Losing weight and keeping it off are often two different things.
For many people, losing weight is much easier than kissing it goodbye forever. The reason for this is that losing weight only requires a short term goal and some discipline. Changing your diet forever and adopting a healthier lifestyle is often a much loftier endeavor, and often comes with the drawbacks of having to fight cravings, adjust the way you deal with stress, and deny yourself the rewards you want in favor of a long term solution. That being said, there are small tips and tricks you can use to help keep weight off permanently, so hopefully this short list will help you reach and stick to your weight loss goals.
Eat a big breakfast. If you fill yourself up at the start of the day, you are both more likely to burn those calories off afterwards, and less likely to pick up unhealthy snacks based purely on immediate hunger.
Eat more fiber. The American Heart Association states that consuming 30 grams of fiber every day makes it easier to lose weight, because it fills you up, and keeps you full. It also helps with heart-health, which is an added bonus.
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Try drinking only water, tea, or coffee. I promise it isn’t as hard as it sounds to wean yourself off soda, and once you get used to it, you will enjoy the taste (or lack thereof), of water. Sodas and juices can contain up to 18 teaspoons of sugar, and 240 calories per 20-ounce serving, so they are bad for you no matter how you slice it.
Eat frozen vegetables. Obviously you want to cook them before you eat them, but veggies and fruits are often flash-frozen at the height of their freshness, and thus retain the nutrients your body requires.
Drink black coffee. I know we all love our morning coffee, but drinking it black can jumpstart your metabolism by 12% for up to 3 hours, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Snack on pistachios, or other shelled nuts. The act of shelling a nut slows down your eating and helps you consume less in general.
Eat protein with your fruit. In order to make your fruit snack more satisfying try pairing it with a protein such as an apple with a cup of skim milk, or half an avocado filled with cottage cheese.
There are many more ways to keep your waistline in check, but the most important thing to remember is to adopt these tricks into your repertoire, and be mindful of what you eat all the time, rather than only when you want to shed a few extra pounds.
Great tips! I will have to try the fruit + protein trick. Very fortunately, I’ve had a strong aversion to soda since I was little, and drink primarily tea and water.