Diet: seven tips to avoid weight gain after losing weight

Losing weight is a challenge.

But anyone who has managed to lose weight knows that the real challenge is to avoid gaining weight again – no matter what method you’ve followed to lose weight.

Studies show, for example, that people who adopt very low-calorie diets (800-1200 calories per day) recover from 26% to 121% of the weight lost five years after treatment.

Those who follow behavioral weight-management programs (such as Weight Watchers) gain back 30% to 35% of the weight lost after a year.

It has even been demonstrated that even those who take medication for weight loss, such as Wegovy (semaglutide), recover about two thirds of the weight lost, one year after suspending the medication.

There are several reasons why we gain back the weight we lost.

First, maintaining weight after weight loss is less rewarding than seeing the number on the scale go down while you’re losing weight. This makes it difficult to maintain motivation and continue watching your weight.

Second, it’s often difficult to stick with the lifestyle changes we’ve made to lose weight — especially if those changes are unrealistic and difficult to stick with over the long term (like diets that are very low in calories or that cut out entire groups of foods).

Finally, weight loss can trigger increased production of hunger hormones — and even slow down your metabolism. These changes can make it difficult to resist overeating and, over time, contribute to weight regain.

But while weight regaining can be a common experience, there are several evidence-based steps you can take to prevent it from happening in the long term:

Be flexible

It is important to understand that maintaining a healthy weight will require lifelong control. Therefore, having rigid expectations and thinking that you will always follow your lifestyle changes perfectly is not realistic.

Don’t feel guilty when you slip up. Just plan to get back on track as quickly as possible.

If you think you may have eaten too much over the weekend, for example, add some walking to your routine the following week.

This type of action can prevent an “all or nothing” approach to weight management — where you feel guilty about not reaching your goals and end up abandoning your efforts.

Plan for slips

You should recognize that there will be interruptions to your weight management efforts, such as holidays, weddings, and birthday parties.

Plan ways to satisfactorily deal with these slips. Losing a few extra pounds before each event, for example, can offset possible weight gains on these occasions.

If you’re going to a barbecue, take a healthier option (like vegetable skewers) to have a lower-calorie alternative. This will help you enjoy special occasions with less worry.

Be proud of your achievements

Our weight naturally fluctuates over time. Therefore, it is important to be proud of yourself when achieving your goals, regardless of the number on the scale.

Research also shows that people who focus more on how they can achieve their goals—rather than the results—are more likely to engage in behaviors that are important for maintaining weight loss. One reason may be because they are less likely to be affected by setbacks, such as gaining some of the weight back.

Create habits

Creating habits can help you maintain weight loss. This happens because it is believed that habits are less affected by fluctuations in motivation.

That is, it will be easier to maintain the habits we have established to lose weight, even if we think it is no longer necessary, when trying to maintain weight loss.

And you can also create new habits after losing weight, like going for a walk after dinner or going up and down the stairs when possible.

Stay active

A study of people who satisfactorily maintained the weight lost after losing weight concluded that physical activity is the most important factor in maintaining ideal weight. This is because physical activity can compensate for part of the calories we ingest.

The best physical activity to avoid weight gain is the one you enjoy doing most. You are more likely to maintain the activity long-term if you enjoy it.

But research suggests you should try to get at least 250 minutes of exercise every week to maintain weight loss.

Weigh yourself regularly

Human weight fluctuates by up to 1-2 kg throughout the week. But by weighing yourself regularly, you can work out a personalized weight range with your highest and lowest average weight.

This will help you keep track of your weight and understand if you need to make any changes to your eating or exercise habits to avoid gaining back the weight you lost.

Research indicates that people who adopt personalized weight ranges are better able to avoid large weight gains, since they are able to adjust their behavior when necessary.

Eat breakfast — and watch your fiber!

Evidence for the importance of breakfast for weight management is mixed, but one study showed that nearly 97% of people who maintained their weight loss reported eating breakfast every day.

Another study also found that people who ate a lot of vegetables and high-fiber foods on a daily basis — such as whole-grain breads, brown rice and oatmeal — were more likely not to gain back the weight they lost.

Eating these types of foods makes you feel fuller, and you are more likely to eat less.

Maintaining weight after losing weight can be difficult, but it is not impossible. And remember: if you manage to keep off at least some of the weight you lost, this achievement can still be very beneficial for your health.

*With information from the BBC Brasil website

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