How To Maintain Your Weight Loss

Follow these science-backed tips to keep your weight off for good.

How To Maintain Your Weight Loss

First off, congratulations! Now that you’ve achieved your ideal weight, you’ll want to put some thought on how to maintain your physique. That’s because weight loss and weight maintenance don’t quite rely on the same strategies.


According to an article published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the dietary habits that propel weight loss – managing sugar intake, having regular meals and meal planning – aren’t necessarily as effective for weight maintenance.


Instead, successful weight maintenance seems to be rooted in sustainable habits and developing a positive mindset.


In some ways, holding onto your new gains is more tedious since it requires long-term willpower. This probably explains why 90% of all people who shed a massive amount of weight eventually regain most of it.


However, with these tips in hand, you should be all set to upkeep your new figure for a long time to come.

Watch the carbs

Carbohydrates have always been a controversial touchpoint when it comes to nutrition. From the proponents of the Atkins diet to the paleo diet to the keto diet, there is no shortage of opinion makers who give this macronutrient a bad rap.


The truth is that carbohydrates do have their place in your life. After all, they’re your body’s primary source of energy.


But here is where we need to distinguish between whole carbs and refined carbs. Whole carbs are unprocessed and contain the fiber that naturally occurs in the food. The presence of fiber slows the absorption of sugars, which in turn stabilizes our blood sugar levels. Refined carbs, on the other hand, have been stripped of these beneficial fibers.


One US study found that consuming less refined carbs helped to suppress ghrelin levels. Ghrelin is a hormone that signals hunger and slows down energy expenditure. The lower your ghrelin levels, the lower your risk of weight rebound.


How much whole carbs should we eat then? The short answer: You only need about a 100g serving per meal. Visually, that’s about a quarter of your plate.

Aim to lose more at the start

We like to say that weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. We also like to say that weight loss isn’t an absolute numbers game – there are numerous benefits to offloading as little as 5% of your existing weight.


Nonetheless, studies show that the more weight you lose at the start, the more time you have to react when you see your weight creeping up again.


A 2016 report revealed that those who shed 15% of their BMI or more in the first six months were significantly less likely to experience the yo-yoing weight effect. Over the next 2 years, less than 20% of these high-loss patients regained their weight.


In patient groups with less impressive weight loss? 40% of them regained their weight in 2 years.

Track what you eat

Researchers examined the top strategies of about 5,000 WW (formerly Weight Watchers) members who successfully controlled their weight for at least three years after shedding 22 kilograms. They then narrowed down some of their most reliable weight maintenance methods, which were published in Obesity earlier this year.


Most of these methods revolved around tracking your intake – such as cataloguing your meals in a journal, measuring your food portions or setting daily intake goals.


To Suzanne Phelan, a public health professor who led the study, there is no question that these trackers help. People who maintain their weight loss the longest tend to have greater repetition in healthy eating choices.


“Healthier choices became more intuitive the longer people continued to make those choices. These findings are encouraging for those working at weight loss maintenance. Over time, weight loss maintenance may become easier, requiring less intentional effort.”

Weigh yourself daily

This step requires just one minute a day, and it will save you a lot of heartache down the line, suggests a study published last year in Obesity.


As part of the research, scientists recruited 111 individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 during the Christmas season. They wanted to determine if daily weighing would help to nip holiday weight gain in the bud.


Unsurprisingly, it was the group that had to weigh themselves daily who managed to maintain their status quo most effectively. The group that didn’t saw that body mass inching upwards.


“People are really sensitive to discrepancies between their current selves and where they want to be,” explains Michelle van Dellen, one of the study’s authors. “When they see that discrepancy, it really does lead to behavioural change.”

Stay positive

Your attitude to weight maintenance matters just as much as your physical lifestyle.


Research from Syracuse University shows that the more dissatisfied you are with your weight, the more likely you are to avoid working out. And simply believing that you’re overweight is a precursor to future weight gain.


That’s why positive self-talk is crucial even if you don’t like what you see on the weighing scale.


You won’t go far if you set impossible standards for yourself, or if you throw in the towel after giving in to a cheat meal. Instead of an all-or-nothing mindset, give yourself some wiggle room for the occasional treat.


Your weight maintenance strategy doesn’t need to be perfect; it just needs to be manageable for you. And most importantly, be patient!

An easier, smarter way to maintain your weight

If a yo-yoing weight sounds familiar to you, your metabolism may be slowing with age. When this happens, maintaining our weight becomes an uphill battle no matter how rigorously we diet or exercise.


That’s where our CSH therapy® program can help. Using traditional Chinese techniques of cupping, scraping and heat, our signature CSH therapy® was designed specially to treat slow metabolism — all without exercise, supplements or extreme caloric restrictions.


It’s safe, natural and has brought about long-lasting weight loss for
thousands of our clients since 2002.


Book a
consultation to find out all about the easier way to lose weight.

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