What is the best way to keep a healthy weight?

1. 93

   VirginiaLynneposted 12 years ago

   What is the best way to keep a healthy weight?
   
   I've just spent a year losing over 40 pounds on two different weight loss programs which I've written about in Hubs.  Now I'm close to my goal weight and am looking for ideas of how to stay that way.  What are your best tips for keeping a healthy weight and preventing weight gain?
   
   

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2. 81

   John Sarkisposted 12 years ago

   Believe it or not, even fast food places now have cal count next to their items on their food board.  Additionally, my brother was telling me about a restaurant opening near up our home which practices what they call "portion control," which is something we Americans have a problem with.  We live in the greatest country on earth, so our food portions in restaurants are naturally larger and that's a no-no when trying to keep fit.  It isn't that we can't eat comfort foods from time to time, but the portions are the real problem!

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3. 70

   BlissfulWriterposted 12 years ago

   I think the Paleolithic diet is a good healthy diet to maintain weight.   It is a somewhat low-carb diet and the reduction in sugar and carbohydrates consumption help to prevent weight gain. 
   
   I wrote about the Paleo diet here: http://blissfulwriter.hubpages.com/hub/ … ithic-diet

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4. 60

   Robert Brainardposted 12 years ago

   Although consistent exercise plays an integral role in maintaining a healthy weight, people tend to forget that nutrition is even more important than exercise. My tip for you is to eat real food, which means minimizing your refined sugar intake and staying away from fast foods. If you like to snack eat a piece of fruit or some baby carrots or some nuts. Just stay away from things like soda and candy and potato chips and double cheeseburgers and large fries. I wish you luck.

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5. 74

   d.williamposted 12 years ago

   I agree with John Sarkis.  It is not what you eat so much as the quantities of food we consume in one day.  It is best to eat very small portions 4 to 6 times a day to fool you brain into thinking there is no longer any need to store fat around your body as it does with sporadic eating habits.  Eat mostly fruits and vegetables (all varieties) as each of them offer something different in nutritional values, and of course sea foods. 
   We really have no need for the excessive intake of meats in our diet.  The same protein that we receive from meats can be found in nuts, legumes and other natural foods. 
   Moderate exercise is also indicated.  Turn on some music and dance with yourself (or a partner if one is available) for 10 -15 minutes a day, a minimum of 3 times a week. 
   There are also many "free foods" you can pig out on that will cause you body to burn more calories digesting them than are in those foods.
   You can view my hub regarding losing weight the fun and easy way, or go on line and search for those "free" foods.   
   Dieting should never be a chore - that is why we tend to go off them more often than not.  Unless you physical conditions prohibit certain foods, none are truly off limits if taken in moderation.  Cheat with a piece of real chocolate, small portion of all natural ice cream, or some other decadent desserts a couple of times a month to satisfy those cravings.

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6. 100

   chef-de-jourposted 12 years ago

   Here are my tips :
   
   
   
   * keep a weekly date with the weigh scales.
   
   * cut down on heavy meals late at night!
   
   * limit snacks to one fruit/oatcake/raisins
   
   * after every meal rest for fifteen minutes or so then take some form of exercise - walk for a half hour, do some domestic chores, stretches, simple warm ups and so on.
   
   * invite a friend to be your weight buddy so are motivated to keep this regime going on a daily basis.
   
   * walking is an excellent way to keep trim but challenge yourself by choosing a longer route with inclines from time to time.
   
   * yoga and other stretch/movement activities can help maintain weight but discipline is needed - has to be a 4/5/6 day week activity.
   
   * balance the diet, smaller portions when necessary.
   
   * swimming can be a bonus as part of overall exercise regime.
   
   * after a month if weight increasing look to lower calorie intake, have last meal earlier or cut down size of portions.

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7. 35

   edhanposted 12 years ago

   Losing weight is easy for me. Imagine that I was 80 kg a month ago and now I have reduced it to my healthy weight of 72.5 kg according to my height.
   
   My wife is surprised and I tell her the secret of weight loss. Now she believes me as I have done it without those tedious weight loss program you may see online or offline.
   
   My secret is CONTROLLING your CALORIES. Yup, just as simple as that. I normally eat 2000 calories but now I cut down to 1500 calories. That's all I did and now I am happily maintaining my good BMI.

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8. 77

   Laceylinksposted 12 years ago

   My daughter and I dropped over 35 pounds about 3 years ago. This is how we maintain our weight:
   #1- Staying away from fast food places and being very choosy at the rare restaurant meal. We eat mostly at home and carry a lunch to work.
   #2- Lots of apples, bananas, oranges, broccoli, kale, spinach, cucumbers, bell peppers, romaine, mushrooms, onions, garlic and other vegetables make up my daily diet. Occasionally I throw in a chicken breast or a salmon steak but not every day.
   #3- I don't use processed sugar, having long been a fan of Stevia for sweetness and keeping my sweet tooth satisfied.
   #4- For snacking I love peanuts, walnuts, soy nuts and dried cranberries in a mix with a sprinkling of dark chocolate M&M's.
   #5- I drink water almost exclusively.
   #6- I cook with olive oil and use it in salad dressing.
   #7- I have a very active job, and my daughter goes to the gym at least 3 days a week.
   Your lifestyle should support your effort and make weight control easy, so it may mean some changes- but it's worth it!

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   1. 0

      kylesandersonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I was going to reply to this question, but then I saw this. Choose this one.

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9. 70

   lburmasterposted 12 years ago

   A combination of weight programs. By eating low calorie meals once a day, you can cut down on your usual calories. Try to make those once either in the morning (to boost your metabolism) or for dinner (so you use more calories you already have). You don't have to cut out sweets entirely, just one or two candies a day. The other side is a work out routine. Mine is three days a week. One day devoted to upper body, another to legs and butt, the last devoted to abs. Try adding a fourth day for biking or swimming. With this combination of weight loss, I've lost 10 pounds in one month.

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10. 65

    Paul Kempposted 12 years ago

    If you want to stop paying attention to portion size, counting calories, and working out like crazy to burn off excess weight, chose a whole-foods, mostly plant-source diet. Meats and cheeses, dairy foods in general are full of fats and fats are more than twice as many calories compared to starches.
    
    I just read a very interesting report on the diet of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, who eat such a plant based diet. Not only is their weight ideal, but their cholesterol and other markers of internal health are favorable for a long, active life. The Paleo Diet folks have a romanitcized fantasy of how much meat the rural primitives actually ate. In fact, on average, it was not that much except in extreme climates where there was little choice.
    
    My concerns about the welfare of animals, together with my wide reading about the foods our digestive system works best with, convinced me a long time ago that the plant kingdom is the best place to get my food.
    
    When we get past the age of retirement and we see what our friends that didn't last that long ate, the evidence is pretty convincing. Like on the race-track, finishing the race in good shape is the best proof of what I'm saying here.

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11. 95

    jansharesposted 12 years ago

    I suggest you eat breakfast everyday, preferably hot or cold ceareals (oats are my favorite) with lowfat milk. This will jump-start your metabolism. To kick your metabolism into high gear, I highly recommend eating kimchi and drinking yerba mate tea everyday for 2 weeks. You will see a difference.

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12. 0

    CJ Sledgehammerposted 12 years ago

    Get daily exercise, learn to eat in moderation and adopt the motto: eat to live...not live to eat.

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13. 60

    Dr. Ben Griffesposted 12 years ago

    It is very important to eat breakfast and to eat 5 or 6 small meals every day.  This prevents your body from thnking it is "starving" in between meals, which then slows down your metabolism.  You are burning calories whenever you are digesting your food, and this means you increase your metabolic rate, and thus, more calories burned throughout the day.  Also, eating "whole" foods is way better in maintaining a healthy weight, like snacking on a handful of almonds or walnuts; baby carrots and hummus, or an apple with peanut butter.  These types of "in between meals" help you stay healthy, keep up your energy, and reduce the liklihood of you scarfing down a huge meal at the end of the day because you're starving.  Also, drink a glass of water in between every meal, which helps keep you hydrated.

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14. 60

    jodeciposted 12 years ago

    I think the best way to maintain weight is a plan of healthy diet and an excercise program. Make sure your diet consists as many fruits and vegetables as possible, limit red meats as much as you can. Instead of red meats (you can still eat red meats but a a reduced level) substitute chicken, turkey, seafood or fish.
    You also want to make sure to drink plenty of fluids especially water. You can drink teas and juices watching out for sugar content.
    
    Once in a while you can allot yourself a treat with dessert but not too often. If you have to have a dessert try to make it mostly fruit like sherberts, water ices, and fruit bars, you have to watch the sugar content in these as well unless you make your own fruit slushes that way you know how much sugar you are getting.
    
    Then choose an excercise you enjoy like jogging, dancing, try to find different types of excercises to keep your interest so that you can vary your routine.

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15. 62

    gags3480posted 12 years ago

    Well, cycling & less oily food keeps me fit

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16. 87

    cam8510posted 12 years ago

    Eat when you are hungry.  Stop when you are full.  Take a walk.

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17. 60

    Fitnessover35posted 12 years ago

    You have already gotten lots of great advice here.  One essential add-on...lift weights.  Often neglected by women who fear getting big and bulky, weight lifting is perhaps the best way to lose or maintain weight.  And certainly the best way to build lean, healthy muscle.

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18. 58

    ThePrincessMCposted 12 years ago

    First off, I recommend you evaluate what you have done on these diets.  I like to think of weight lose as a lifestyle. Most weight loss programs don't focus on helping you change your lifestyle... you simply follow their plan and then after the plan you return to your old habit and fail miserably. Deprovation gets old after a while and then comes the cravings. Basically, you adapt your new plan to a life plan.  If you had to avoid sugar, opt for a natural, low calorie sweetner to replace sugar... the truth is, one day you will want something sweet, and how will you acquire this without falling back into your old habits.  I could go on and on, but the bottom line is that you have to adapt the plan you followed into your life plan and do this without depriving yourself.  iam gluten free by necessity.  I still eat bread, but gluten free bread.  Funny thing is, now that I know I can have it, I don't crave it as much.  Whenever I want bread I have it and move on. I have learned to bake gluten free as well.  Another suggestion is to juice, but use 50/50 (veggies/fruits).  When your body start fueling from these things it will want them more.  The sweets will be less desireable. And most important, do not allow yourself to go hungry... eat small, frequent portions to encourage motabilization.  Now that you have lost the weight, plan to be more active. Have fun and celebrate your accomplishment. Congratualtions on your weight lose and good luck staying healthy.

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19. 61

    anguillaparadiseposted 12 years ago

    Follow a healthy diet, and if you are overweight or obese, reduce your daily intake by 500 calories for weight loss.

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20. 66

    Stickyponyposted 12 years ago

    Don't eat junk and move your body. It's simple yet hard

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21. 60

    Puspanjaleeposted 12 years ago

    First of all, do not skip your breakfast. It is the best way to maintain weight as well as to stay healthy. Stick to oats and whole fruits instead of juices.
    
    Try to walk as often as you can. Use the staircases in case of two or three floors.
    
    Just relax and smile always as u r in the photo. It will relieve your stress about the weight gaining!!

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22. 59

    AngelitaRoseposted 12 years ago

    Your lifestyle should support your effort and make weight control easy, so it may mean some changes- but it's worth it!

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