In fact, the improvement of safe and sustainable bariatric surgeries has made weight loss a reality for people who are unable to do it through conventional methods, such as diets or workouts, due to medical conditions.

However, did you know that 80-85% of people who lose weight regain it? Some dieters regain over half of what they lost within two years.

The truth is that maintaining your weight requires the same amount of effort and dedication as losing it, but this is where most people fail. Here are some simple but effective methods to achieve this.

Exercise Often

As simple as it may sound, exercising regularly can help you maintain weight loss. It burns extra calories and increases your metabolism, two essential factors to achieve proper energy balance.

Energy balance is when you burn the equal number of calories you consume, helping you stay in the same weight range. Alongside this, sticking to a clean and healthy diet can make weight maintenance simpler and more effective.

People who do at least 200 minutes of moderate workout a week, which is roughly 30 minutes a day, after losing weight have higher chances of maintaining them in the long run.

Eat Lots Of Protein

Generally, protein helps to reduce appetite and promote a sense of fullness. Eating more protein after weight loss can have the same effect, reducing binge eating and extra calories consumed daily.

Proteins improve certain hormones, important for inducing satiety and weight regulation. Some experts believe it can also reduce hormone levels that increase hunger.

Moreover, proteins need a lot of energy to break down, which can, in turn, increase the number of calories you burn throughout the day.

Weigh Yourself Regularly

Weighing yourself regularly can help with weight maintenance. It is a simple technique that can keep you aware of your progress and encourage weight control behaviours. This can help you eat fewer calories if you feel you are gaining weight again.

People who weigh themselves at least six days a week are seen to consume 300 fewer calories per day compared to those who weigh less frequently.

That being said, how often you want to weigh is a personal choice. Some can find it beneficial to weigh daily, whereas others are more successful by checking once or twice weekly.

Get Enough Sleep

Although often overlooked, sleep plays a crucial role in weight control. Lack of sleep is a major risk factor for weight gain in adults and interferes with maintenance. This happens because poor sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, which can increase appetite and lead to binge eating.

Similarly, lack of sleep reduces leptin levels, a hormone necessary for appetite control. Those who sleep less are also more likely to feel tired, reducing motivation to exercise and in making healthy food choices. Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep daily is recommended for weight maintenance and overall well-being.

Control Stress Levels

While it may come as a surprise, managing stress is essential to control weight. Stress releases a hormone called cortisol.  Continuous cortisol spikes are positively linked to higher amounts of belly fat and increased appetite, leading to impulsive eating. This is a situation where you will want to keep eating or munching on something, even if you are not hungry.