5 Habits for Highly Successful Weight Loss Maintenance

Have you recently lost weight and are worried it won’t stay off? Stop worrying! Here are 5 habits that are easy to incorporate into your life that can keep you at your goal!

Habit 1: Support yourself with positive self-talking:

This habit is so important that without it, the other 4 won’t matter. You are a smart, capable, creative, focused person, but if you aren’t telling yourself those things often, and believing them, you won’t display those characteristics. Pay attention to your thoughts, if you notice you’re letting them go in a negative direction turn them around immediately. You’re only and strong and smart and capable as you tell yourself you are. Be all that you can be!

You're a capable person who has inner resources to accomplish great things. Remind yourself of that fact often!

You’re a capable person who has inner resources to accomplish great things. Remind yourself of that fact often!

Habit 2: Make time for meals:

Meals are important. Eating on the run, or while driving/riding in a car should be avoided if not entirely, then at least as often as possible. Mealtime is one time you should avoid multitasking. Giving yourself time to thoroughly enjoy every meal enhances satisfaction and promotes a longer feeling of satiety.

Habit 3: Eat slowly:

Make it a habit to take smaller bites. Chew each bit thoroughly – 10 chews per bite. Put your fork down in between bites. Take sips of water between bites.

Eating is an event! Be sure to give yourself time to fully enjoy every event!

Eating is an event! Be sure to give yourself time to fully enjoy every event!

Habit 4: Spend more time on your feet and less time in your seat:

Make it a daily goal to spend as much time on your feet as possible. If there are tasks you can accomplish while walking, rather than standing still, even better. Sitting decreases the activity of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL), which helps burn fat.

Get up! Get moving!

Get up! Get moving!

Habit 5: Weigh yourself weekly.

Stepping on the scale multiple times a day isn’t a good habit. Weight typically fluctuates by several pounds daily. Weighing yourself too often can give you false information that could negatively influence your behavior. Weighing yourself once a week, about the same time of day, in similar clothing can give you the clearest picture of your maintenance success. If you stray an average of more than two pounds over your goal for more than three consecutive weeks you would be smart to evaluate your actions over that same period. It could be a sign that your letting your weight maintenance habits slip.

Weigh yourself once a week, same scale, same time, same clothes (or no clothes!)

Weigh yourself once a week, same scale, same time, same clothes (or no clothes!)

 

 

 

Jackie Conn

About Jackie Conn

Jackie Conn is married and has four grown daughters and four grandchildren. She is a Weight Watchers success story. She's a weight loss expert with 25 years of experience guiding women and men to their weight-related goals. Her articles on weight management have been published in health, family and women's magazines. She has been a regular guest on Channel 5 WABI news, FOX network morning program Good Day Maine and 207 on WCSH.