Although it may seem like the whole world is trying to either lose or gain weight, for the majority of us, our goal is to maintain weight.
So what does that mean?
It means that you aren’t looking for some strict diet nor are you looking for an intense exercise regime.
Your weight is affected by many factors including age, gender, genetics, family habits, culture, sleep and lifestyle. Some of these factor can make it harder to maintain or achieve a healthy weight.
However, for the most part, following a balanced diet and exercising regularly helps you keep your body healthy and is important in maintaining weight. Additionally, there are a few more specific tips you can focus on that can help you maintain your body weight easier.
In order to truly maintain weight, you have to burn an equal amount of calories as you consume per day. Before you freak out, it is not as hard as it may seem. Keep reading to learn 7 healthy habits to control your weight. You can also check out my post about how to balanced your calories and control your weight.
7 Healthy Habits to Control Your Weight
1. Drink plenty of water
The U.S. Geological Survey notes that water makes up of 60% of our bodies and is responsible for flushing out the body’s waste and regulating body temperature.
In addition to that, water is well known for it’s role in weight management. It may help to suppress your appetite, boost your metabolism and help in the digestion of food which burns more calories.
You should aim for drinking 11.5 cups a day for women and 15.5 cups a day for men.
Carrying around a water bottle every where I go has drastically helped me stay hydrated and increased my water intake. If you want more tips on how to drink more water, click here.
2. Eat more protein and fiber
Many studies have shown that increasing your protein and fiber intake have a positive effect on weight maintenance and loss.
A diet high in protein helps to increase your metabolism, makes you feel satisfied longer, and affects many weight-related hormones.
Additionally, a diet high in fiber helps to improve your body’s response to insulin, lowers blood pressure and makes you feel fuller longer.
Therefore, try to aim for eating around 20 grams of protein each meal and 25-30 grams of fiber each day.
Learn more about to increase your fiber intake with these 23 high fiber foods.
3. Limit refined sugars for breakfast
An important thing to notice is that I said “limit” and not skip or avoid.
Having a cinnamon roll or tasty pancakes topped with Nutella every once in a while isn’t going to hinder your weight. However, you do want to be mindful of eating a lot of sugar in the morning.
For me, I see a big a improvement in my diet if I start the day on a healthy note with a nutritious breakfast rather than a sugary one. I crave sugar less and I’m more motivated to keep that going.
There has also been many studies suggesting that eating a nutritious breakfast including protein such as eggs or yogurt in the morning plays a significant role in maintain your weight and optimal nutrient intakes.
4. Limit desserts to 1-2 times per week
There is a time and place for everything, including desserts.
A SMALL dessert consumed daily can be a part of a healthy diet. However, an entire, big dessert each night is not the best for maintaining weight easily.
I have said this before and I will say it again, no food should be completely off limits, including dessert!
But balancing out your diet is important. I know how easy it can be to slip into the routine of eating an entire bowl of ice cream every night, because that was me. I have a big sweet tooth and like my dessert.
So instead, I like to keep a bag of chocolate chips on hand and when I feel a craving coming on and handful of chocolate chips satisfies it perfectly and is under 100 calories.
Finding low calories sweets will play a big role in maintain your weight. However, that doesn’t mean you have stay clear of your favorite dessert every once in a while. Limiting dessert to 1-2 times per week will help to maintain your weight easier.
5. Exercise regularly.
It is widely known that regular exercise is important for your health and weight management.
However, it is SO important to exercise because physical activity affects so many different part of your body that all play a major role in controlling weight.
- Increases metabolism: Exercising, specifically resistance training such as lifting weights, results in an increase in muscle. This increase in muscle is what increases metabolism, meaning your body is burning more calories. More calories burned = more weight manage
- Increases total energy expenditure: Working out burns more calories throughout the day making it easier to stay in an energy balance which you need to maintain weight.
- Reduces stress: Stress can significantly increase your ability to maintain a healthy weight. Learn more tip on how to reduce stress.
For a healthy adult, you are going to want to aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, according to the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
6. Forget the “All or Nothing” Mentality
Maintaining weight is about living a balanced diet. That means it is NOT “all or nothing”.
If you had a donut for breakfast, that’s okay! You still got lunch and dinner to make it more nutritious. If you sleep through your alarm and miss the gym, that’s okay too! You can still do it later or get right back on track tomorrow.
Nothing is going to be perfect. Plans change and life changes. A balanced, healthy life means every day and every week is 80% healthy and 20% choice.
Be easier on yourself! Maintaining weight is a lot easier than losing weight and doesn’t require a super strict plan. As long as you are living with a healthy intent and taking actions that match, you should have some flexibility!
7. Keep a positive attitude.
Your body is not going to be exactly the same 24/7. Your body will look and weigh different first thing in the morning compared to right after dinner.
Keeping a positive attitude and not stressing too much about your weight is important in living your life and not letting the scale or your weight control your life.
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