5 Causes Of Weight Gain After Weight Loss

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      Mayo Clinic: "Counting Calories: Get Back to Weight-Loss Basics"
    




Sustainable, positive changes to your eating habits (like cooking more at home) can help you keep the weight off for good.

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The best way to avoid choosing an unsustainable diet is to work with a dietitian or medical professional to help set up a plan that works for you — that involves creating a realistic, healthy calorie deficit (when you burn more calories than you consume), Taub-Dix says. Sustainable diets also incorporate nutritious foods that you actually enjoy eating without cutting out foods (or food groups) that you like. Even when following a weight-loss diet, you should still be able to include foods you love to eat, even if it’s at more moderate quantities, in some cases. Some of the best, healthy eating plans for weight loss include the Mediterranean diet, anti-inflammatory diet and DASH diet.

Sustainable diets also incorporate nutritious foods that you actually enjoy eating without cutting out foods (or food groups) that you like. Even when following a weight-loss diet, you should still be able to include foods you love to eat, even if it’s at more moderate quantities, in some cases.

Some of the best, healthy eating plans for weight loss include the Mediterranean diet, anti-inflammatory diet and DASH diet.

Setting realistic weight-loss goals is the key to long-term success. It’s not uncommon to pick a goal weight that you may have sustained at a different point in your life. But that doesn’t mean it’s what’s best for your body right now. Working with a qualified professional (like your doctor or dietitian) is the best way to find and choose a weight that your body can realistically work with and maintain.

Working with a qualified professional (like your doctor or dietitian) is the best way to find and choose a weight that your body can realistically work with and maintain.

A balanced approach to your meals throughout the day is a better alternative, Taub-Dix says. It’s totally OK to eat some lighter and heavier meals throughout the day (for instance, some prefer a lighter breakfast and larger lunch). But you want to make sure your macronutrients (protein, fats and carbs) are relatively balanced at each meal to help keep your body feeling full and energized.

Increasing your overall exercise is a must. But that doesn’t mean you need to do hours of cardio each day. Strength training is a great way to help keep the weight off for good, California-based personal trainer Carolina Araujo, CPT, tells LIVESTRONG.com. “Strength training increases your body’s muscle mass, which speeds up your metabolism,” she says. “The faster your metabolism, the more calories you burn just doing day-to-day activities. So, when you increase your total muscle, you have a much higher chance of keeping off the weight you lost.”

“Strength training increases your body’s muscle mass, which speeds up your metabolism,” she says. “The faster your metabolism, the more calories you burn just doing day-to-day activities. So, when you increase your total muscle, you have a much higher chance of keeping off the weight you lost.”

When you decide to set a weight-loss goal, it’s totally fine if the immediate motivating factor is an event. But make sure that’s not the only reason you’ve decided to lose some pounds — becoming healthier and feeling better in your day-to-day are more positive, long-term motivators, Taub-Dix says. When you focus on the more positive side effects of weight loss (beyond the way you look), chances are, you’ll feel more encouraged to set up healthier, more sustainable practices and routines. These are way more effective in helping you keep weight off in the years (and not just weeks) to come.

When you focus on the more positive side effects of weight loss (beyond the way you look), chances are, you’ll feel more encouraged to set up healthier, more sustainable practices and routines. These are way more effective in helping you keep weight off in the years (and not just weeks) to come.

      Mayo Clinic: "Counting Calories: Get Back to Weight-Loss Basics"