5 Tips to Maintaining Weightloss

When it comes to losing weight, getting there is only half of the journey. The truth is, your journey should continue throughout your life-it is a lifestyle change, after all, right? Maintaining your goal weight is the other half of the big picture and can sometimes be even harder than getting to your goal weight in the first place. It takes willpower, determination, and motivation to stay at this level.You literally have to fight and work for it!

Here are 5 little tips to help you achieve your maintenance:

Plan your meals & cook them at home.

Planning has lots to do with maintaining weight loss. You don't want to go into a battle unprepared, right? You do not want to go into a craving battle unprepared either. I recommend meal prepping each week! It has been the  key to keeping me on track of my daily routine because at the end of the day, I know what I ate, how many calories I consumed, and I don't have to stress about what to make the next day. Here are my 5 steps to meal prepping to begin!

Drink lots of water.

We all have heard this tip a thousand times over, but most of us still refuse to abide by it. Personally, I get bored with the taste of water so I like to add fresh lemon juice and slices to my water pitcher. Water regulates the balance of body fluids and also helps you to regulate your calories. You drank lots of water to lose weight, right? Now, drink the water to keep the pounds from coming back on. Aim for at least half of your body weight in ounces of water daily. If you weight 120 lbs, aim for at least 60 oz. of water.

Follow a consistent exercise routine.

When maintaining weight loss, it is a great idea to stay consistent with your workouts. If you start doing too much, you'll end up burning more calories thus losing more weight. On the other side of the spectrum, if you do too little activity, you are more likely to gain-especially if your diet is staying the exact same (in this case, you'll have to change your diet to fit your altered workout plan). Stick with a good plan that involves at least 45 minutes of activity per day and get moving!

Be consistent in your diet, as well.

Always eat the same amount of meals daily-this keeps your body on track of a schedule which helps keep things more static. If you skip one meal one day and eat the same the next, I doubt it is going to throw you off altogether. But if you consistently keep skipping meals or eating 4 small meals one day and then 6 small meals the next, this will confuse your body and you are guaranteed to see those pounds shift-one way or the other. I am not saying to eat the same boring chicken with broccoli everyday; just stick with the foods that do your body justice and find new ways to create them and spice them up! Healthy never has to be boring.

Create a motivational board to stay inspired.

I love this idea. Creating a motivational or inspirational board always drives me. I would also suggest this idea when wanting to reach a weight loss or weight gain goal, not just for maintaining. Simply, make a collage of everything-people, things, quotes-that inspire you to reach your journey.