Maintaining your weight loss

So you’ve reached your goal weight – the hard part’s over, right? Unfortunately, many people find keeping that weight off just as difficult, if not more. Less than 20 percent of those who shed a lot of pounds ultimately maintain that loss, according to the University of Virginia. But you can beat the odds with these helpful hints.

Be Patient
Just as it probably took a few tries to find a combination of diet and exercise plans that equaled success in your weight-loss efforts, keeping the pounds off often takes some trial and error. Whatever you do, don’t ditch the healthy eating habits that have served you so well. Instead, try slowly adding back about 200 calories a day. (And make them nutritionally sound ones!) If you’re still losing after a week, add in another hundred. If you gain, cut back a little more. Eventually you’ll find the right combo.

Stay Supported
If you’ve dropped dress sizes with the help of a support-based group or program like Weight Watchers, don’t disengage just yet. A large-scale 2008 Duke University study found that monthly meetings with a counselor, and to a lesser extent, a computer-based support program, helped dieters avoid rebound weight gain.

Don’t Scale Back
When it comes to maintenance, ignorance isn’t bliss. Several studies have shown that weighing yourself daily helps prevent regain. Others argue that daily weigh-ins are overkill and can cause unnecessary obsessing, but experts agree that periodic checks are an important tool to keep you accountable.

Work It Out
Not only can exercise help you continue to burn excess calories, but if you are goal-oriented, a fitness routine can challenge you indefinitely. Now instead of trying to lose a certain number of pounds or fit into an old pair of jeans, you can aim to lift a 20 lb. barbell, or do a certain number of push-ups. That way, you stay motivated to keep up your healthy lifestyle.