Maintaining A Healthy Weight: 10 Tips And Tricks

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to ensuring we stay fit and healthy. Being both under and overweight can affect our health, so it is vital to keep within the healthy range for body weight. 

It can help to know what constitutes a healthy weight. You should always consult your doctor if you are concerned about your weight and get their advice on how, if at all, you should change your weight. The weight range that is healthy for you will depend on your height and age, so it may be helpful to use a BMI (body mass index) calculator to find out if you are in a healthy range. 

Eat A Balanced Diet

Eating a consistent, balanced diet is crucial to helping you maintain a healthy weight. It is a good idea to look up ideal portion sizes for various foods and ensure you stick within the recommended guidelines. Things like pasta are commonly served in larger than recommended portion sizes at home, so this is something to be aware of. Once you have reached a healthy weight, eating a consistent amount of calories per day is essential to maintain it. 

Don’t Skip Breakfast

A lot of people skip breakfast when trying to lose weight. This can have a negative impact on weight loss, as it leads to hunger and snacking throughout the day. It is best to start the day with a filling and healthy breakfast. You could consider oatmeal or porridge, sweetened with a bit of honey and fruit to start your day off right. Cereals are another excellent choice for people with busy morning schedules. 

Ask For Help

Asking for help and advice can be invaluable to help to achieve your fitness goals. You should always talk to your doctor if you are concerned about your health. In addition, talking to friends and family for tips and advice can be invaluable to help you stay on track with your weight goals. 

You could consider buddying up with a friend who is also trying to get to a healthy weight so that you can motivate and encourage one another. Avoid comparing yourself too closely with others, however, as this can be detrimental. 

Use Protein Shakes For Weight Gain

Protein can aid weight loss by keeping us full for longer, but it can also be hugely beneficial for weight gain. Drinking protein shakes if you’re trying to put on weight can be a great way to help you achieve your goals. You can find out more about how protein aids weight gain from Ingredient Optimized’s guide.

Let Your Household Know About Your Weight Goals 

It can be beneficial to let your household know about your weight goals. If you live with your family or a partner, you could ask for their help in coming up with tasty, healthy meals. You could also ask them to keep any unhealthy snacks in the home to a minimum to help you avoid temptation. 

Reduce Your Junk Food Intake

Junk food is often high in unhealthy fats and low in nutritional value. Cutting these out of your life can be the perfect way to ensure you meet and maintain your health and weight goals. 

Allow Yourself The Occasional Treat

Moderation is important when trying to achieve a target weight. That being said, even moderation can be enjoyed in moderation! Allowing yourself the occasional treat can be the perfect way to reward yourself and prevent feelings of missing out on treats that you enjoy. 

You could consider allowing yourself a monthly cheat day or an occasional cheat meal. You could also find ways to make your favorite treats healthier. For instance, if you go out for a burger, ensure you choose a side of vegetables or salad to go with it so that you’re still hitting some of your goals. 

Drink Water Instead Of Juices Or Hot Drinks

While drinking water won’t necessarily help you lose weight, switching from sugary or calorific drinks to water can. While fruit juices can be a healthy way to add one of your five a day to a meal, the sugar contained in these drinks can lead to weight gain. It is best to limit any sugary hot drinks or juices and switch to the hydrating power of water. 

Exercise Regularly

Exercise can aid in both weight loss and gain. The exercises you do will depend on what your weight management goals are. It is vital to get at least 75 minutes of rigorous activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. This can have a positive impact on your overall health as well as your weight. 

Reduce Stressors

Stress can be a cause of over or under-eating. Stress causes a number of changes in the body that can make maintaining healthy habits more difficult. It can lead to fatigue, low mood and energy, and lack of sleep. Reducing stressors can prevent you from lapsing into old habits. You could also consider incorporating stressbusting practices into your daily routine. For instance, you could take up meditation or mindfulness.