It’s happened before…you’ve gotten to your ideal weight…stayed there for a few months..then all of a sudden the pounds start creeping back on! What the heck?? Before you know it, you’re back where you started, angry, frustrated, and annoyed…wondering what happened and how can I get back there?! Sound familiar? It happens to the best of us. How can you stay at your ideal weight? Here are my tips on how to lose weight and NEVER gain it back! 

 

 

1. Don’t do a crash diet. Crash diets suck. They make you angry, irritable, and HUNGRY! Yes, you might lose weight, but then once you go OFF the diet, which you will, because no one will want to be around you, you’ll gain the weight right back again. I tell my clients NEVER go below 1200 calories. It’s not only dangerous, but you won’t be able to maintain it long term. Remember that whole HCG diet? Where you eat 500 calories a day for a MONTH? Don’t do ANYTHING like that! Promise?

 

2. Set yourself up with healthy habits that you can stick with. Can you realistically spend 3 hours a day at the gym for the rest of your life? No? Then why do it now to have a rock hard body temporarily? Find something that is realistic and that will work for you in the long run.

 

3. Schedule weekly weigh ins. I know, I’m not a huge fan of the scale. BUT it does remind you to stay on track with your habits. Don’t let minor fluctuations like 1-2lbs either way faze you, but if you see it go up 5lbs then you know you need to start keeping a food journal again and watch what you’re eating. Really want to avoid the scale? Then find a pair of pants that you love and put them on weekly. If they start getting a bit snug, you know what to do.

 

4. Keep a food journal. Honestly, this is one of the easiest habits you can get into that will help you stay slim for life. It doesn’t take much time, and it really helps you focus on what you’re putting into your body each day. Do you REALLY want to log into your journal that you ate a pint of ice cream? Didn’t think so.

 

5. Surround yourself with a healthy community. Check out meetup.com for a walking group, running group, yoga group, really anything that will have you meeting up with health minded people on a regular basis. If you surround yourself with people who like to go out and drink, and then come home and sit on the couch, chances are you’ll be doing the same thing. Find people that will help you stay motivated!

 

6. Take progress pics. Do you know that feeling when you’re a couple of pounds heavier than you want to be, and you avoid taking pictures? Don’t let that happen…take monthly pictures so you can see how you’re doing.

 

7. Create a list of all the reasons WHY you need to be healthy. Is it so you can run around and play with your kids? Feel good about yourself? Make a list and put it where you can see it. Then, if you become tempted to stray for awhile, you’ll know what is REALLY important to you. No, it’s not that Big Mac. It’s feeling GOOD about yourself!