I recently completed a 12 week weight loss challenge through my fitness center. When I started this challenge, I was feeling overwhelmed and to be honest, I didn’t think I could do it.  I mean 12 weeks, that’s 3 months! I immediately gave myself an out, I said “well if it gets too hard I will stop.” I didn’t stop, and it wasn’t nearly as tough as I thought it would be. I am proud to say not only did I complete the 12 week weight loss challenge, I still follow the program about 80% of the time.  This program gave me so much, it improved my fitness level tremendously, it changed my body dramatically (I lost 14 lbs) and most importantly it built my self esteem. The thing that drove me forward was having a goal and when the challenge was over I actually felt sad and at a loss. Surprisingly, I was scared to eat again after being so regimented, it felt unsafe to just eat what I wanted. I knew that after 12 weeks I would be so conditioned that I would most likely make this a lifestyle change, which I have, but I didn’t anticipate the sadness I would feel when it was over. What I did realized was that I had to start a new chapter and that new chapter would be the hardest part yet…

Maintenance! Maintenance is actually harder than the weight loss phase and a new approach must be adapted to keep the weight off.

“Your desire to maintain must be driven by something that’s deeper and consistent with your own internal values,” says Scott Kahan, MD, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness. This is where a new goal might need to be considered. A reunion or vacation is always a great motivator to keep in shape. Really think about why you want to maintain your current weight and health and how it will change your future.

You could lose weight based on your diet alone. But to maintain weight loss, physical activity is an absolute must, says James O. Hill, PhD, co-founder of the National Weight Control. You must keep up some sort of exercise regime. I personally like HIT (high intensity training) this targets multiple muscle groups in one exercise and is only needed to be performed for 30 minutes at a time. I do HIT 5 times a week and the results are amazing. You can do any type of exercise you prefer but remember to push yourself a little and change it up to add variety and keep things fun.

Research shows that getting on the scales daily is a very effective strategy for those trying to maintain weight loss. Its important to know when you are over eating or retaining water, so try and weigh yourself at least a few times a week to keep things in check.

Eat, eat, eat!  It’s so important to eat healthy meals often through out the day, starting with breakfast. Make sure that all of your meals have plenty of protein, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and limited complex carbohydrates. Try and eat every 3-4 hours to keep your metabolism up.

Eat a lot of fiber, or take a fiber supplement. Don’t forget to add in extra water if you are taking a fiber supplement.

Take your vitamins. If you haven’t had blood work done, its important to know what you are deficient in and to add supplements. I take about 10 vitamins a day and have my blood work done every 3 to 6 months.

DRINK WATER!! Be sure to get in plenty of water daily. Women should get about 2 liters a day (which is a little more than 8 8oz glasses) and men should get 3 liters a day. In addition to iced green tea and 1 cup of coffee, water is my only beverage. This is so important for your body, especially in the summer months.

Remember, if you fall off the wagon, don’t beat yourself up, just get back on as soon as possible. After all this is a lifestyle and we all will have times when we over indulge. Just try and stick to clean eating 80% of the time and allow yourself a 20% window for parties, vacations and other events.

Most important, remember that going back to the lifestyle that you had before the weight loss will get you right back to where you started from. You have to adapt a new lifestyle and this may mean changes in the people you spend time with and the places you visit. This is why is is so important to really understand what this new weight loss means to you and decide what is truly important to you, your health and your future.  Keep motivated and stay strong.

Sources; 9 secrets to successful weight maintenance, Web MD viewed on June 25, 2017.