Helpful Hints for Managing your Weight

You've just lost weight and you don't want to see that number go back up on your scale. Although gaining the weight back might feel inevitable, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, an analysis by the National Weight Control Registry found long-term weight maintanence is possible. Below are some helpful hints from dietitians and successful people who were able to lose weight and keep if off.

Build more lean muscle.
Maintain, or even increase, your metabolism by continuing to build lean muscle. If you don't currently strength train, conider adding this type of exercise to your overall program. If you do, increase the amount of weight you're working with to keep yourself challenged.

Fight off hunger with more filling foods.
A three-year University of Pittsburgh study found that those who avoided weight gain the best were the ones whose meals kept them feeling full. Think fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Also, those who increased fruits and vegetables in their diets and cut back on desserts, sugar-sweetened beverages, meat, and cheese were the most likely to control their weight over time.

Avoid temptation.
This doesn't mean never indulging in a gooey dessert again, but rather picking — and limiting — your moments. There are many ways to avoid daily temptations, including planning ahead when eating out, eating out less, and banning your worst weaknesses from the house.

Plan your meals in advance.
Planning healthy meals in advance will ensure that you have the necessary ingredients on hand and prevent you from opting for fast food choices.

Consider adding minutes to your exercise plan.
Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, but emphasize that the more you exercise, the better able you are to maintain a healthy weight. Participants in a weight control survey walked for at least 60 minutes daily — or burned the same calories with other activities — so aim for 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity every day.

Measure your portions.
According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study of more than 4,000 U.S. adults, the biggest factors in success were measuring portions and fats, the most caloric foods, in particular. This doesn't mean you have to carry a food scale everywhere you go, but using it as often as possible at home will teach you how to eyeball portion sizes at restaurants and immediately know how much to eat, and how much to take home in a doggie bag.

Include dairy in your diet. According to a study of 338 adults, those who ate three or more servings of low-fat dairy daily were more likely to keep off the weight than those who ate one serving or less. For women in particular, this has the additional benefit of improving bone health.

Let your plate be your guide.
Aim for half your plate to be vegetables and the remaining space should be divided evenly between lean protein and whole grains. If you go back for seconds, limit yourself to vegetables, fruit, or low-fat dairy.

Watch less TV.
In the National Weight Control Registry Survey, dieters who watched fewer than 10 hours of TV a week were more successful in maintaining weight loss than those who spent more time vegging out in front of the tube. And less TV time might have other benefits, too — an analysis from the Harvard School of Public Health found that too much TV can raise your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and death.

Eat breakfast.
They call it the most important meal of the day for a reason. In the survey, women who regularly ate breakfast were more successful with long-term weight loss than those who skipped the first meal of the day. It’s best to eat similar healthy choices regularly (think oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit) and always start out with a good breakfast to avoid splurging or overeating on special occasions.