With so much focus on weight loss strategies, many people forget the importance of weight management or healthy weight maintenance. And this is crucial. One thing is reaching your weight goal (whether weight gain or loss). But maintaining that weight and minimizing your chance of falling back to your previous unhealthy weight is quite another thing. So, have you reached your desired weight loss or weight gain goal? Congratulations! Now, use the following tips to help you maintain that healthy weight. 

1. Know how to control your appetite 

Your appetite is key when it comes to healthy weight management. The bigger your appetite, the more you can eat, and the easier it is to gain weight. Eating becomes a problem if you struggle with poor appetite and easily spiral down the road to unhealthy weight loss. Controlling your appetite means knowing how to suppress or increase it when necessary. For example, if you struggle to eat well, you can exercise or buy Delta 9 products, which are proven to increase appetite. On the other hand, if you struggle to keep your appetite in check, you can consider eating more protein and fiber and drinking more water.

2. Get more than 7 hours of night sleep

It’s also important to get a good amount of sleep every day. A good night’s sleep helps to reset the body, preparing it for the next day’s activities. According to some health experts, people who do not get enough sleep usually tend to eat more the next day. That’s because sleep-deprived people usually have a bigger appetite thanks to increased ghrelin and decreased leptin hormones. Ghrelin makes you feel more hungry, and leptin makes you feel full. Some studies also showed that adults who slept fewer than 7 hours at night saw a 41% increase in their risk of becoming obese. Meanwhile, sleeping longer created no such risks. Plus, getting enough sleep at night will help you function better the next day, making it less difficult to live an active lifestyle. 

3. Maintain an active lifestyle

As mentioned earlier, exercising is crucial in controlling your appetite. It can play an essential role in any healthy weight management strategy. Various studies have shown that people who exercise often or are active are more likely to maintain weight than those with a dormant lifestyle. So, take the time to schedule some physical activity into your daily routine. Any level of physical activity, even for a short period, is great. For example, you can take a few minutes out of your daily schedule to go for a walk, run, or even go cycling. 

4. Note that not all calories are the same

You may already know how important it is to watch your calorie count. But did you know that the effects of calories depend on where you get them? For example, gaining 200 calories from protein cannot be compared to the same amount of calories found in cakes and pastries. So, while your goal may be to consume a specific calorie count daily, you must be careful about what foods you source those calories from. Your safest bet is to avoid all processed food forms. This is because processed foods contain very high amounts of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. All of which are unhealthy calories you would want to avoid.

5. Drink more water

While you watch your calorie intake, it’s important to watch what you drink. Drinking water, working out regularly, and eating the right foods will help ensure that you do not experience unhealthy weight gain or loss. Some experts have also argued that drinking water daily can help you shrink your waistline and reduce your body fat content over time. Moreover, water is completely calorie-free, can help suppress your appetite, and may even help you burn more calories. However, combining regular water consumption with a balanced diet is important. This way, you won’t end up losing more weight than you may want to.

6. Say no to refined sugar

As mentioned earlier, you’ll want to limit your intake of processed foods that contain too much sugar. But you can also find sugar in other foods, so it’s best to avoid it in general, especially refined sugar. Refined sugar provides empty calories. And taking too much of it will not only lead to an unhealthy weight increase but may also put you at risk of heart diseases, diabetes, etc. Instead of using refined sugar in your meals, try looking for healthier alternatives like honey.