5 Simple Tips to Maintain Weight Loss

Congratulations! If you're reading this article, chances are you've just finished or are about to complete a diet that took a lot of effort and time to follow.

Now you might be wondering: "What should I do after the diet?" 

Don’t worry—today, we’re sharing all the tips you need to maintain your new physique and avoid the dreaded weight regain. 

But first, let’s take a look at what science has to say about this phenomenon that has impacted so many people on their journey to a healthier, fitter life.

What is weight regain and why does it happen?

In simple terms, weight regain refers to the recovery of body weight, primarily as fat mass, that occurs immediately or shortly after losing weight.

However, it’s not just about a lack of discipline or willpower. In fact, millions of years of evolution have made our bodies highly resistant to drastic weight changes, particularly to prevent weight loss and stave off starvation.

When we significantly reduce our body mass through dieting, our bodies respond by lowering the number of calories burned to perform daily functions. This makes it harder to continue losing weight or maintain the results achieved.

Additionally, the body reduces the secretion of appetite-suppressing hormones like leptin while increasing the production of hunger-stimulating hormones such as ghrelin. This leads to more frequent and intense cravings (1).

Given these natural bodily responses to weight loss, it’s no surprise that scientific literature reports a weight regain rate of 75%. In other words, out of every four people who reach their desired weight after following a low-calorie diet, only one will manage to maintain it long-term (2).

But don’t let this discourage you—science has also explored strategies to help increase your chances of successfully maintaining your new weight. Let’s dive into them below.

How can you avoid weight regain?

1. Maintain your energy balance in check

A common mistake after finishing a diet is transitioning from a calorie deficit (consuming fewer calories than your body burns) to an excessive calorie surplus (consuming more calories than your body needs). This often happens because people feel liberated from all restrictions and indulge uncontrollably in their food cravings.

As we’ve seen, the body can influence this process by increasing appetite after a period of weight loss. However, there is a way to increase food intake and satisfy hunger without consuming excessive calories: aim for a neutral energy balance. This allows you to maintain your weight stable without significant fluctuations.

There are several tools available to calculate your maintenance calories, from online calculators to apps like Fitia, which not only helps you determine your calorie needs but also provides a personalized meal plan tailored to your nutritional preferences.

2. Incorporate or maintain complementary physical activity

Strength training offers numerous health benefits: it increases muscular strength, improves body composition, reduces inflammation, and lowers the risk of mortality from all causes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer (3,4).

Strength training is especially important for those following a calorie deficit, as it helps preserve lean mass during the weight loss process. 

It’s equally essential for those who have completed a diet and want to maintain their new physique. Strength training has a modest effect on maintaining or even increasing the resting metabolic rate (5), which allows you to consume slightly more calories compared to what you could without strength training.

Lastly, it’s always a good idea to include some low-intensity cardiovascular exercise, such as walking 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day (6), to complement your routine.

👉 You might be interested in the following article: Strength Training: 8 Keys to Improve Your Performance

3. Maintain consistent self-monitoring practices

Science has shown that most people who experienced weight regain had reduced their self-monitoring practices before regaining the weight they had lost (7).

Self-monitoring practices can range from weighing yourself frequently throughout the week to keeping a log of the amount of food you consume.

However, regardless of the method you choose, the most important factor for maintaining your new weight is the frequency and consistency of self-monitoring, rather than the level of detail (8). Simply tracking your weight three times a week could be the key to keeping it stable and avoiding weight regain.

4. Practice mindful eating

Nowadays, mindful eating, rooted in Zen mindfulness, is increasingly being incorporated into clinical treatments for obesity and diabetes.

While a direct link between mindful eating and weight loss has not been established, those who practice it are likely to see significant improvements in their relationship with food and may find it easier to maintain their weight over time (9).

Mindful eating isn’t about following strict rules or setting specific goals in advance. Instead, it encourages individuals to be fully present during the act of eating, to recognize the purpose and attributes of their food, and to take full responsibility for their choices—without assigning judgment or labeling food as “good” or “bad.”

Like any other method that involves developing habits and shifting perspectives, mindful eating takes time and practice. Here are some recommendations from experts in the field that can help you get started (10):

• Let go of judgments and past experiences with food. Allow yourself to enjoy your meals in a space free from prejudice.
• Be patient while eating. Pay attention to the taste, texture, and even the origin of your food.
• Adopt a beginner's mindset. Approach your meals with curiosity and enjoy them as if it were your first time experiencing them.
• Fully accept your experience. It doesn’t have to match anyone else’s. By embracing what feels true for you, you’ll build greater trust in yourself and your choices. Welcome all thoughts and sensations that arise during your meal.
• Avoid setting predefined goals while eating. Let the experience itself guide the outcome, rather than the other way around.

5. A retroactive tip: choose a less restrictive diet

No matter where you are in your weight loss journey, it’s crucial to keep the following in mind, as it could be the most important factor in avoiding weight regain: the more restrictive your diet, the higher the risk of experiencing negative effects, such as:

• Reduced weight loss and greater difficulty maintaining your new weight.
• Increased obsession with food.
• Higher likelihood of overeating.
• Elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and mood disturbances.
• More frequent and severe episodes of binge eating.
• Increased symptoms of eating disorders.
• A poorer body image (11,12,13,14).

Therefore, if your diet involved completely cutting out a food group, like carbohydrates, or drastically reducing calories in a short period to reach your ideal weight quickly, you might face some counterproductive effects that make it harder to establish healthy eating habits.

That said, don’t worry—whether you’re nearing the end of your diet or still in the middle of it, it’s never too late to make adjustments. By reducing rigidity and increasing flexibility in your eating plan, you can set yourself up for long-term success.

In summary…

If you want to avoid weight regain, it's essential to transition from a calorie deficit to a neutral energy balance. 

 

Maintain or incorporate complementary physical activity, such as strength training and low-intensity cardio, which allows for higher calorie intake while providing numerous health benefits. 

 

Stay consistent with self-monitoring, embrace mindful eating to better understand your personal food experience, and keep in mind that a rigid diet increases the risk of weight regain.

 

Lastly, science provides an encouraging message about weight regain: “If individuals manage to maintain their weight loss for 2 years, they can reduce their risk of regaining weight by nearly 50%.” (15). 

 

In other words, while maintaining your best physical shape might feel challenging now, it will become easier over time. Stay motivated—you’ve got this!

Struggling to find a transformative nutrition plan? Download Fitia and optimize your nutrition today!