Maintaining and losing is starting to sound a lot alike...
pkw58
Posts: 2,038 Member
http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/weight-management-tips.aspx?pos=1&xid=nl_EverydayHealthWomensHealth_20130916
Here it is:
12 tricks from dietitians and successful dieters who were able to lose and weight and keep if off.
Build more lean muscle. Maintain, or even increase, your metabolism by continuing to build lean muscle. "Muscle has a higher metabolism than fat does," explains Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center. If you don't yet train with weights, add this type of exercise to your overall program now. If you do, increase the amount of weight you're working with to keep yourself challenged.
Fight off hunger with more filling foods. A three-year University of Pittsburgh study of 284 women between the ages of 25 and 45 found that those who avoided weight gain the best were the ones whose meals kept them feeling full. "Keeping that feeling of fullness can be done with foods high in fiber — think fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein," says Jenna Anding, PhD, RD, of the department of nutrition and food science at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
Avoid temptation. The University of Pittsburgh study also found that women who best controlled their weight were good at resisting the temptation to binge on forbidden treats. This doesn't mean never indulging in a gooey dessert again, but rather picking — and limiting — your moments. There are many ways to avoid daily temptations, including planning ahead when eating out, eating out less, and banning your worst weaknesses from the house.
Count calories. Another hallmark of successful weight maintenance, according to the University of Pittsburgh study, is regularly counting calories. Use a journal such as My Calorie Counter to keep a running total throughout the day if that helps you keeps track of calorie consumption. In the weight-control survey, the women who were most successful at less than 1,800 calories a day and limited fat intake.
Plan your meals in advance. A maintenance diet has a lot of the same components as a weight-loss diet. Having a meal-by-meal plan that you can stick to, although it has more calories than your diet plan did, can act as a guide to keep you on track.
Consider adding minutes to your exercise plan. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, but emphasize that the more you exercise, the better able you are to maintain a weight loss. Participants in the weight control survey walked for at least 60 minutes daily — or burned the same calories with other activities — so aim for 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity every day.
Measure your portions. According to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) study of more than 4,000 U.S. adults, the biggest factors in success were measuring portions and fats, the most caloric foods, in particular. This doesn't mean you have to carry a food scale everywhere you go, but using it as often as possible at home will teach you how to eyeball portion sizes at restaurants and immediately know how much to eat, and how much to take home in a doggie bag.
Weigh yourself daily. The same CDC study reported that people who weigh themselves once a day are twice as successful at keeping off lost weight as those who don't step on the scale as often. Daily weigh-ins, which can be discouraging when you're on a diet, can be a boon during maintenance; they let you see, and stop, any slow creep upward as soon as it happens.
Include dairy in your diet. According to a study of 338 adults, those who ate three or more servings of low-fat dairy daily were more likely to keep off the weight than those who ate one serving or less. For women in particular, this has the additional benefit of improving bone health.
Let your plate be your guide. When you can't count calories or measure portions accurately, Banes recommends using the "plate method" as a way to control the amount you're eating. A great tip for dieters, it works just as well for people on a maintenance plan. Simply put, when you serve yourself using this method, at least half your plate should be vegetables and the remaining space should be divided evenly between lean protein and whole grains. If you go back for seconds, limit yourself to vegetables, fruit or low-fat dairy.
Watch less TV. In the National Weight Control Registry Survey, dieters who watched fewer than 10 hours of TV a week were more successful in maintaining weight loss than those who spent more time vegging out in front of the tube. And less TV time might have other benefits, too — an analysis from the Harvard School of Public Health found that too much TV can raise your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and death.
Eat breakfast. They call it the most important meal of the day for a reason. In the survey, women who regularly ate breakfast were more successful with long-term weight loss than those who skipped the first meal of the day. It’s best to eat similar healthy choices regularly (think oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit) and always start out with a good breakfast to avoid splurging or overeating on special occasions.
Now that you know the secrets to long-term weight-loss success, get started with your weight management program today!
Here it is:
12 tricks from dietitians and successful dieters who were able to lose and weight and keep if off.
Build more lean muscle. Maintain, or even increase, your metabolism by continuing to build lean muscle. "Muscle has a higher metabolism than fat does," explains Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center. If you don't yet train with weights, add this type of exercise to your overall program now. If you do, increase the amount of weight you're working with to keep yourself challenged.
Fight off hunger with more filling foods. A three-year University of Pittsburgh study of 284 women between the ages of 25 and 45 found that those who avoided weight gain the best were the ones whose meals kept them feeling full. "Keeping that feeling of fullness can be done with foods high in fiber — think fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein," says Jenna Anding, PhD, RD, of the department of nutrition and food science at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
Avoid temptation. The University of Pittsburgh study also found that women who best controlled their weight were good at resisting the temptation to binge on forbidden treats. This doesn't mean never indulging in a gooey dessert again, but rather picking — and limiting — your moments. There are many ways to avoid daily temptations, including planning ahead when eating out, eating out less, and banning your worst weaknesses from the house.
Count calories. Another hallmark of successful weight maintenance, according to the University of Pittsburgh study, is regularly counting calories. Use a journal such as My Calorie Counter to keep a running total throughout the day if that helps you keeps track of calorie consumption. In the weight-control survey, the women who were most successful at less than 1,800 calories a day and limited fat intake.
Plan your meals in advance. A maintenance diet has a lot of the same components as a weight-loss diet. Having a meal-by-meal plan that you can stick to, although it has more calories than your diet plan did, can act as a guide to keep you on track.
Consider adding minutes to your exercise plan. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, but emphasize that the more you exercise, the better able you are to maintain a weight loss. Participants in the weight control survey walked for at least 60 minutes daily — or burned the same calories with other activities — so aim for 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity every day.
Measure your portions. According to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) study of more than 4,000 U.S. adults, the biggest factors in success were measuring portions and fats, the most caloric foods, in particular. This doesn't mean you have to carry a food scale everywhere you go, but using it as often as possible at home will teach you how to eyeball portion sizes at restaurants and immediately know how much to eat, and how much to take home in a doggie bag.
Weigh yourself daily. The same CDC study reported that people who weigh themselves once a day are twice as successful at keeping off lost weight as those who don't step on the scale as often. Daily weigh-ins, which can be discouraging when you're on a diet, can be a boon during maintenance; they let you see, and stop, any slow creep upward as soon as it happens.
Include dairy in your diet. According to a study of 338 adults, those who ate three or more servings of low-fat dairy daily were more likely to keep off the weight than those who ate one serving or less. For women in particular, this has the additional benefit of improving bone health.
Let your plate be your guide. When you can't count calories or measure portions accurately, Banes recommends using the "plate method" as a way to control the amount you're eating. A great tip for dieters, it works just as well for people on a maintenance plan. Simply put, when you serve yourself using this method, at least half your plate should be vegetables and the remaining space should be divided evenly between lean protein and whole grains. If you go back for seconds, limit yourself to vegetables, fruit or low-fat dairy.
Watch less TV. In the National Weight Control Registry Survey, dieters who watched fewer than 10 hours of TV a week were more successful in maintaining weight loss than those who spent more time vegging out in front of the tube. And less TV time might have other benefits, too — an analysis from the Harvard School of Public Health found that too much TV can raise your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and death.
Eat breakfast. They call it the most important meal of the day for a reason. In the survey, women who regularly ate breakfast were more successful with long-term weight loss than those who skipped the first meal of the day. It’s best to eat similar healthy choices regularly (think oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit) and always start out with a good breakfast to avoid splurging or overeating on special occasions.
Now that you know the secrets to long-term weight-loss success, get started with your weight management program today!
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Replies
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Great article ... Thanks!! Confirms that I am doing everything right!!
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Thanks for this! Maintenance in a nutshell.0
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(*knock, knock* not yet on maintenance, but I stalk these boards because I know I will be soon, and losing is only half the work!)
So basically, the only thing that changes on maintenance is your calorie goal. You still log, you still exercise everyday, you still weigh all your food. Meh, I can handle that.
xx0 -
While I agree with the article, I'd sooner never count another calorie....0
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Totally agree!
I'm eating the same foods and probably training harder as I have more energy and better recovery.
Guess that's why, unlike many it seems, I find maintenance much easier than weight loss - same foods just slightly more quantity and room for a few extra "treats".
It also highlights where a lot of people go wrong when they are "dieting" by excluding foods or even food groups.0 -
Awesome post for us newbies learning how to maintain.
Thanks!0 -
Now I'm on maintainence, I agree totally with the idea that it's the same, with more room for treats...Totally agree!
I'm eating the same foods and probably training harder as I have more energy and better recovery.
Guess that's why, unlike many it seems, I find maintenance much easier than weight loss - same foods just slightly more quantity and room for a few extra "treats".
It also highlights where a lot of people go wrong when they are "dieting" by excluding foods or even food groups.0 -
Great article. I've been maintaining since Feb, and do just about all of the things listed. Right on!0
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While I agree with the article, I'd sooner never count another calorie....
I have been maintaining for about 5 months without counting calories...I kinda keep som track of them in my head...but really, I didn't keep a diary or anything. I continued to basically eat the same kinds of foods I ate while losing...a diet rich in veg and fruit...lean proteins, and healthy fats. I did log for about 6 weeks to just see what that level of calories looked like, but I didn't log after that.
The key for me was maintaining a nutritionaly dense and balanced diet and keeping on with my fitness. I particularly agree that lifting weights or otherwise doing resistance training is critical at maintenance..as much or more so than while losing. When you're working your muscles, your body does amazing things with a few extra calories.
I'm currently logging again as I'm going to attempt to drop about 5% more BF. I'm pretty comfortable where I'm at and I know that where I'm at is easily maintainable but I'd like to lose a bit more of my spare tire and see how I fare. Currently keeping a 250 calorie deficit per day...roughly.0 -
While I agree with the article, I'd sooner never count another calorie....
I have been maintaining for about 5 months without counting calories...I kinda keep som track of them in my head...but really, I didn't keep a diary or anything. I continued to basically eat the same kinds of foods I ate while losing...a diet rich in veg and fruit...lean proteins, and healthy fats. I did log for about 6 weeks to just see what that level of calories looked like, but I didn't log after that.
The key for me was maintaining a nutritionaly dense and balanced diet and keeping on with my fitness. I particularly agree that lifting weights or otherwise doing resistance training is critical at maintenance..as much or more so than while losing. When you're working your muscles, your body does amazing things with a few extra calories.
I'm currently logging again as I'm going to attempt to drop about 5% more BF. I'm pretty comfortable where I'm at and I know that where I'm at is easily maintainable but I'd like to lose a bit more of my spare tire and see how I fare. Currently keeping a 250 calorie deficit per day...roughly.
I am still just doing light weights along with my barre3 video, but I can really tell if I am don't do the light weights. it makes a HUGE small difference, if that makes sense.0 -
more fitness know how from the fitness industry ...I guess most of this is OK ....however, the "don't skip breakfast" part is totally bunk. Plenty of people skip breakfast keep weight off, and have muscle gains. And breakfast is not the most important meal of the day, lunch is...0
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Great info..much needed0
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(*knock, knock* not yet on maintenance, but I stalk these boards because I know I will be soon, and losing is only half the work!)
So basically, the only thing that changes on maintenance is your calorie goal. You still log, you still exercise everyday, you still weigh all your food. Meh, I can handle that.
xx
You forgot to add..but you'll look good doing it! haha.1
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