Losing and gaining weight can feel like a never-ending cycle.
First, the inevitable weight gain, then a strict diet, exercise routine, and a few losses. But then it all comes rushing back in again.
So what gives?
There are a few reasons that you’re gaining weight, and there are a few things that help you lose it for good! Just some tweaks and tricks can help you keep the weight off and end the vicious cycle for good.
Gaining: Snacking Throughout the Day
Even when you’re eating “healthy” snacks, snacking throughout the day can add up to 1000 extra calories to your meal plan. Instead of reaching for all those snacks, drink a big glass of water before you grab anything to eat!
Filling up with water first keeps you from overeating, especially since a lot of the time that you’re feeling hungry, you’re really dehydrated. Water keeps you feeling full for longer, so you don’t reach for the snacks.
Gaining: Not Making Time for Exercise
We’re all busier than we’d like to be but skipping out on exercise is one of the quickest ways to see your losses turn back into gains.
There’s no way to eat enough vegetables to keep the weight from coming back but getting plenty of exercise even if you start slow, is one of the best ways to keep yourself from gaining back the weight you lost.
How to Keep the Weight Off
There are two things that you’ll want to do to be sure the weight stays off: eat right and exercise.
You can’t outrun a bad diet. Even if you’re hitting the gym all the time, you’re bound to see the weight come back. Meal plans form the fuel for your exercise! If you’re not making smart choices with your meal choices, there’s a good chance you won’t see the losses you want.
The same is true of a poor exercise plan! If you’re not getting out and getting moving, you won’t burn off those calories even if all you’re eating is salads and vegetables. Food is food, and it’s full of calories regardless of how you view it. If you’re constantly eating, even with just consuming diet foods, you’re still taking in calories, and it needs to be burned off.
No great meal plan or exercise routine was formed overnight! Take things slow and stay consistent. Consistency means more when it comes to weight loss than big bursts of exercise followed by periods of no movement at all.
Take a big-picture view of your meal plans too. You’re never going to have a “perfect” day when it comes to food. Don’t sweat the small stuff! Focus on getting your meal plan back on track but if you indulge or mix it up every now and then, let your mind and body let go and move on to make a better try with the next choice!
Takeaway
There are two key components when it comes to gaining and losing weight: diet and exercise.
You might start to see yourself losing weight as you hit hard on your exercise routine, only to see the weight come rushing back in when you drop off with exercise in any way.
As soon as you start combining the way you eat and the way you exercise, the losses will stick! Even if you’re not making a perfect choice each time, staying consistent is key!
Keeping up with exercise and a diet plan can be daunting, but once you find one that works and balances what you eat and how you exercise, you’ll see changes stick!