People who keep the weight off adopt healthy habits that prevent weight gain. Their secret lies in making vital changes that become everyday habits. Having a set of small changes can make a big difference.
These adjustments will help you adopt healthy habits. You should carefully select the right habits that can produce the best results as you focus on preventing weight gain and developing a healthy lifestyle routine that you can stick with.
Here are 16 habits lean people do to maintain their ideal weight.
1. They Set Up Daily Reminders
It’s no secret that people who keep the weight off surround themselves with supportive friends and family. Additionally, they set healthy reminders that help them stay on track every day of the week. One way to keep their weight maintenance plan on track is to connect with like-minded people.
These connections can help you stay focused on eating well and exercising. Also, consider setting up regular updates for specific activities. Research studies have shown that daily reminders can contribute to success over time.
2. They Eat Breakfast
Eating breakfast helps you boost energy for the entire day. As a result, it becomes easier to minimize the risk of overeating. Nutrient-dense foods like fruits, grains, eggs, oatmeal and greek yogurt provide a viable way to maximize the benefits of breakfast. Opting for these foods make it easier to keep the weight off since they come with an increased nutritional value per calorie.
3. They Keep To A Meal Routine
Keeping to a meal routine is one way to ensure successful weight management. You can create the ideal calorie deficit needed for weight loss without starving your body of the much-needed nutritional value. Planning the meals once a week eliminates the need to worry about what to eat for the day. In doing so, you can save precious time.
You can opt to cook meals in weekly batches, which allows you to grab specific portions as the week progresses. When cooking daily, you should consider prepping your ingredients ahead of time like the night before.
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4. They Drink Green Tea
People who keep the weight off often drink green tea. Several studies revealed that this type of tea maximizes fat oxidation and speeds up your metabolism. These benefits come from caffeine and flavonoids, which make it easier to lose weight over time.
Green tea can contribute to an increase in calorie burning to approximately 100 calories in a day. You should drink the tea moderately and know that some green tea varieties provide better results than others.
5. They Sleep Better
Poor sleep patterns can have an adverse effect on your weight. A sleepy brain can make the wrong decisions, including adopting bad eating habits. In turn, you’ll begin eating unhealthy food as you seek anything that feels good.
READ: 8 Ways To Get a Better Sleep Tonight
When you rest well overnight, you find it easier to resist cravings for junk food. Research studies showed that people deprived of sleep indulge in increased late-night snacking.
6. They Consume Small Portions
Gradually reducing meal portions enables you to trim your waistline without depriving your body of vital nutrients. You should familiarize yourself with the nutritional value of various foods and pick the ideal serving size. Nutritionists provide guidelines on standard servings, such as three ounces for red meat or poultry.
Although standard servings may seem small compared to traditional servings, they provide real weight loss benefits. To succeed with downsizing your meal portions, learn to control your appetite.
7. They Go For Healthy Fats
Good fats like omega-3s and unsaturated fats enable you to manage your weight and reduce the risk of developing health conditions like clogged arteries. Experts recommend eating more good fats than adopting a low-fat diet. You should focus your attention on polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which promote good heart health.
Introducing more good fats to your diet provides a sure-fire way to feel satisfied after every meal. In turn, you will reduce food cravings and enhance weight loss. Some of the best sources of monounsaturated fats include avocados, nuts, peanuts, and olives.
8. They Build a Balanced Exercise Program
Regular physical activity provides a surefire way to maintain the ideal weight. However, no single type of exercise will yield the desired weight loss results. You need to adopt a balanced exercise program. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides expert guidelines when it comes to exercise programs.
You should consider engaging in two and a half hours of moderate aerobic exercise throughout the week. If you opt for vigorous aerobic exercises reduce the time to 75 minutes. Also, add strength training sessions to your weekly routine and rest for two days after workouts to ensure muscle recovery.
9. They Reward Themselves
One of the best ways to keep yourself motivated when looking to maintain a healthy weight is to opt for non-food rewards. You can set mini and major weight loss goals based on your personal objectives. You can consider rewarding yourself for achieving specific minimum physical activity in a week or month.
Some people who keep the weight off use a weight loss jar to add a given amount every time they achieve goals. As the money accumulates, the jar becomes a source of motivation and a visual reminder of your accomplishments.
10. They Always Look At The Labels
Nutrition food labels provide valuable information when you are looking to lose weight. However, you need to understand the information on the labels to make the right decisions. Always check the serving size, calories from fat, sugar content, cholesterol, sodium, and carbohydrates.
The labels also indicate whether the product contains any sweeteners and other artificial additives.
11. They Don’t Eat Out Of Boredom
The habit of eating out of boredom can compromise your ability to maintain a healthy weight. You need to understand the difference between real hunger and emotional eating. The former develops gradually and you can become satisfied with roughly any well-prepared meal. Additionally, you will not feel any degree of guilt after eating.
Emotional hunger, on the other hand, triggers strong cravings for specific foods, especially junk food. This type of hunger comes on suddenly and you are more likely to over-eat and feel guilty afterward.
12. They Eat Spicy Foods
Adding spicy foods to your recipes is one way to promote weight loss. Researchers revealed that consuming red peppers can help you burn more fat and decrease calorie consumption by 200 calories. As a result, the body burns an increased amount of calories.
On another level, eating spicy foods could help your counteract food cravings. Research at Purdue University discovered that different types of spices can contribute to the reduction in appetite and also minimize caloric intake.
13. They Pack Healthy Snacks When They Go Out
Unhealthy snacking habits can result in higher caloric intake. On the other hand, healthy snacks are known to boost energy levels while satisfying your nutritional needs. Some nutrients like protein can boost metabolic rate and promote the growth of lean muscle mass.
Snacks with fiber content help improve your digestion and prevent you from craving foods filled with fats and sugars. Fruits provide significant benefits when paired with proteins. Unlike carbohydrates, protein remains active in the body for longer.
14. They Eat Slowly
Eating can contribute to overeating because the brain needs time to process fullness signals. Research studies revealed that many overweight people tend to eat quickly and chew food less when compared to individuals with normal weight. Chewing each bite for a period of 30 seconds can help reduce cravings for snacks.
Eating food slowly prevents you from consuming an increased amount of calories, which promotes a marked reduction in weight. In doing so, you also contribute to an improvement in your overall health and quality of life.
15. They Walk After Meals
Walking after meals is a healthy habit that enables you to shed some significant pounds. You can achieve this objective by burning calories as you turn this form of physical exercise into a routine. To lose up to 100 calories, you need to walk a distance of one mile. Brisk walking for a longer distance enables you to lose more calories.
You need to embark on this type of exercise every day during the week to maximize the benefits.
16. They Drink Lots Of Water
Consuming water provides significant weight loss and maintenance benefits. Water enhances the body’s capacity to burn calories. Drinking 17 ounces of water supercharges calorie burning for an hour, which can translate to considerable weight loss. Water uses calories to adjust its temperature to the existing levels in the body. So drink more of it if you can. Carry a water bottle or a jug of water can help you stay on track.
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