We all know that losing weight is not an easy journey. The biggest challenge is often not how to lose weight, but how to maintain the results and not gain weight again. Many people, after achieving their initial goal, fall into a vicious cycle of “losing then gaining – gaining then losing”, which makes the body tired and the mind depressed.
The core problem is that it is difficult to maintain a healthy diet anytime, anywhere. Not only because the temptation of delicious food is always present, but also because of social factors such as parties, meetings, or eating habits with family. Plus, the mental aspect, when you feel forced or constrained, perseverance will gradually fade.
What really prevents you from maintaining your ideal weight and how to overcome it?
1. Maintaining a healthy diet all the time is the biggest challenge
Short-term weight loss can come from strict dieting or over-exercising, but no one can live their whole life in that constraint. We all have parties, gatherings, eating habits with family; all these social factors make maintaining a healthy diet all the time, everywhere almost impossible.
Not only that, mental pressure is also a big barrier. When you feel like you are “enduring” a diet, you will soon be exhausted and easily give up. This is the reason why many people quickly gain weight back after stopping the diet.
You can imagine, after a week of very strict dieting, you go to your best friend’s wedding on the weekend. The menu is full of fried foods, cakes and carbonated soft drinks. You tell yourself “it’s okay to eat once”, but then you feel guilty, and that feeling makes you more likely to give up in the following days. This is a prime example of the difficulty of maintaining a diet in a social context.
2. Focus on your mind, not your body
The key to maintaining weight is not how much less you eat, but changing your relationship with food. When you learn to listen to your body (by eating when you’re hungry, stopping when you’re full, choosing foods that help you stay healthy rather than just satisfy your emotions), you’ll no longer be obsessed with rigid menus.
For example: A 35-year-old office lady used to snack every night while watching movies with her husband. She decided to replace this habit by preparing a tray of pre-cut fruit and a few almonds. At first, she felt a little “missing”, but after a few weeks, her brain gradually “got used” to the change and watching movies no longer meant eating greasy snacks.
3. Learn to be flexible in eating
No one can “eat 100% clean” for their whole life. Balance is key. If you overindulge at a party today, make up for it with a lighter meal the next day with vegetables, fruit, and lean protein. This flexibility allows you to relax mentally while maintaining your weight, rather than succumbing to guilt and giving up.
Some people also use intermittent fasting to reduce the frequency of evening snacking. This method is not suitable for everyone, but for many women, limiting their eating times during the day helps them better control their calorie intake and avoid emotional eating.
4. Build comfort from within
Once you feel comfortable with your mind, body, and soul, losing weight and keeping it off will no longer be a battle. Then, choosing healthy foods, maintaining exercise, and getting enough rest will become natural habits.
Sustainable weight loss does not require strict diets or complicated meal plans. What you need is an honest and healthy approach to yourself; eat wisely, allow yourself to be flexible, and most importantly, cultivate a strong mind.
For example: A woman after giving birth often stressed because her weight was not at the desired level. She started practicing gentle yoga, meditating for 10 minutes every morning, and getting more sleep. As a result, after only 3 months, she not only lost weight but also felt physically healthy and mentally relaxed, from which her eating habits became more natural and moderate.
So, maintaining weight after losing weight is a big challenge, but not impossible. Remember, instead of looking for the perfect diet, you just need to build yourself a lifestyle that can be maintained for life. And that starts with changing your thinking, knowing how to be flexible in your eating, and finding comfort from within. When you do this, weight is no longer a burden, but becomes a natural result of a balanced and healthy life.
