Losing weight is difficult, and keeping it off is even harder. Just 20% of people who lose a substantial amount of weight keep it off long term. Because obesity is a chronic health condition that requires long-term management, the work isn’t over once you reach your goal weight.
Fortunately, the weight-management experts here at Nova Physician Wellness Center continue to provide guidance and support long after you accomplish your weight goals. Through our weight-maintenance program, we can help you successfully maintain your weight loss so that you keep the excess weight off for good.
Let’s go over some proven strategies in detail.
Our team tailors your weight-management program for your body, your health, and unique needs. We provide patients with clinical support and education and can help prevent weight regain so that you maintain your health and fitness.
Our personalized weight-management program can help with:
Our nutritionist and health counselors work closely with you to help you maintain your weight loss.
Current research sheds light on the factors that contribute to long-term weight maintenance. Here are some of the keys to shedding pounds for good.
The belief that you can accomplish something, referred to as self-efficacy, plays a key role in maintaining weight loss. Individuals with high self-efficacy are more likely to keep weight off long term than those who doubt their abilities.
This means that keeping the weight off starts with the right mindset. Adopting a “can do” mindset takes some practice, and we can help!
Consistency is a key component to weight loss. Committing to a healthy lifestyle and remaining consistent no matter what obstacles come your way goes a long way in seeing you through your long-term maintenance goals.
While changing your lifestyle may seem daunting at first, making healthy choices will become second nature after a while.
It’s normal to experience setbacks in weight loss and weight maintenance. A positive mindset and perseverance in the face of challenges make all the difference.
You may occasionally overindulge or give in to an unhealthy craving or skip a workout. But instead of seeing missteps as failures, see them as temporary interruptions along your path. If you view them as failures, you’re more likely to abandon your goals.
In a large-scale study analyzing the behaviors of people who kept weight off, researchers found that the ability to keep going and get back on track after setbacks is key.
Many people fail to maintain their weight because they put unrealistic expectations on themselves. For example, following an extremely strict diet is bound to cause you to feel deprived and eventually go off course in a major way.
Adopting practical, sustainable habits that promote weight maintenance is key to keeping the excess pounds at bay.
Nearly everyone who maintains their weight loss stays physically active. This doesn’t mean that you have to practically live in the gym or perform extremely rigorous exercise. Adopting an active lifestyle means finding things that you enjoy doing that involve physical activity.
It’s different for everyone. Perhaps you enjoy tennis, golf, biking, swimming, hiking, or simply running around with your children or grandchildren. If you enjoy doing it, it’s easier to incorporate into your lifestyle. In fact, walking is the most commonly reported form of exercise for many people who manage to keep weight off long term.
The saying “what doesn’t get measured, doesn’t get managed,” is very relevant to weight maintenance. If you stop monitoring your weight, what you eat, or how much you eat after you reach your weight loss goal, it’s easy to get off track.
Our team can help you self-monitor so you continue keeping the weight off. This may mean tracking your food intake and weight. Weighing yourself regularly can alert you to changes. Keep in mind that it’s normal for weight to fluctuate a few pounds from day to day. However, if the scale is consistently increasing, we can work together to adjust your habits to prevent significant weight regain.
Stress management is an important aspect of weight control. In fact, high stress levels can contribute to weight gain by increasing your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol levels that are consistently elevated are linked with increased belly fat as well as increased appetite and food intake.
Stress is also a common trigger for eating when you’re not hungry and overeating when you are hungry.
The weight-loss experts at Nova Physician Wellness Center can help you transform your body, improve your health, and keep the excess weight off permanently. Give us a call to schedule a visit with one of our providers. Our offices are located in Fairfax, Ashburn, and Vienna, VIrginia. New and existing patients can also schedule telehealth visits.
