Waterfront Jogging (photo by Jusben, courtesy of morguefile.com)

Written by Adrienne Carlson

It was my dream to lose 30 pounds or more, and I achieved it in less than a year through a strict exercise and diet regime. I was ecstatic about my success and very proud of myself for what I had accomplished. But the elation did not last more than six months, because in that short span of time, I found to my horror that I could not button my new jeans. A look at the scales showed me that I had gained back 12 of those pounds that I had worked so hard to lose, and I was aghast and horrified at allowing this to happen.

I realized then that it is not just enough to lose weight; you have to work just as hard to keep it off, especially if you’re someone like me who is prone to putting on weight in no time at all. So if you’re looking for ways to stay slim after getting there, here’s what I did to get back on track and make sure I stayed there:

• Make exercise a way of life: If you think of exercise as just a way to lose weight, you’re going to stop working out the moment you reach your ideal weight. And when you stop exercising but continue to eat as much, you start to put on weight again, sometimes faster than you lost it. So make exercise a way of life rather than a passing fancy – make it your spouse for life instead of treating it like a temporary fling. To do this, choose some form of working out that you enjoy and that you will feel like doing at least four times a week, for an hour or so each day.

• Work out with weights: You don’t have to pump iron, just lifting small dumbbells and doing a few squats and lunges every day should help strengthen your muscles and improve your muscle mass. When you do this, your metabolism increases and you lose weight even when you’re sedentary.

• Don’t deprive yourself: Eat the right kind of food and ensure that you don’t starve or deprive yourself too much. When you force yourself to abstain from certain foods, you fall prey to temptation and end up binging and eating much more than is justified. You begin to crave foods that are not good for you, and in the process, end up ruining all the good you gained by working out. So eat what you want, in limited portions. However, make sure that you don’t eat more than you are burning off – you’re going to balloon up if you do.

• Monitor your weight: Keep an eye on your weight from time to time. Once you see yourself adding on a pound or two, cut back on your calories and step up your level of exercise. Keep up the routine till your weight falls back to your ideal number.

• Make health a priority: If you don’t lose weight as fast as you would like, don’t punish your body by working out too hard and/or starving yourself. When you do this, you may lose weight in the process, but you also end up losing something that is invaluable – your health.

This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of physical therapy and staying healthy. For more of her expert advice visit her web site: Physical Therapy Assistant Schools

Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address (just copy & paste): adrienne.carlson1@gmail.com

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