Losing weight is always a big challenge for most people. But what surprises many people is that the hardest part of this journey is not losing weight, but keeping it off. Many people have experienced the joy of seeing the clock on the scale go down little by little. But just a short time later, they return to their old weight or even higher.
This means that losing weight is only half the battle, the more important part is how to maintain the results.
Why does weight come back easily?
Gaining weight again after losing a significant amount of weight often comes from many different causes, both psychological and biological. Here are 3 core causes:
- Loss of motivation to lose weight. The feeling of excitement during the weight loss process is often much stronger than the maintenance phase. When we see the number on the scale gradually decrease, we feel a clear “reward” for our efforts. But when our weight stabilizes, the feeling of excitement disappears, leading to a decrease in motivation and an easy way to give up.
- Changes to lose weight are often quite extreme. For example, drastically cutting calories, completely eliminating a food group, or exercising at a high intensity, these are habits that are difficult to maintain in the long term. Once returning to a normal lifestyle, the weight is easy to return.
- In addition, the body also has a natural “resistance” mechanism. The process of losing weight causes hunger hormones (such as ghrelin) to increase, while the metabolic rate decreases, making it easier for you to eat more and burn less energy. This combination almost “forces” you to eat more and leads to weight gain.
What should you do to prevent weight gain from returning?
Here are some tips to avoid it:
1. Be flexible rather than perfectionist
One of the most important tips to avoid weight regain is to be flexible. Maintaining your weight is not a sprint, but a lifelong journey. If you set yourself the expectation that you will always eat perfectly, never skip a workout, sooner or later you will be disappointed.
There will be days when you eat more than you intended, or you are lazy and don’t exercise. This is completely normal. Instead of feeling guilty and giving up, find ways to “compensate” gently. For example, after a weekend party, you can add a few walks the following week.
2. Prepare for disruptions
No one can go through life without attending parties, birthdays, festivals or special occasions. These events are often the “traps” that cause many people to gain weight again.
The solution is not to avoid, but to prepare in advance. You can lose a little weight before a special occasion, so you have room to indulge. Or simply bring some healthy foods with you so you can still enjoy them without eating too many calories. When you are proactive, these occasions will no longer be the “enemies” of weight.
3. Build sustainable habits
Motivation is easy to change, but habits are sustainable. When you turn healthy actions into habits, maintaining your weight will become much easier. For example, if you get used to going for a walk after dinner, choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator, or packing your own lunch to take to work, these things will happen naturally without much thought. It is these small habits that make a difference in the long run.
4. Regular physical activity
Of all the factors, exercise is considered the most important to prevent weight gain. Not only does it help burn energy, physical activity also improves cardiovascular health, mood and sleep quality.
It is worth noting that you do not need to force yourself to participate in sports that you hate. The secret here is to find activities that you love, from walking, cycling, swimming to dancing. When exercise is associated with joy, you will maintain it longer.
Experts recommend exercising at least 250 minutes per week (equivalent to about 35 minutes per day). This is the level that helps maintain weight after weight loss, higher than the general recommendation for health (150 minutes/week).
5. Monitor your weight regularly
Many people are afraid to step on the scale because they are afraid of facing the number. But in fact, the scale is a useful tool for you to control your weight.
Weighing yourself regularly (for example 2–3 times/week) helps you understand your natural weight range. When you see your weight increase by more than 1–2 kg, you can adjust your diet and exercise in time. If this situation persists, that number will easily multiply to 5–7 kg, at which point losing weight will be much more difficult.
6. Eat breakfast and eat enough fiber
The role of breakfast in weight management is important, many studies show that most people who maintain their weight have the habit of eating breakfast. A healthy breakfast with protein and fiber will help you feel full longer, avoiding snacking during the day.
In addition, foods rich in fiber (such as green vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans) are the key to maintaining weight. Fiber helps slow down digestion, creating a feeling of fullness for a long time and limiting overeating. This is one of the most sustainable eating habits that you can maintain for life.
In short, maintaining your weight after losing weight is definitely a challenge, but it’s not impossible. The key is to build a sustainable lifestyle, rather than chasing short-term methods. Be flexible when making mistakes, prepare for disruptions, focus on the journey rather than the numbers, build good habits, stay active, track your weight, and prioritize a high-fiber diet.
Losing weight is a journey, but maintaining your weight is a lifelong goal. And with the right habits, you can absolutely keep the results you’ve worked so hard to achieve.
