Managing to maintain weight loss

By Clare E. Urwin

We took a break from the series on weight loss last week with a look at insomnia, which will have hopefully helped a lot of you night owls rest a little easier. But if it's weight loss you're after, don't despair. This week we feature the last article in the four-part series focusing, as promised, on weight management.

SURABAYA (JP): Maintaining your new weight is the next important step. Keeping those kilos off forever is what every successful dieter wants to do. You can do it! The key to permanent weight loss is weight management.

By eating less, exercising more and thinking positively, that extra weight should be going. Congratulations. You will look and feel much better. Keep it up until you reach your goal.

However, losing weight is almost the easy part. It's maintaining the loss that can be difficult. So, to ensure that you don't undo all that hard work and effort, some helpful suggestions and strategies should be worth noting.

The word "diet" is actually a bad word. Somehow it gives the impression that there is a beginning and an end to it. In fact, a healthy diet doesn't work like that at all. On the contrary, it's something you should start and, because it makes you feel so good, never want to end.

Health professionals (including nutritionists!) always seem to be telling people what not to do. How many times have you heard that eating a high-fat diet is dangerous for the heart? Similar negative messages appear to condemn everything edible from red meat to sugar, French fries to cheese.

Therefore, it's not surprising that many overweight people start to see food as their enemy. So, with the zeal of the converted, when they embark on a slimming diet, everything "fattening" is totally eliminated. Denial is the name of the game.

Sadly, in this case, it's almost predestined that the potential slimmer will continually think about those forbidden foods. A deprived feeling quickly develops. Then, inevitably, resentment grows, resolve declines and another big bar of chocolate gets devoured!

Alternatively, a positive attitude and concentrating on what you can eat is a much more powerful motivator to long-term weight control. Focus on the wide variety of wonderful healthy foods that will make up your meals.

Look at food as your friend. Remember that the right combinations at the right time will energize you, satisfy you and make you feel great. Changing eating habits can open interesting doors of dining delights, not shut them. Try to introduce new and tasty foods into your diet.

Be smart and don't slide back into bad habits. Always make or take time for a good breakfast and never "miss" a meal. Keep your metabolism running well and efficiently all day long by eating regularly.

See snacks as an important part of your day's nutritional intake. Prepare and plan them. Keep a bag of apples in your office drawer and enjoy munching on a couple of those at four o'clock in the afternoon. It is much more satisfying than absentmindedly finishing off a bag of sweets between nine and five and hardly being aware of it.

If frequent business entertaining is your so-called problem, don't leave common sense at your desk, shrug your shoulders and tuck in with gay abandon. Unfortunately, using corporate lunches as a justifiable excuse for eating too many courses of too many fried and fatty foods is just not on!

You have to take control of your own diet. Be proactive and interested in how your food is prepared. Remember the GI index. Order grilled or baked lean proteins with a salad and lightly steamed vegetables. Hold the rich sauces and have a light soup for a starter with fresh fruit for desert.

Don't be afraid to ask for what you want in restaurants, even if it's not on the menu. Order vegetables without added oil or butter at every meal. They fill you up and are loaded with nutrients.

Besides, after a satisfying, high-protein, low-fat, low- carbohydrate lunch you will be alert and productive for the rest of the afternoon. Good weight management and impressing the boss at the same time. Now that's really smart!

Hopefully, the seeds sown by practicing a healthy weight loss diet can proceed to grow in the long term. You feel good by eating this way, so continue it. That's the secret of weight maintenance. Basically stick to the same diet, but now be more flexible and generous with your food choices.

So, when you've reached your target weight, gradually reintroduce some previously avoided, but healthy items. For instance, higher GI index foods such as a baked potato or a serving of rice with your main meal. Slowly add extra and different foods. Real foods though, not junk!

With the help of a good pair of scales, establish the point at which your weight remains constant. From now on, make a one kilo gain above your target weight your absolute top limit before taking remedial action.

Another suggestion may be familiar, but it's still worth repeating: Eat slowly! If you give your body time to register that it's had some food and allow your natural systems to react, you will know when to stop eating.

Your stomach contains sensory nerves which efficiently inform your brain when you are hungry, thirsty or satisfied -- if they are allowed to! Many overweight people ignore, override or are oblivious to these signals.

Trust yourself. Get back in touch with your senses and listen to your body. Enjoy the company, love the food, but don't force in that last mouthful.

Also, always remember that in weight maintenance, you need to achieve energy balance. The amount of energy (calories) you put into your body each day has to equal the amount of energy you expend each day.

This is why a regular exercise routine is so necessary. Maintaining good exercise habits is as important as preserving your healthy eating ones. Being active is vital. Consistent exercise is one of the best ways of keeping your weight down and taming your appetite.

By now you will be impressed with the results of your workouts and training program. Again, the same message that applies to your diet applies to maintaining this level of fitness. Continue exercising, but be flexible and adventurous, too. This keeps motivation high.

How about learning a new sport? It's terrific for weight control because until you become good at a game, your body has to work harder to stay in the action.

So, being bad at golf actually burns up more calories than being good at it. Additional shots require extra energy. Now, that's worth a smile. One day Tiger Woods might have more of a weight problem than you!

Finally, the benefits from your new healthy eating and exercise habits are obvious. You look good and feel good. Be smart, think positively and make those habits permanent. It's called weight management. Good luck.

-- The writer is a nutritionist and health adviser based in Surabaya. Readers are encouraged to ask questions or comment through her email address, clareu@attglobal.net or features@thejakartapost.com