Ways to Maintain the Given Weight

This thought might be the biggest reason why we can’t even fully enjoy losing weight. Maintaining the lost weight sometimes becomes a bigger problem than losing it. Questions like, “How long should the weight maintenance diet last? How many calories should I consume to maintain my weight?” keep spinning in our minds—and they should…

What should you eat to maintain your weight?
This question is very important because sometimes it requires even more attention than the weight loss phase. If gaining weight after a diet is your nightmare too, today we will talk about ways to maintain the weight you’ve lost.

You lost weight and you’re happy, so what should you do now? Should we return to our old eating habits and think, “One or two kilos won’t hurt,” and start eating uncontrollably again?
The answer is: definitely NO after all that effort! However, if your eating habits haven’t changed, there is a possibility you might revert to old habits.

Why is maintaining weight harder than losing it for many people?
Setting unrealistic and unreachable goals or failing to continue positive eating habits are among the main reasons.
Crash diets and monotonous eating habits slow down the metabolism, and since the lost weight often consists more of muscle and fluid rather than fat, you gain it back quickly after stopping the diet.

What is metabolism?
It’s the process of converting the daily calories you consume from carbohydrates, protein, and fat into energy.

Action Plan: What Should We Do?
The secret to maintaining weight lies in the balance of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and the correct choice of an exercise program. Studies examining thousands of people show that the best diet is one that is sustainable and makes you happy. If you follow such a program, your weight maintenance period will be long-lasting or even permanent.

I can almost hear you asking, “Do I have to diet again? Will I never be able to eat what I want?”
Of course, you can consume the foods you like and enjoy, but if you don’t want to gain weight, maintaining energy balance is very important.

Weight maintenance means balancing extra calories if you ate more than you should in a meal.
Therefore, if you feel like you overate, try to balance the extra calories by eating light foods such as soup, salad, olive oil dishes, yogurt, or fruit in the evening and the next day at lunch.

For example:
You have a special day (birthday, party, cocktail, New Year’s, holidays, meeting friends, dinner, etc.). Let’s say it’s your birthday and your friends have planned a surprise party for you in the evening. You will eat first, then blow out the candles. But you just lost some weight and want to maintain it.

Option 1: “One day won’t hurt, I’ll eat whatever I want.”
Can a birthday be a more special day than today for eating? I’ll eat and drink as much as I want, 1 or 2 kilos won’t matter. I’ll balance it by fasting the next day.

Option 2: “I won’t even taste the cake.”
I struggled so hard to lose weight; I can’t bear seeing even 100 grams gained on the scale. If they insist, I’ll take just one bite.

Option 3: “I can balance what I eat.”
I reached my goal weight. It’s my birthday, of course I will eat my meal, cake, and if I want, drink alcohol. How? I’ll choose grilled food for the main course with a fat-free salad. Since I’ll have one slice of cake, I can skip bread and reduce the oil in my salad. Instead of fruit as a night snack, I can have 1-2 glasses of wine and plenty of water to finish the night without gaining weight.

Which option will you choose?

Learning to eat balanced without prohibitions and adopting an exercise habit are the key to living joyfully, staying fit, and not regaining weight.

Weight Maintenance Tips:

Don’t give up the four basic food groups!

Meal times remain important even after weight loss: breakfast, lunch, and dinner…

Snacks are very important! For those with no time, there are many snack alternatives on the market; whole grain bars that replace bread, muesli bars, etc. Rawsome, Züber bars, etc., replace fruit and satisfy sweet cravings.

Don’t give up on exercise.

Avoid crash diets for leftover weight.
Frequent dieting for quick weight loss is the biggest threat to weight control. By gradually changing negative eating habits and leading a more active lifestyle over a long period, a person who loses weight won’t return to their previous condition.

Avoid harmful fats.

Stay away from sauces.

Track your steps (at least 10,000 steps daily).

Always choose whole grain bread and carbohydrate sources made from whole grain flour instead of white bread.

Don’t spend too much time in the kitchen.
If you can’t control yourself, don’t sit in the kitchen. Especially to avoid nighttime snacking, close the kitchen door after eating and don’t go back. Remember, one bite leads to more bites.

Don’t stay idle at home.
Being at home greatly reduces daily movement. Less movement means fewer calories burned, which causes weight gain concerns. The solution is simple: increase movement at home. Access to exercises you can do at home is now very easy. Maybe start with 10 minutes and make moving more at home a habit. This way, you burn calories and use your time productively.

Uzm. Dyt. Tünay Tuğcan
Nutrition and Diet Specialist