Maintenance is a very important piece of the wellness puzzle. After all the hard work you’ve put in to reach your healthy weight, you’ll have to find a maintenance plan that works for you. Here are some strategies to help you maintain your weight loss and your healthy relationship with food and your body.
1. A slip doesn’t mean you failed.
No matter how closely you follow your goals, chances are there will be times that you slip up. And that’s okay. Slip-ups are only negative if we let them set us back. Instead of obsessing over your slip, take a moment to recognize why it happened, think of a way to keep it from happening again, and then get right back on track. By forgiving yourself and moving on you’ll be able to continue with your goals rather than feeling like a failure and giving up on them completely.
2. Be flexible.
Maintenance is often the hardest part of making lifestyle changes. After all, life doesn’t tend to just stay the same. As a result, you may need to adjust your goals and expectations from time to time. If you feel like you aren’t seeing results or something just isn’t working, take time to reevaluate your goals and adjust them to better fit whatever has changed in your life.
3. Try something new.
While some of us love routine, for others eating the same foods and doing the same exercises can be less than motivating after a while. Rather than getting into a slump and possibly off course, think of ways to change things up. Maybe you subscribe to a CSA box, buy a new cookbook, or try a new workout class. Not sure what to try? You can always ask the Lose It community for tips, tricks, and ideas.
4. Don’t forget your why.
Just as setting a reason for starting to make changes is important, maintaining a “why” is almost more important for sticking with your new lifestyle. Whether you write out your “why” and stick it to the bathroom mirror or take a picture of what’s motivating you and keep it on your phone, these little reminders of why you’re doing something are key for not reverting back to old habits. And remember, as we talked about in tip 2, it’s okay for your why to change over time.
5. Stay mindful.
If there’s one key to success it’s mindfulness. Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment without judgment, and research has shown that being more aware of our emotions around eating, what our food actually tastes and smells like, and when we’re actually full or hungry can all help with achieving and maintaining a healthier lifestyle.
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