Losing weight can be difficult, but keeping it off can be even harder. Most people who lose weight fail to keep it off for more than a year, and some even regain the weight they lost shortly after reaching their goals. Here are six strategies that can help you avoid this problem.
1. Make sure you're ready for it
Getting fit is a great idea—but if you don't prepare for it, it could backfire. If you’re trying to lose weight, be sure that you’re ready—physically and mentally. If you’re not ready (or don't believe in your ability), it’s easy to give up. Think about why you want to lose weight: Is it because you look great in a bikini? Or is it because you want more energy? Be honest with yourself about why (and how) losing weight will help your life. How can you improve your current lifestyle so that eventually reaching a goal is easier than giving up?
2. Find your inner motivation
Losing weight is a lot like any other goal that requires effort—you’re not going to get there without motivation. So how do you get motivated? A great way is by finding your why. Think about what’s driving you in your efforts to lose weight and make sure it’s something that really resonates with you. Perhaps it’s about becoming a better role model for your kids or re-establishing old connections with family members. If exercise has always been an important part of your life, make sure that it remains one now that you are trying to lose weight.
3. Set realistic goals
Losing weight can be a big challenge, especially if you're trying to do it all on your own. So rather than thinking about how much weight you want to lose, consider setting smaller goals that are easier to achieve. For example, when I started my weight-loss journey years ago, I set a goal of fitting into my skinny jeans by summer. Little did I know at the time how unrealistic that goal was—I had gained 15 pounds during college! Yet because it was something tangible and attainable (and measurable!), I lost 30 pounds before Memorial Day weekend. This strategy is especially helpful for people with notoriously slow metabolisms or those who have tried fad diets in the past.
4. Eat more healthy food
There is a lot of data out there about what will help you lose weight. Some advice suggests eating as much as possible of healthy foods, such as lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats (like olive oil) and low-fat dairy products. Other theories suggest restricting calories or fat intake in order to lose weight. When it comes down to it though, eating a diet high in nutrient-rich foods will help your body operate at its best because these foods provide lots of vitamins and minerals that are essential for your overall health. So make sure you eat plenty of healthy food every day!
5. Stay active
Exercise is one of those things that falls by the wayside when you don’t have time. But being active isn’t about scheduling a gym session each day—it’s about making a few simple changes, like walking more and standing at your desk instead of sitting. Adding just a few minutes of activity to your day can keep you from feeling tired, boost your brainpower, help with weight loss, stave off illness and injury, improve sleep and make for happier moods. So if you can't squeeze in an hour-long workout, why not try parking farther away from work? Taking stairs instead of an elevator? Riding a bike or using public transportation?
6. Change your point of view
One reason why people find it so hard to lose weight is that they often view dieting as an all-or-nothing endeavor, explains psychologist Randy O. Frost, PhD, coauthor of Dieting Makes You Fat: The Science Behind Your Failed Efforts to Lose Weight—and What You Can Do About It. When you're eating well, you feel great about yourself. But when you slip up and start binging on a pint of ice cream or guzzling half a bottle of wine every night with dinner, that positive feeling disappears quickly.