Article: How to Maintain Weight Loss Permanently

The main challenge of any diet program is to maintain weight loss permanently. It is generally believed that a permanent weight loss is a "losing" battle as many people regain their lost weight with a vengeance before 2 years are up.

It not need be so!  Recent diet follow up studies indicate that as many as 20% of dieters lose weight successfully with long lasting results.
The following are some of the strategies adapted by weight losers who were successful in maintaining weight loss long term.

Essential Strategies To Maintain Weight Loss

• Adhere to and enjoy the lifestyle and the healthy eating plan you adopted during your weight loss regimen. This point, of course, assumes that you lost weight with a healthy and a sustainable diet program (see: How To Choose Weight Loss Diets That Work ).
• Keep a journal of the foods you eat and the times you are most vulnerable to cravings. Not all successful weight losers keep a journal but for some it is a "lifesaver".
• If you have stabilized at a weight above your set goal do not give up. You may have to accept that your body prefers a certain weight beyond which you would constantly be struggling. It is better to lose some weight than to revert back to what you were before.
• Restrict some foods, such as fast and fried foods and foods high in fat and sugar. Restricting some foods may seem unfair. Think about it, however. If you were alergic to peanuts you would not eat peanut butter. If you have a propensity to gain weight do not eat fatty and sugary foods. It is that simple.
• Do not skip meals and especially breakfast. Breakfast is an essential meal that will keep you from having cravings later in the day. The following article discusses this point at length: Breakfast Helps Maintain Your Weight Loss.
• Eat more than 3 meals per day. Make sure to include healthy snacks in your meal plan.
• Drink water instead of juices or sodas. If you feel like having something else then water, have a glass of skim milk. As well, have one glass of water before your meal. I does fill you up.
• Continue to limit the quantity of food you place on your plate and subsequently eat.
• Eat slowly. It takes your brain 20 minutes to recognize the fact that you are full!
• Weigh yourself often. Contrary to popular belief, weighing yourself couple of times per week or even every day was found very important for weight maintenance. Frequent weighing allows one to detect any weight gain and immediately address the issue before it gets out of hand.
• Do not watch TV for long periods of time. There is a large number of food commercials on TV. Many of the foods look so delicious and tempting that this may cause you to raid your fridge one too many times.
• Keep physically active. This is a must! Walking, taking stairs, whatever as long as you keep moving. If you find you honestly do not have time to leave the house read: How to Lose Weight Without Dieting and Exercise . You will be amazed how many calories you can expend with ordinary house chores.

Use any or all of these strategies and you will find that finally, for the first time you are successful at maintaining weight loss. Share your story!
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