weight watchers tips & tricks
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There's good news and bad news when it comes to belly fat loss. The good news is it's achievable. No matter how big your belly is and how long you've been overweight, you can lose that belly fat and get into much better shape. The bad news is that there's really no secret or trick to doing it.Maybe you've tried different things, like different diets and exercise plans, and the results weren't fast enough for you or you just didn't stick with the plan. Pick a few permanent weight loss tips from the list below, stick to them like it's your job, and prepare to stay in your skinny jeans for life.TRANSCRIPT
20 Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss
Do-overs: They're what your parents use to give you when you missed an easy hole on the
mini-golf course. But sadly, with adulthood, comes "grown-up" responsibilities, leaving little
to no time for second shots—especially when it comes to your long-term happy weight.
Shedding pounds takes countless hours of dedication, so if you've already gone through the
grind to reach your goal weight, do you really want to do it again? We didn't think so. You
probably want permanent weight loss.
So, go ahead and pat yourself on the back for all that you've accomplished. But while you're
at it, why not start thinking about how you're going to maintain your new body for the long
haul? To help make it possible, we've come with easy ways for how to lose weight and keep it
off permanently!
Pick a few permanent weight loss tips from the list below, stick to 'em like it's your job, and prepare to stay in your skinny jeans for life.
1 Don't do fad diets
Within two years of dieting, between 18 and 30 percent of dieters can regain over half the
weight they lost, according to research presented at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the
Endocrine Society. The reason? They all slimmed down with the help of a diet, which by
definition is short term and doesn't produce life long results. To hit your goal weight and
stay there, you need to make permanent changes to your lifestyle. Not sure how? Check out
these healthy eating habits for some inspiration.
2 Strength train
While it's possible to lose weight without doing a single pushup or burpee, in order to keep
it off permanently, physical activity is must, says James O. Hill, PhD, co-founder of
the National Weight Control Registry: a 25-year ongoing, prospective investigation of long-
term successful weight loss maintenance.
But not all workouts are created equal. Although cardio gets all of the glory, interval and
strength training are the real heroes in the world of weight maintenance. These methods of
exercise will help you replace flab with hard, sexy muscle which will boost your
metabolism and make it easier to keep off those sneaky pounds.
For the best results, do strength or interval training twice a week and aim for an hour of
physical activity a day—that could mean walking, swimming or running errands. Just get off
your tush and move! Why an hour? The majority of successful losers (90 percent!)who have
maintained their weight loss for an average of 5.5 years report moving for about an hour a
day, according to the National Weight Control Registry.
3 Walk when you can
To ensure you fit in those 60 minutes and fit in more daily steps, rethink your commute. On
the days that I have to skip the gym, I force myself to walk home from work instead of
hopping in a cab or taking the bus. If you drive to work, cycle to the office once a week or
park your car further away from the entrance. However you decide to do it, the more steps
you take, the better. The majority of people (52 percent) who have lost weight and kept it off
report walking for an hour a day, according to an Obesity study.
4 Only eat if you're hungry—not bored
Constantly eating when you don't need the fuel is a major contributor to weight gain. Before
you pop something into your mouth, ask yourself why you're eating. (We're lookin' at you
Ms. Office Candy Bowl.) Are you actually hungry or are you just angry, stressed, anxious, or
bored? If it's any of the latter feelings, healthy snacks like carrot sticks and apples won't
seem appealing. If you're not hungry enough to eat a plant, vow to not eat anything at all.
5 Weigh yourself
Recent Cornell University findings suggest that shying away from the scale can cause those
former pounds to sneak back onto your frame—not what you want! According to senior
author David Levitsky, people who weigh themselves daily and track the results are more
likely to lose weight and keep it off than those who check in less often. The method "forces
you to be aware of the connection between your eating and your weight," Levitsky said in
a press statement. "The scale also acts as a priming mechanism, making you conscious of
food and enabling you to make choices that are consistent with your weight.
6 Exercise in the morning
We already told you that sticking to a fitness routine is an absolute must for weight
maintenance but that doesn't make finding the time—or motivation— after a busy workday
any easier. The solution to the problem: Wake up an hour and a half early and fit in your
workout before heading to the office. If you're up at 5 a.m. with nothing else to do but break
a sweat, odds are pretty low that you'll skip out on your boot camp or spin class.
7 Put your workouts on your schedule
Can't bear the thought of rising before the sun? At the beginning of each week, take out a
planner and schedule all of your workouts for the day's ahead. If you just let your week and
unfold randomly, odds are far lower you'll fit in your fitness. Schedule an appointment with
a trainer or a friend, book a class, or fit it in at home.
8 Meal prep
Your workouts aren't the only things you need to plan ahead to stay fit for life, you'll also
need to map out your meals. "People have a much better chance of having a slim waistline if
they plan when they are going to eat and what they are going to eat," says Mark Langowski,
celebrity trainer and founder of Body By Mark Wellness. "Before I go to bed, I look at my
schedule for the next day and plan out what I am going to eat and where I will eat it. If you
let the day begin without planning, it will be 3 p.m. before you know it and you'll wind up
making an unhealthy decision."
9 Store healthy meals in the freezer
Registered dietitian and Fellow of the American Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics, Christine M. Palumbo, RD agrees but takes a slightly different approach meal
prep: "Identity three meals you can prepare with pantry staples and start cooking. Store the
meals in your freezer so you always have something healthy on hand when hunger strikes.
For example, my go-to meals include risotto with frozen shrimp and asparagus, vegetable
barley, and red lentil soup. Your goal should be to replace the meals whenever your stash
starts running low."
10 Find a supportive fitness group
How much your close friends weigh, plays a major role in how much you'll weigh,
say Harvard School of Public Health researchers. In fact, their findings suggest that a
person's chance of becoming obese increases by 57% if a close friend is obese—and it makes
sense: If your buddies all love meeting up for burgers and beers on the reg, it will be really
hard to stay on track with your healthy lifestyle. Our advice? From time to time suggest
getting into other types of activities like yoga or a healthy cooking class. You could also
consider hosting get-togethers at your house so you can control the menu.
Another tip: Try to meet new people who enjoy living the healthy lifestyle you now lead. (A
gym class or hiking group is a great place to introduce yourself!) This will help add a healthy
balance to your life, without kicking your long-time besties to the curb.
11 Eat often
Eating frequently might sound counterintuitive if you're trying to keep the pounds off, but
munching consistently throughout the day is key to blood sugar and hunger management,
explains registered dietitian Isabel Smith, MS, RD, CDN. When you eat something every
three or four hours, it keeps your metabolism humming and you'll never get too hungry.
This ensures you'll always be in a position to make smart diet decisions which is key to
keeping the weight off long term.
12 Hold the extras
Despite conventional wisdom, maintaining a major weight loss doesn't mean giving up
croissants and cookies for good. It does, however, require cutting calories where you won't
miss 'em anyway so indulging from time to time won't do any damage to your waistline.
Swap fries for apple slices at McDonald's, keep the cheese off your sandwiches and salads
and ask for the sauce on the side when you dine out at a restaurant. Believe it or not, these
simple tweaks will save you hundreds of calories—without drastically altering the taste of
your meals.
13 Eat breakfast daily
Get this: 78 percent of National Weight Control Registry members—who have lost an
average of 66 lbs and kept it off for 5.5 years—regularly eat breakfast, according to a report
published in Obesity. Though researchers haven't discovered a definite connection between
the morning meal and weight loss, one theory is that when you start your day with
something healthy and satiating it helps set a healthy tone for the rest of the day.
14 Keep triggers away
Almost everyone has heard the rule that it's okay to eat anything and everything so long as
you do so in moderation—but that may not be the best approach to lifelong weight
maintenance, according to 2015 PLOS ONE findings. The study of 6,814 people found that
the majority of the time, varied diets lead to weight gain.
"Though it can be scary to imagine completely cutting out the foods that you love, eating
everything in moderation is actually near impossible—especially when it comes to foods
with addictive properties, like sugar. You'll likely find yourself going back for more and
more which can slow your weight loss results," explains registered dietitian Cassie Bjork,
RD. "That's why it's actually more beneficial to completely cut out the foods that increase
your cravings and keep you wanting more." For example, if you know that chocolate is your
#1 trigger food it's best to cut it out altogether rather than trying to stick to a small serving.
15 Limit yourself to three
Fun fact: National Weight Control Registry members, who have all lost 30 pounds or more
and kept it off for at least a year, eat 2.5 meals per week at a restaurant—and only 0.74
meals per week at fast-food restaurants like Burger King and McDonald's—according to
an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition report. And we have to say, it's a smart move.
Limiting the number of times you dine away from home is an easy way to keep excess
calories, salt, sugar, and fat off of your plate without a second of thought.
16 Focus on flavonoids
Sure, all fruits and veggies are healthy and low-cal, but did you know that when it comes to
keeping away those waist-expanding pounds, flavonoid-rich foods like bananas,
strawberries, grapes, pears, onions, peppers, and celery are the best bets? In a 2016 British
Medical Journal study of 124,000 middle-aged and older people, those who ate a diet rich
in flavonoid-filled foods maintained their weight better than those who didn't—and it makes
a lot of sense. Earlier findings suggested that the naturally occurring plant compounds could
ward off inflammation and fat absorption.
17 Stay consistent
"Holidays, vacations, crazy work weeks…it doesn't matter. Every week, people who remain
lean, stick to their healthy habits," Langowski tells us. "My most successful clients are the
ones who stay consistent with their workouts throughout the year; they don't let anything
get in the way of their workout! It's like putting on their pants or brushing their teeth and is
something that they wouldn't think of not doing!"
The same mentality should hold true for your diet, too. The majority of people who lose
weight and keep it off, report that their diet is the same on both the weekends and
weekdays, according to an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition report. Simply put, don't
go crazy eating wings, pizza and cheat meals just because it's Saturday. Your body doesn't
care what day of the week it is, and neither should you.
18 Limit screen time
Curious what else successful losers do? Well, we'll tell you one thing they don't do: Netflix
and chill. The average American watches 28 hours of TV per week, while the NWCR
reports that those who have shed 30+ pounds and kept it off for at least a year, log fewer
than 10 hours per week in front of the boob tube.
19 Follow the plate rule
Counting calories may have helped you lose weight initially, but as you might have guessed,
it's not a habit you can maintain for life. Instead, hold onto your flat belly and lose weight
permanently with the help of the plate rule. "I never recommend counting calories to any of
my clients," says Smith. " Instead, I tell them to fill 50% of their plate at each meal with non-
starchy vegetables like kale, broccoli and carrots. This ensures that they'll take in a fair
amount of fiber, which promotes satiety and weight maintenance."
Unrefined carbohydrates like beans, sweet potatoes and whole grains should make up a
fourth of the plate and the last fourth should be reserved for lean proteins. Research backs
Smith's claim: A Brigham Young University College study found that women who consume
more fiber have a significantly lower risk of gaining weight than those who eat less of the
nutrient, likely because they consumed fewer overall calories throughout the day.
20 Don't get discouraged
Last, and most importantly: don't get discouraged if the scale swings upwards a bit.
Vacations, holidays, and stressful life situations happen, and not to mention, weight
fluctuations are totally normal. If you feel your pants getting tighter, take it with a grain of
salt but don't forget about it. Examine what you're doing differently and commit to getting
back on the bandwagon—it's as simple as that! And always remember, maintenance is a
marathon, not a sprint; you're in this for life!