Weight loss is an important component to an overall fitness and health program. Weight maintenance is the companion piece, and it is a much tougher part.

Whether you are training for a marathon, planning a wedding, or putting a fitness program in place, it is helpful to lie out the various elements and focus on each one individually.

When we talk about fitness in general, it can be hard to grasp the overall idea, and then it becomes difficult to implement the various components - like eating well, getting enough rest, and exercising. On the other hand, when we look at just one or two key components the task becomes more easily defined and the execution becomes more efficient. So let’s look at weight loss, and weight maintenance, and how to achieve them both.

Weight loss can be looked at as a short-term goal. Let’s say you outline a plan for 6 weeks, or 6 months, depending on how much weight you have to lose and how rigorous your plan. You may be able to stick to a particular weight loss regime for 6 weeks that would be impossible to maintain over years, so plan accordingly.

Weight maintenance is absolutely critical to your fitness plan and without it your weight loss achievement will soon disappear. You must set up an exercise and eating program (and goals) that are realistic for the long haul.

Here’s how:

Diet
I have found that though most people know what they should eat, their choices don’t reflect what they know to be healthy food selections. That is because most of us eat unconsciously. To eat heath-fully we must eat consciously. So I recommend recording (write it down) everything you eat and drink – everything - for a week.

At the end of the week look over all that you have consumed and ask yourself why you think you ate what you did (convenience, habit), and what you would like, and be willing, to change. Then, write down a food plan for each day, the day before, so that you can plan, shop, and prepare food (if necessary) ahead of time.

This exercise will provide you with awareness and control, and with that you can make choices rather than eat out of habit. And, this is important, when you eat something that was not on your “plan,” don’t look at that as a failure, it’s just a bump along the way to a healthier lifestyle.

If you accept the positive and negative aspects of your program, you will be able to stay on the road rather than starting over anytime you hit a glitch. Keep moving forward and realize that going for the long haul means accepting even the unplanned as part of the plan. It’s life, unwanted and unexpected things happen, but you can still stay focused on your long-term goal of maintaining a healthy weight.

To help ensure your long-term goals, invite others to travel the road with you. Find someone that you can discuss your program with and talk about your victories and setbacks with productively. Remember, there are no failures, just temporary setbacks – these are inherent in any long-term plan.

Exercise
I am a huge proponent of walking for weight loss and weight maintenance. Walking is both aerobic and weight bearing, which makes it a very effective exercise. Walking is the safest and easiest way to lose weight and keep it off.

More people maintain weight loss through walking than any other exercise because it is so easily available (do it anywhere, no gym membership necessary), so inexpensive (all you need is a decent pair of walking/running shoes), and anyone can do it (you certainly don’t need a trainer, or a lot of experience). And because so many people love to walk, it’s easy to set up a supportive network of walking buddies. 

Many people wonder, is walking enough? Yes it is, and there are tools to help you make your walking workout time super efficient and effective. For example: vary your walking terrain and time by walking in the hills on one day for 30 minutes, and on flat terrain on another day for 60 minutes. You can increase the intensity of your walk, too, by doing intervals of fast walking periods (walk one minute extremely fast) followed by slower periods of recovery.

On top of that, there are weighted vests, walking poles and more. The bottom line is: walking, done right, is enough. Walk with purpose, walk like you mean it, and walk consistently.

Remember, your instinct and desire to lose weight quickly is common and understandable. But ultimately you’ll have to embrace an eating and exercise plan that is sustainable within the scope of your lifestyle.

And hey, I am all for changing your lifestyle to include more exercise and putting a greater effort into eating well. But be realistic, make changes little by little so that they don’t fall away after a few weeks and take your well-earned weight loss with them.

Peace and Happy Trails -
Debbie Rocker

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