Healthy Numbers Module 12
After this lesson you will be able to: 1. Understand keys to maintaining your weight loss. 2. Identify everyday things you can do to continue creating a healthy lifestyle.
Over the past 12 weeks you have been gaining valuable insight to how your body works and the best way for you to lose weight. These are practical ways you are going to be able to change your life. Eating the right types of food, fueling your body with the appropriate amount of calories and learning how to make significant changes in your lifestyle is preparing you to succeed. It is important to recognize that your journey is not over when you close the book or put the plan aside. This program is so much more than something you do for a period of time then stop. It is something that is permanently integrated into your life, something that drives your day to day choices, and helps you stay motivated. This chapter is designed to help you in your journey once you have realized your weight goal. Just because you no longer carry around the weight doesn’t mean you don’t carry around some of the habits and elements that caused you to gain weight in the first place. Maintaining a healthy weight is not easy, but if you focus on your actions, recommit regularly, and find what works for you, the process will become a way of life.
The first key to maintaining your optimum weight is to abide by the food policies you have learned through this program. However, just like there is no magic bullet to losing weight there is no magic bullet to keeping the weight off. It’s the basic combination of hard work, dedication, and healthy choices. It is also important to continue to measure your success. Even if the numbers on the scale remain the same, continue to check in with yourself. As stated previously, the weight loss effort doesn’t stop when you hit your magic number. It can be easy for the weight to creep back on, and you may find yourself reasoning it away saying “it’s just 5 pounds.” Or maybe you don’t weigh yourself and one day you find your jeans are tight, only to find out you’ve regained 10 pounds. It can become a slippery slope so staying accountable to yourself or a trusted partner can help you create your best self. This does not mean become a slave to the scale or strict eating habits. Weighing yourself once time per week is adequate, and there is a little more wiggle room in your diet when you go from actively losing weight to the maintenance phase. When you are in the maintenance phase you may have that occasional treat but it still needs to remain occasional. Some find that after eating so well for many months, their bodies react very differently when unhealthy foods are consumed. For example, you may experience digestive issues after eating a high fat or sugar-loaded meal. This is normal and it is the body’s way of saying it has no need for the food eaten. You may also find that cravings are becoming less of an issue. Before when you craved sweets and fatty foods, now you look forward to a nutrient-rich meal. Another side effect is you may feel full faster. This can be because you are consuming foods that provide you with more protein and HealthyClip.com
fiber than before or because you have reset your body’s natural satiety cues. Listen to your body and use these cues to your advantage. You have reset the body to the way it is supposed to function – enjoy it! Maintaining Your Motivation Motivation is like a muscle, you must work on it to make it stronger. This “muscle” requires some cross-training as well. Just like you don’t just go to the gym and do bicep curls to strengthen your arms, you don’t just focus on the food to lose weight. You must train your mind and body. During your weight loss journey you were consistently working you strengthen that motivation muscle. Be sure to revisit that chapter to remind yourself why you chose to lose weight in the first place and identify the reasons it is important to you. Everyone is motivated differently, and as your body changes your motivation changes as well. You may no longer find yourself motivated by what you see on the scale because you are happy with what it tells you. Now your motivation must change, maybe you find motivation in the fact that you are able to take a brisk walk with your friend without being totally winded. Whatever, the case maybe revisiting your goals and your motivation is a critical part of continued success? Feel Great Weight Negative feelings are very motivating. Think about a time when you were younger that you had a strong negative emotion. Maybe you were embarrassed, scared, or lost. When you think back to that moment chances are that feeling still wells up inside you. When you made the decision to lose weight and take on this challenge, so of that decision was fueled by negative emotion – and that’s ok. Now it’s time to change your frame and consider the positive things that are going to keep you moving forward. You may think about it as “I feel best when…” You know there are things you do each day that really make you feel good. Or maybe when you don’t do certain things you feel guilty or bad for not accomplishing the, For example, you know you feel better when you get up early and walk the dog. Maybe you feel best when you prepare healthy meals for the week in advance. Writing these things down and reminding yourself regularly of these will help when you are lacking motivation and find it easier to just hit the snooze button or order a pizza instead. Most importantly you are at a weight that makes you feel great and that in itself is motivating. The first key to maintaining your optimum weight is to abide by the food policies you have learned through this program. Just like there is no magic bullet to losing weight there is no magic bullet to keeping the weight off. It’s the basic combination of hard work, dedication, and healthy choices. It is also important to continue to measure your success. Even if the numbers on the scale remain the same, continue to check in with yourself. As stated previously, the weight loss effort doesn’t stop when you hit your magic number. It can be easy for the weight to creep back on, and you may find yourself reasoning it away saying “it’s just 5 pounds.” Or maybe you don’t weigh yourself and one day you find your jeans are tight, only to find out you’ve regained 10 pounds. It can become a slippery slope so staying accountable to yourself or a trusted partner can help you create your best self. This does not mean become a slave to the scale or strict eating habits. Weighing yourself once time per week is adequate, and there is a little more wiggle room in your diet when you go from actively losing weight to the maintenance phase. When you are in the maintenance phase you may have that occasional treat but it still needs to remain occasional. Some find that after eating so well for many months, their bodies react very differently when unhealthy foods are consumed. For example, you may experience digestive issues after eating a high fat or sugar-loaded meal. This is normal HealthyClip.com
and it is the body’s way of saying it has no need for the food eaten. You may also find that cravings are becoming less of an issue. Before when you craved sweets and fatty foods, now you look forward to a nutrient-rich meal. Another side effect is you may feel full faster. This can be because you are consuming foods that provide you with more protein and fiber than before or because you have reset your body’s natural satiety cues. Listen to your body and use these cues to your advantage. You have reset the body to the way it is supposed to function – enjoy it!
There are everyday things that will help you keep the weight off. Many of these have been discussed before and may already be part of your healthier lifestyle. Here are some quick reminders:
Eat Often. It is important to keep your body fueled properly and avoid a cycle of becoming too hungry then overeating. Even during the maintenance phase you will need to continue eating small, frequent meals. Say no to extras. When you have reached your target weight it is a little easier to say yes to things you may have been avoiding while actively losing weight. While it is ok to do this occasionally, you do not want to make it a habit. Choose your extras wisely. Keep cooking. Preparing your own food is a way to know what is in your food but also part of a healthy lifestyle. Continuing to make your own food will help you stay the course and maintain a healthy weight. Set reminders. Using your planner or an online calendar, set up regular reminders to do the things you know keep you healthy. You may want to set reminders for your weekly weigh-ins, or even frequent reminders to have a large glass of water. Whatever the habit is, identify a few things that create a solid foundation for you and create reminders around those things. Create a motivation board. Everyone is inspired by different things. If you find yourself struggling to stick with your healthier lifestyle you may find a motivation board helpful. This does not need to be a large scale project. It may be a simple piece of paper with your goals stated along with a few motivating quotes or pictures. Remember to hydrate. Water is just as important as any other nutrient in the diet therefore don’t neglect it during the maintenance portion. This will help avoid hunger and also help your body function the way it should. Eat real food. Just like you have been doing this entire 12-week program, don’t stop now! The practice of eating whole foods becomes easier and is a healthier way of life for many reasons beyond weight loss. Plan Ahead. Having a plan with ensure you are getting the appropriate amount of calories and nutrients right for your body. Wake up each morning with a plan, then stick to that plan. Stay active. Aim to get 30 to 60 minutes of activity each day, above and beyond your daily activity. Slow down. Eating is not a race and slowing down will help you stay in touch with your hunger and satiety cues. It also allow you time to really enjoy the food you are eating and become more mindful about what goes into the body. Put it on the list. Continue to make a shopping list and have healthy foods on hand. You have learned through this entire program which foods are optimal for weight loss and those principles do not change once you are maintaining.
Gaining it back This is generally not something people want to think about but it is a common recurrence. Most people who yo-yo diet or find themselves regaining all the weight they lost typically experience this because they were too strict and did not take a holistic approach to their weight loss. When you severely restrict calories, as discussed many times in this book, HealthyClip.com
you are far more likely to regain the weight. Additionally, when you neglect to address all the aspects of weight loss you are more likely to regain because you have not equipped yourself with the right tools to stay the course. It is important to remain accountable and also set a small margin of error. This means allowing yourself a 5 to 8 pound range where your weight fluctuates. BY doing this you catch yourself before spiraling out of control and finding yourself at your start weight feeling frustrated and grumpy. This program is designed to promote long term success. You have the tools and information to succeed, the only thing missing is your commitment and hard-work to sticking with the process. Bottom Line: Your journey does not end here. Your commitment to a lifestyle is a choice you will make every day. Set your intention and create the healthiest version of you! Action Plan:
Revisit and revise your goals. Create a mantra to help you commit to the healthier lifestyle daily. Say hello to us in our weekly hangout one more time!
HealthyClip.com
Over the past 12 weeks you have been gaining valuable insight to how your body works and the best way for you to lose weight. These are practical ways you are going to be able to change your life. Eating the right types of food, fueling your body with the appropriate amount of calories and learning how to make significant changes in your lifestyle is preparing you to succeed. It is important to recognize that your journey is not over when you close the book or put the plan aside. This program is so much more than something you do for a period of time then stop. It is something that is permanently integrated into your life, something that drives your day to day choices, and helps you stay motivated. This chapter is designed to help you in your journey once you have realized your weight goal. Just because you no longer carry around the weight doesn’t mean you don’t carry around some of the habits and elements that caused you to gain weight in the first place. Maintaining a healthy weight is not easy, but if you focus on your actions, recommit regularly, and find what works for you, the process will become a way of life.
The first key to maintaining your optimum weight is to abide by the food policies you have learned through this program. However, just like there is no magic bullet to losing weight there is no magic bullet to keeping the weight off. It’s the basic combination of hard work, dedication, and healthy choices. It is also important to continue to measure your success. Even if the numbers on the scale remain the same, continue to check in with yourself. As stated previously, the weight loss effort doesn’t stop when you hit your magic number. It can be easy for the weight to creep back on, and you may find yourself reasoning it away saying “it’s just 5 pounds.” Or maybe you don’t weigh yourself and one day you find your jeans are tight, only to find out you’ve regained 10 pounds. It can become a slippery slope so staying accountable to yourself or a trusted partner can help you create your best self. This does not mean become a slave to the scale or strict eating habits. Weighing yourself once time per week is adequate, and there is a little more wiggle room in your diet when you go from actively losing weight to the maintenance phase. When you are in the maintenance phase you may have that occasional treat but it still needs to remain occasional. Some find that after eating so well for many months, their bodies react very differently when unhealthy foods are consumed. For example, you may experience digestive issues after eating a high fat or sugar-loaded meal. This is normal and it is the body’s way of saying it has no need for the food eaten. You may also find that cravings are becoming less of an issue. Before when you craved sweets and fatty foods, now you look forward to a nutrient-rich meal. Another side effect is you may feel full faster. This can be because you are consuming foods that provide you with more protein and HealthyClip.com
fiber than before or because you have reset your body’s natural satiety cues. Listen to your body and use these cues to your advantage. You have reset the body to the way it is supposed to function – enjoy it! Maintaining Your Motivation Motivation is like a muscle, you must work on it to make it stronger. This “muscle” requires some cross-training as well. Just like you don’t just go to the gym and do bicep curls to strengthen your arms, you don’t just focus on the food to lose weight. You must train your mind and body. During your weight loss journey you were consistently working you strengthen that motivation muscle. Be sure to revisit that chapter to remind yourself why you chose to lose weight in the first place and identify the reasons it is important to you. Everyone is motivated differently, and as your body changes your motivation changes as well. You may no longer find yourself motivated by what you see on the scale because you are happy with what it tells you. Now your motivation must change, maybe you find motivation in the fact that you are able to take a brisk walk with your friend without being totally winded. Whatever, the case maybe revisiting your goals and your motivation is a critical part of continued success? Feel Great Weight Negative feelings are very motivating. Think about a time when you were younger that you had a strong negative emotion. Maybe you were embarrassed, scared, or lost. When you think back to that moment chances are that feeling still wells up inside you. When you made the decision to lose weight and take on this challenge, so of that decision was fueled by negative emotion – and that’s ok. Now it’s time to change your frame and consider the positive things that are going to keep you moving forward. You may think about it as “I feel best when…” You know there are things you do each day that really make you feel good. Or maybe when you don’t do certain things you feel guilty or bad for not accomplishing the, For example, you know you feel better when you get up early and walk the dog. Maybe you feel best when you prepare healthy meals for the week in advance. Writing these things down and reminding yourself regularly of these will help when you are lacking motivation and find it easier to just hit the snooze button or order a pizza instead. Most importantly you are at a weight that makes you feel great and that in itself is motivating. The first key to maintaining your optimum weight is to abide by the food policies you have learned through this program. Just like there is no magic bullet to losing weight there is no magic bullet to keeping the weight off. It’s the basic combination of hard work, dedication, and healthy choices. It is also important to continue to measure your success. Even if the numbers on the scale remain the same, continue to check in with yourself. As stated previously, the weight loss effort doesn’t stop when you hit your magic number. It can be easy for the weight to creep back on, and you may find yourself reasoning it away saying “it’s just 5 pounds.” Or maybe you don’t weigh yourself and one day you find your jeans are tight, only to find out you’ve regained 10 pounds. It can become a slippery slope so staying accountable to yourself or a trusted partner can help you create your best self. This does not mean become a slave to the scale or strict eating habits. Weighing yourself once time per week is adequate, and there is a little more wiggle room in your diet when you go from actively losing weight to the maintenance phase. When you are in the maintenance phase you may have that occasional treat but it still needs to remain occasional. Some find that after eating so well for many months, their bodies react very differently when unhealthy foods are consumed. For example, you may experience digestive issues after eating a high fat or sugar-loaded meal. This is normal HealthyClip.com
and it is the body’s way of saying it has no need for the food eaten. You may also find that cravings are becoming less of an issue. Before when you craved sweets and fatty foods, now you look forward to a nutrient-rich meal. Another side effect is you may feel full faster. This can be because you are consuming foods that provide you with more protein and fiber than before or because you have reset your body’s natural satiety cues. Listen to your body and use these cues to your advantage. You have reset the body to the way it is supposed to function – enjoy it!
There are everyday things that will help you keep the weight off. Many of these have been discussed before and may already be part of your healthier lifestyle. Here are some quick reminders:
Eat Often. It is important to keep your body fueled properly and avoid a cycle of becoming too hungry then overeating. Even during the maintenance phase you will need to continue eating small, frequent meals. Say no to extras. When you have reached your target weight it is a little easier to say yes to things you may have been avoiding while actively losing weight. While it is ok to do this occasionally, you do not want to make it a habit. Choose your extras wisely. Keep cooking. Preparing your own food is a way to know what is in your food but also part of a healthy lifestyle. Continuing to make your own food will help you stay the course and maintain a healthy weight. Set reminders. Using your planner or an online calendar, set up regular reminders to do the things you know keep you healthy. You may want to set reminders for your weekly weigh-ins, or even frequent reminders to have a large glass of water. Whatever the habit is, identify a few things that create a solid foundation for you and create reminders around those things. Create a motivation board. Everyone is inspired by different things. If you find yourself struggling to stick with your healthier lifestyle you may find a motivation board helpful. This does not need to be a large scale project. It may be a simple piece of paper with your goals stated along with a few motivating quotes or pictures. Remember to hydrate. Water is just as important as any other nutrient in the diet therefore don’t neglect it during the maintenance portion. This will help avoid hunger and also help your body function the way it should. Eat real food. Just like you have been doing this entire 12-week program, don’t stop now! The practice of eating whole foods becomes easier and is a healthier way of life for many reasons beyond weight loss. Plan Ahead. Having a plan with ensure you are getting the appropriate amount of calories and nutrients right for your body. Wake up each morning with a plan, then stick to that plan. Stay active. Aim to get 30 to 60 minutes of activity each day, above and beyond your daily activity. Slow down. Eating is not a race and slowing down will help you stay in touch with your hunger and satiety cues. It also allow you time to really enjoy the food you are eating and become more mindful about what goes into the body. Put it on the list. Continue to make a shopping list and have healthy foods on hand. You have learned through this entire program which foods are optimal for weight loss and those principles do not change once you are maintaining.
Gaining it back This is generally not something people want to think about but it is a common recurrence. Most people who yo-yo diet or find themselves regaining all the weight they lost typically experience this because they were too strict and did not take a holistic approach to their weight loss. When you severely restrict calories, as discussed many times in this book, HealthyClip.com
you are far more likely to regain the weight. Additionally, when you neglect to address all the aspects of weight loss you are more likely to regain because you have not equipped yourself with the right tools to stay the course. It is important to remain accountable and also set a small margin of error. This means allowing yourself a 5 to 8 pound range where your weight fluctuates. BY doing this you catch yourself before spiraling out of control and finding yourself at your start weight feeling frustrated and grumpy. This program is designed to promote long term success. You have the tools and information to succeed, the only thing missing is your commitment and hard-work to sticking with the process. Bottom Line: Your journey does not end here. Your commitment to a lifestyle is a choice you will make every day. Set your intention and create the healthiest version of you! Action Plan:
Revisit and revise your goals. Create a mantra to help you commit to the healthier lifestyle daily. Say hello to us in our weekly hangout one more time!
HealthyClip.com
