a personal trainer.

Learn to cook, it saves you time and money!

If you cook for yourself, it's likely that you'll end up eating at home more often and saving money on eating out. Cooking is also great because it gives you control over what goes into your meals, so there’s no need to worry about hidden calories or chemicals. If cooking isn't your thing, take some time to learn how. You won't regret it—and not only will you save cash and stay healthy, but you'll be able to spend less time shopping for groceries (one study found that cooking increases your fruit and vegetable intake). Here are 5 ways people maintain their weight loss: 5 Tips For Eating Healthier At Home

Ensure you're consuming a larger number of calories than you're consuming

There's no mystery diet that you can follow to lose weight. In fact, most diets will slow your metabolism, making it even harder for you to burn calories. But by keeping track of how many calories you're eating and increasing activity when possible, you can keep your weight in check while maintaining or even improving your health. To avoid short-term lifestyle changes that produce only small results, focus on losing one pound per week—and any time you put on 2 pounds during a 2-week period (4 weeks is safe), you'll need to go back and do it all over again.