If you’ve already reached your weight-loss goal, congratulations! Now it’s time for strategies to stay there. Check out these five tips to help you enjoy lasting weight-loss success:1. Keep moving. Stopping healthy activities, like walking, means you’re more likely to backslide — right back into a broader backside.
Walking 5-6 miles a day seems to do the trick for members of the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), which includes people who have lost at least 30 pounds and maintained it for more than a year.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 60-90 minutes per day of moderate-intensity physical activity to sustain weight loss for previously overweight people. Moderate activity means something that burns about 150 calories per day or 1,000 calories per week. Some examples include walking at a speed of 2 miles in 30 minutes, swimming laps for 20 minutes, or gardening for 45 minutes.
2. Write it down. The NWCR members also continuously monitor their eating habits. Keeping a daily food journal works for them and helps identify triggers and patterns. It also keeps you aware of every little bite you take, as well as calorie-filled drinks that can really add up. You’ll find an easy-to-use food journal — the “No Cheat Sheet” — at www.slimplicity.com.
3. Become a creature of habit. Successful losers and maintainers stick to the healthy habits they started. More than half of the NWCR participants don’t waver from their daily diet, lifestyle and exercise routine once they’re in a good groove — even on holidays and at restaurants.
4. Keep track. Don’t skip the scale. Continue to weigh yourself regularly, partner with a fitness buddy, and stay in contact with fellow weight-loss friends to hold each other accountable. Then it’s easier to make minor corrections early if you find yourself gaining weight or slacking off in exercise and eating habits.
5. Shake it up. Trim calories, ease hunger and keep your metabolism revving by continuing to replace one meal a day with a satisfying Reliv Slimplicity® shake. If you do see weight creeping back on, add Accelerator capsules to curb your appetite and burn and block fat. The Reliv Slimplicity Success Plan also comes with a pedometer to track your miles and a food and exercise journal. So you’re set up for success!