Permanent weight loss is something that many people with obesity hope for, but it can be as difficult to keep the weight off as is to lose it in the first place.
Luckily, there are certain things that you can do to prepare yourself for your future.
Any reputable weight management program will promote the idea of a multidisciplinary approach.
This includes lifestyle interventions, medical therapy, and sometimes even mental health support.
It’s simply not fair to expect anybody to maintain weight loss if the plan they follow doesn’t teach healthy habits.
Lifestyle interventions might seem tedious, but they’re extremely important.
With that being said, changing various bits about your lifestyle can take some time to get used to, so we recommend only making small changes at a time.
Perhaps swapping white pasta for brown pasta as a start. You could even start adding more vegetables to your meals.
For some people, lifestyle interventions are best focused on movement.
Many people have a strong understanding of nutrition but struggle with exercise.
In this instance, we would recommend scouring your local leisure centre’s website for some inspiration.
Alternatively, you could try going back to a sport that you enjoyed as a child!
Whatever healthy changes you make, the most important thing is that you keep them up. Continuing with healthy changes is the key to permanent weight loss.
Embracing exercise as part of your daily routine can help you to maintain a healthy weight for good. It’s also important to find nourishing meals that you enjoy.
This way, you’re more likely to stick to any changes that you make.
Permanent weight loss is achievable if you stick to a healthy lifestyle that suits you.
For some, this could mean getting up at 5 am for a swim, for others, it could be cycling to work or cooking fresh, nutritious food.
A healthy lifestyle can look different for everyone, but it should always encompass all aspects of your life. This includes your mental health.
If you know that you have issues with food that are linked to your emotions, you may want to seek help.
Some NHS weight management services offer multi-disciplinary therapies that include looking at your relationship with food.
You could have an incredibly active lifestyle and a healthy diet and still struggle with emotional eating or an eating disorder.
For more information about eating disorders and what to look out for, please visit BEAT. BEAT is a charity that provides help and support to those struggling with eating disorders.
They have a wealth of resources available to help you learn about the different signs to look out for and where you can access help.
Once you have a healthy relationship with food and with your body, permanent weight loss should be achievable.
