6 Lifestyle Practices To Maintain a Healthy Weight

December 14, 2016
FeaturedLifestyle

We all fear that unforeseen weight gain will forever prevent us from achieving our heart’s desire. Those fears can attack our hopes and dreams of friendship, companionship, family and a full life. For everyone who has sought after and achieved their goal—a healthy weight—a new fear emerges: weight maintenance. How do I keep it up?

1.  Keep Healthy Food Habits.

Your eating choices and habits will always matter, regardless of whether you had an intragastric balloon for 6 months or a more permanent weight loss surgery like a gastric sleeve or bypass. Stick to that nutritious, carefully portion-controlled diet of approved foods that got you to your healthy weight. This can be especially difficult in social situations. However, making a friend happy for 5 seconds because you tried their gourmet creation could have long-term repercussions for you. If food will be an issue, offer to bring something that you can eat. By now you’ve learned that healthy can also be delicious.

2.  Follow an Exercise Routine.

While maintaining a healthful diet is the most important factor in maintaining weight, exercise is a close second. Movement keeps the blood flowing, our muscles toned and our metabolism revving. Our bodies function more efficiently. It helps us think more clearly, and it keeps us optimistic, able to handle whatever comes our way. Since bodies become accustomed to routine, you may need to increase the frequency or intensity of your activity. If you can’t keep your body busy, make sure your hands and mind stay occupied. Being involved keeps hunger at bay.

3.  Sleep Well and Often.

Don’t forget the value of quality sleep. When you don’t get sufficient rest, stress levels rise, and hunger sets in to compensate. Keep to a schedule with consistent times when you rise and retire, and play hard in between so that you’ll be ready to close your eyes and dream. Be careful with glowing screens full of online activity and social media, too. They can leave your thoughts spinning when your brain should be organizing information from the day before and preparing your body for the one to come.

4.  Make Social Outings Active.

When activities are fun, we don’t even notice how difficult they are or how much energy we’re expending. We also don’t realize how many calories we’re consuming. In social situations, for example:

• Trade the sit-and-eat routine for a game of lawn bocce or a tour of the grounds.
• Skip the movie and popcorn for something experiential like an afternoon kayaking in a $20 rental; on a calm river on a lazy day, it’s like riding in a wagon, but it’s working your arms and core, too.
• Instead of attending a charity supper, organize a community service work day.

Whatever you choose, exchange the sedentary entertainment plus food for the active experience.

5.  Look Good. Feel Good.

If you haven’t done it already, rid yourself of your oversized clothes. In fact, discard or donate anything that’s a little too roomy or becomes conveniently expandable. You don’t need it. What you do need is a nice ensemble – a week’s worth of clothes that fit you in size, style and feel. They don’t have to be extravagant or designer-label. They just need to be outfits that make you feel happy and secure when you have them on.

6.  Use Your Support System.

Challenges will always present themselves, and sometimes, despite the best intentions, we suffer setbacks. Maintaining a network of supportive, knowledgeable people will allow you to recover quickly. Nutritionists, exercise specialists, counselors and your doctor are all part of your team for losing excess weight. They can help to push and guide you, when needed.

The Road to Healthy Weight

Weight maintenance is a never-ending process. Find and keep the practices that work. Identify and discard those that don’t. At Acadiana Weight Loss Surgery, we offer both surgical and nonsurgical weight loss procedures as well as the support networks essential to helping you maintain a healthy weight. For more information, call us at 337-233-9900, or visit our website today.