With summer coming just around the corner, bodybuilders, gym rats, and even the average person is trying to get in their best shape – and for most, that means dialing in to lose a few extra pounds. Most people have attempted to intentionally lose weight and go on a diet for some period. After reaching that goal, whether it be a major weight loss or just a minor tune up, you may be asking yourself, what next?
Coming out of a deficit can be intimidating for many reasons – you may be overwhelmed by the increase of food or food options, tracking macros (if you do so) may be more challenging with your new macro goals, and lastly, the scale might even show an increase in weight! But don’t worry – the scale is bound to fluctuate a few pounds even daily from various factors including hormonal change, water retention, time of day your weight was taken, and so on. If you choose to follow maintenance macros or intuitive eating, there are a few tricks and things to keep in mind that can help you find a new balance and maintain your weight.
Make Being Healthy Part of Your Identity
What makes a person “healthy” anyway? Well, it really varies person to person. It can range from making certain choices with food, types or frequency of exercise, positive self-talk, or being emotionally and mentally grounded. Think of what you’re about to do – in any aspect of your physical, emotional, or mental health – and consider, “what would a healthy person do?”. There is no solid answer, but simply asking yourself that question may help you make a healthy or healthier choice.
Stop Demonizing Food
Remember – almost everything is fine in moderation. There is no reason to label a food as “bad”. Restricting oneself usually leads to an overindulgence or even a binge. Don’t tell yourself you can never have pizza again – have the pizza, but maybe pair it with a salad or another lighter choice, and moderate how many servings you have. You can still incorporate indulgent foods into your maintenance plan, but you should adapt the rest of the day (or perhaps even a couple of days) to accommodate that.
Keep Moving
Now that you’ve reached your goal, your body has been accustomed to a certain amount of exercise. While you can maintain your weight even with reducing your intensity, frequency, or length of exercise, it is still important for the health of your body to incorporate some exercise. Experts recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise. You can split this into five 30-minute sessions a week. It can even be something as simple as a brisk walk or a bike ride. Raising your heart rate from an increase in body movement is key. Of course, you can keep pushing yourself in the gym if you want, and with the increase in calories you may even reap additional benefits like improved strength and stamina.
Don’t Ignore Your Body’s Signals
Some people find solace in eating at planned times, but there are other options. Becoming more aware of what your body is trying to tell you can help you adapt to intuitive eating or just more mindful eating. When you feel hunger, try to analyze – am I bored? Stressed? Perhaps you are just thirsty. Consider what your last meal or snack was, and when it was. Reducing your boredom eating can help you keep track of your calories, help you develop a positive relationship with food, and regulate how often your body feels hunger. Another thing that may help this is eating slowly and mindfully. By eating slowly, your body can better tell you when it is satisfied.
Track What You Eat
Writing down what you eat, whether on paper, in a document, or even a specific app, can help you from falling into your old habits. In a way, it keeps yourself accountable. Maybe every day you casually eat some almonds straight out of the bag. The problem with that is a food like almonds are pretty calorie dense, and a serving size is probably smaller than you think. You can save yourself from exceeding your maintenance calories by keeping track of what you eat.
Set Protein and Fiber Goals
You probably tracked your protein, if not fiber too while dieting. This is a generally healthy practice to continue. Your body can benefit from having adequate amounts of fiber, from better gut health, reducing body waste, it makes you feel fuller longer, and can reduce your risks from heart disease and diabetes. Reaching adequate amounts of protein can help you feel full, reduce your overall hunger levels, helps maintain and grow lean muscle, and so much more. In a study published by the Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, on a maintenance diet, the subjects who increased their percentage of calories to be sourced from protein showed a 50% lower body weight regain only consisting of fat-free mass.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, you have a lot more flexibility in your diet and lifestyle choices now that you aren’t in a strict diet. Whether your goal is absolute maintenance, body recomp, or even a bulk, you can follow these tips to make it easier on your mental health from adapting from such a restrictive place.
