We’ve all been there - we work our booties off on the latest diet trend or popular workout.  We lose weight, feel great about our progress, and think that nothing could ever take us off Cloud 9! We’ve climbed the mountain, and it feels good to be on top and in control of our weight and health.  However, before we know it, the weight starts creeping back on.  We start to feel less and less motivated, proud of ourselves, and likely begin to feel out of control. A vicious cycle begins and before we can stop it, we end up where we never wanted to be again - off track and uncomfortable. From there it just keeps snowballing.  Wouldn’t it be great to lose weight and keep it off for good?

 

The key to keeping weight off is adopting a lifestyle that is conducive to maintaining a healthy body. This requires commitment and dedication to yourself to begin with, but once you’re on track, it’s easy to stay there! Think about it - it’s easier to maintain a habit once it’s there than it is to start one new. This concept alone brings us to the primary reason why “diets” don’t work.  We buy into the idea that a quick fix will make us happy and get us to where we want to be.  Sometimes, we even feel like we have outsmarted the “diet” and have achieved long-term weight loss. In reality, this is usually not the case. Once the “diet” is over, we go back to our old ways, routines, and unhealthy lifestyles.

To help you avoid that common and frustrating pitfall, here are some good habits that are established on the Metabolic Research Center plan that will help support your long-term healthy goals.

 

Keep Food Journaling

Food journaling is a great way to keep track of what you’ve eaten, prepare for future meals, and hold yourself accountable for your food actions. A food journal doesn’t just have to be limited to food, though. Use your food journal as a way of tracking all of your healthy decisions and keep all of the great things you do in one place. For example,  you can also track your water intake and daily activity. Little wins like getting in 8 glasses of water a day can be quite motivating towards helping you stay on track with your health goals.

 

Keep Healthy Foods In and Unhealthy Foods Out

We all have probably indulged on something a little less than healthy from time to time. And this is generally okay as long as these foods are consumed sparingly. Just as it’s more difficult to work out everyday when you don’t have a gym nearby, it’s more difficult to eat junk food every day when you don’t have those foods nearby. With so many options outside of your home for temptation,  your home should be a safe space from junk foods. Keep your refrigerator and pantry full of healthy, wholesome foods that fuel your body instead of dragging it down.The bottom line: the further away it is from you, the further away your desire to immediately indulge in that food becomes.

 

Lean on Your Support System

To reach your weight loss goals, you should have a support system that understands your journey and cheers you on.  Successful clients report that their support systems were integral to keeping the weight off long term.  A support system can be anyone from a spouse to a coworker to truly anyone. The key is to make sure that anyone you choose to be a part of your support system truly wants you to succeed and will refrain from influencing you to step outside of your healthy habits and goals. Sometimes our best friends and our closest family members may not be the right fit for that role, and that’s okay, too!

Are you having trouble finding a support system? Reach out to your local Metabolic Research Center! Lean on your Weight Loss Coaches for support or the center can put you into contact with other like-minded clients who value their health and fitness. The goal is to surround yourself with those who believe in you just as much as you do. You'll never come down from that victorious mountain top again!