Believe it or not, maintaining your ideal weight is not as hard as losing the weight in the first place – you just need to know what to do
Tip#1: Count to 10
The average craving lasts approximately 10 minutes. Before you give in to your cravings, set 10 minutes aside to tackle simple tasks that will distract you and also give you a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment
Tip#2: Don’t Punish Yourself
Despite your best efforts, you may not be able to resist the urge to indulge in foods that were not part of your diet plan. When you have made a commitment to losing weight, it is easy to feel guilty about a “slip-up.” But feeling guilty may actually cause you to sabotage your meal plan for the remainder of the day. Accept the lapse and get back to your plan. Identify the factors that caused you to stray from your diet and devise a plan to address these factors in the future without hurting your overall weight-loss efforts.
Tip#3: Don’t Drink Your Calories
From soda to juice, liquid calories add up quickly without filling you up like solid, healthy foods. Since they may still leave you feeling hungry, you could end up eating just as much food as you would have otherwise eaten without the extra calories. Choose fruit over juice and consider diet sodas. Aim to drink eight glasses of water per day. Drinking water regularly will also help to keep you feeling full.
Tip#4: Shop the Outer Perimeter of the Grocery Store
Fresh and healthy food choices such as fruits, vegetables and lean proteins are typically situated in the outer area of grocery stores while the processed foods are located in the middle aisles. Before you walk into the store, create a list of items you need to purchase and shop the outer perimeter. Stick to your list in order to avoid last-minute purchases of high-fat and high-sugar items.
Tip#5: Take the Road More Traveled
Throughout the day, make a conscious effort to be more active. Pace while you talk on the phone, take the dog out for an extra walk, park your car at the back of the lot, take the stairs every chance you get and get out of your seat during commercial breaks. These activities might not seem like much at the time, but the calories you burn by making these simple modifications to your daily routine could add up to be much more than you anticipated.
