The most difficult thing to do at the end of a diet is to avoid gaining back the pounds lost. Unfortunately, many people can’t seem to get rid of the “weight regainer” mantra. If you are one of those people, this article gives you all the tips to stabilize your weight after the efforts of a slimming diet.
Why stabilize your weight?
To tell you the truth, the hardest part isn’t losing weight. Rather, it’s about maintaining your good shape over the long term, while stabilizing your weight. It’s important to make sure of that because if you suddenly return to your previous eating habits, you’ll quickly store up calories. The “stabilization phase” is, therefore, an important time to maintain good habits and live a healthy lifestyle. To do this, you need to :
1. Continue to do sports
Regular physical activity is essential to stabilize your weight. Thirty minutes of sustained effort will help you burn more calories and increase your body’s metabolism. Not only will you feel slim and beautiful, but you’ll also feel firm and always on top of things. Whether you’re exercising in a club or alone, the most important thing is to exercise while having fun. Walking, cycling, jogging, swimming and tennis are exercises that involve all the muscles of the body and revitalize the body.
2. Count the calories you eat
In other words, eat intelligently and pay close attention to the composition of your menus. To maintain your weight after a diet, eating at the table must be a conscious and thoughtful act. You need to know the nutritional intake of each food you eat.
3. Weigh yourself regularly
Weighing yourself every week helps you become aware of the usefulness of your goal, and helps you avoid gaining weight again. Of course, it’s not a question of being obsessed by your kilos, but of learning to react quickly if, for two or three weeks in a row, your weight has increased significantly. Professionals recommend weighing yourself in the morning, at a fixed time and day, every week, using a bathroom scale with an impedance meter. A device that allows you to know your muscular mass, the percentage of your fat mass and the rate of your water mass.
4. Do not skip breakfast
For lack of time or appetite, breakfast is often neglected and rushed, whereas it is essential to break the night’s fast and regain energy to start the day. The ideal composition of breakfast to stabilize your weight should include a 100% natural fruit juice, a source of lean protein (eggs, dairy, cheese …), cereals rich in fiber (rusks, wholemeal bread, grain bread), a little margarine or oilseeds, moderately.
5. Favouring “starvation” foods
To maintain weight and manage the stabilization phase after dieting, it is crucial to reduce appetite and stop cravings. Eat low-calorie foods that promote satiety for a long time. A typical plate consists of protein-rich foods and vegetables that are high in fiber and have a low glycemic index: cabbage, spinach, leeks, etc. It can be complemented with starchy foods and legumes (lentils, wholemeal rice, white beans, chickpeas, etc.), seafood, hazelnuts, pistachios, unsalted almonds, etc.
5. Favoring “starvation” foods
To maintain weight and manage the stabilization phase after dieting, it is crucial to reduce appetite and stop cravings. Eat low-calorie foods that promote satiety for a long time. A typical plate consists of protein-rich foods and vegetables that are high in fiber and have a low glycemic index: cabbage, spinach, leeks, etc. It can be complemented with starchy foods and legumes (lentils, wholemeal rice, white beans, chickpeas, etc.), seafood, hazelnuts, vegetables and fruit
6. Monitor your carbohydrate intake
To stay slim, and not gain weight, you need to control the glycemic intake of your formulas. Carbohydrates are sugar molecules. If you eat foods with a high glycemic index, it raises your blood sugar level. The excess sugar will then accumulate in your fat cells, more specifically in the abdominal area. It is therefore important to choose carbohydrates with a low or moderate glycemic index and eat them in moderation. Basmati rice, buckwheat, which is an excellent source of magnesium, and sweet potato, rich in potassium and insoluble fiber, help regulate blood sugar levels.
7. Treat yourself to a little treat
Just because you want to stabilize your weight doesn’t mean you should deprive yourself of small pleasures! A little deviation from time to time won’t hurt you. A small bar of chocolate during a coffee break, a portion of apple pie for dessert or a croissant on a Sunday morning… As long as it’s occasional, you’ll maintain your beautiful figure without any difficulty.
8. Eat a balanced diet at all times
Many people eat a healthy, balanced diet for the first five days of the week, then give in to excess and junk food on the weekend. You won’t get anywhere with this behaviour. To keep your weight off, you need to maintain good habits throughout the week. Over time, this becomes a very profitable lifestyle that will make you proud!
9. Drink lots of water
Water is vital, it is also very beneficial to boost the elimination of toxins and avoid storing fat as much as possible. It is a source of oxygen for the cells and helps to decongest the digestive tract. To amplify the detoxifying effect of the water, it is necessary to add slices of lemon, kiwi or pineapple. You will benefit from their vitamins and minerals, in addition to those of your water.
10. Learning to relieve stress
No need to put pressure on yourself to control your kilos. That would be counterproductive. Stress is the number one enemy when you want to maintain your weight after a diet. According to a scientific study by the University of Florida, stress is the main reason why our body cannot maintain its shape and get rid of excess weight. The problem? A hormone called “betatrophin” which alters the body’s ability to burn fat. Also, if you watch your weight with anxiety, you will succumb over time to the urge to snack and eat fatty and sweet foods.
11. Filling up with vegetables
Rich in nutrients and low in calories, vegetables have the advantage of providing our bodies with a wide range of nutrients (dietary fibre, minerals, vitamins, proteins, etc.). To enjoy them fully, cook in a dietetic, balanced and varied way, opting for steam cooking which preserves the essential nutrients contained in the food.
12. Sleep well
Lack of sleep and bad nights negatively influence our mood. As everyone knows, depression makes you eat a lot and usually leads to impulsive cravings. As a result, we regain the lost weight. To stabilize your weight, it is precious to sleep well. Use soothing colours in your room, turn off the light and sleep in an absolute calm like a baby. If necessary, prepare a small infusion before going to bed.
Also read: Losing weight without dieting: 10 effective tips
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