What do I do once I've reached my weight loss goal?
Maintenance: The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) is a national database containing data on a large group of people who have on average lost more than 60 pounds and maintained their weight loss for 2 years. Here are some of the weight control strategies adopted by these 'weight-losers.'
*Set Realistic Weight Goals
A five to 10 percent weight loss can have significant health improvements. Establish achievable goals and add to them as they are reached. Reassess goals every six months.
*They eat a regular breakfast. And don’t skip meals.
Consume four to five smaller meals and snacks per day. Staying nourished can help prevent overeating at different points of the day.
*They monitor their weight regularly (sometimes daily).
*They Self-Monitor Food Intake and Activity Level
Consistently monitor food intake and activity level.
Become familiar with what, how much and when they eat and are active. Regular assessments can coincide with weight loss changes and help to identify what may be triggering weight regain. Use journals, food records and activity records regularly. Share them with a weight loss coach like me!
*They take up to 60 minutes of daily exercise daily, burning an average of 400 calories.
Spend 60 minutes per day doing moderate intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking. Physical activity is identified to be one of the most important components of maintaining weight loss successfully. Lifestyle activity (doing daily household chores like gardening, mowing, vacuuming and chasing the kids) can be counted. Walking stairs for 10-minute intervals three times per day has the same calorie burning power as walking stairs continuously for 30 minutes. Picking enjoyable activities is most important.
**The most popular weight control exercise is walking.
*They follow a fat-reduced diet, (24 percent calories from fat) while eating healthy carbs.
A low-fat, high carbohydrate diet/eating plan is the desired approach to maintaining weight loss. Select carbohydrates that are high in fiber and unrefined, for example, fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grain cereal and breads, brown rice, beans and legumes, and whole-wheat pasta.
*They control their calories, averaging 1400 calories, per day.
Weight loss can be maintained at 1,400 to 1,500 calories per day after the weight goal is achieved. Become familiar with portion sizes and the average calorie levels of food to help achieve a calorie-eating plan that will maintain body weight.
*They Consume Enough Calcium
High-calcium diets (food versus calcium supplements) may reduce the amount of calcium in fat cells, which in turn increases fat breakdown and reduces fat storage. Consuming 1,000 mg/day (3 ½ cups of dairy in the form of low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt) has demonstrated these benefits.
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