Avoid These Mistakes to Prevent Relapse After Weight Loss
Avoid These Mistakes to Prevent Relapse After Weight Loss
July 09, 2016 at 10:46 AM
You’ve worked hard, cutting calories, hitting the gym, and listening to your body. But it’s all paid off and you’re finally at your goal weight. Congratulations! You’ve got a lot to be proud of, and plenty to celebrate. But that doesn’t mean your work is over.
This is when all that stuff you’ve heard about weight loss being about life-long lifestyle changes comes into play. Keeping weight off is hard, but not impossible, and if you’re serious about maintaining your weight and avoiding relapse into old habits, read these common mistakes you should avoid.
Mistake #1: You Don’t Keep Up with Your Workout Regimen
Working out is hard, and for many making time to go to the gym is even harder. So it makes sense that once some people have hit their goal weight they start to slack when it comes to their fitness routine. But a few missed workout sessions here and there have a way of turning into a long-term habit of missing them. Over time that can mean fewer calories burned, reduced lean muscle mass, and a lower metabolism overall – a perfect recipe for gaining back weight.
Remember, getting regular exercise isn’t just for when you’re trying to shed weight. Exercise is an essential component of a lean, healthy lifestyle. You don’t have to run a marathon every month, but staying active is an important part of keeping weight off for good.
Mistake #2: You Don’t Keep Up with Your Diet
Just as hitting your goal weight isn’t a license to let your gym membership lapse, it’s not an excuse to give up on healthy eating either. You’re not banned for life from ever eating another slice of pizza or order of fries, but a steady diet rich in vegetables, lean proteins, and other healthful foods is essential for long term weight loss success.
Different diets work best for different people according to taste, nutritional needs, and more, but a hand rule of thumb is the best diet to keep weight off is the same one you used to shed it in the first place. Stick with it!
Most important rule of thumbs to remember is portion sizes and portion control. If stick with the diet plan that helped you lose the weight and incorporate other useful tips and tricks along the way, you will be sure to keep the weight gain off long term!
Mistake #3: You Let Discouraged and Give Up Completely
Something that’s far too common in people who struggle with their weight is an “all or nothing” attitude. If a single gained pound causes you to throw your hands up and quit completely, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
If you see your weight starting to creep back up, don’t get discouraged. Keep an optimistic attitude and look at it as a natural, temporary setback rather than a final defeat or a moral failing. Keep steady with your healthy habits, make adjustments where they’re needed, and think in terms of the big picture (your long-term happiness and overall health) rather than maintaining a narrow tunnel-vision pointed at the bathroom scale.
Get Help with Losing or Maintaining Weight with Medical Weight Loss Solutions
Whatever stage of your weight loss journey you’re on, a little help can help you go a long way. If you’re in Connecticut and need a hand losing weight or keeping it off, the team at Medical Weight Loss Solutions in Wallingford is there for you. With a variety of weight loss programs, personal training, health food store, and more, Medical Weight Loss Solutions has something for everyone. Call (203)269-8000 or send an email to info@medweightlosssolutions.com to learn more.