Be Flexible and Realistic

– Don’t follow rigid or overly restrictive diets that are hard to sustain long-term. Aim for a balanced, nutritious eating pattern you can maintain[1].

– Set realistic goals and be proud of modest achievements rather than fixating on an ideal weight[1].

– Allow for occasional indulgences and don’t view small slips as failures. Get back on track as soon as possible[1].

Develop Sustainable Habits

– Focus on building healthy habits like meal planning, portion control, and regular exercise rather than short-term dieting[1][3].

– Make habits around self-monitoring behaviors like weighing yourself regularly and tracking intake[2].

– Find enjoyable ways to increase daily activity and movement[3].

Plan for Disruptions

– Recognize that life events like holidays, vacations, etc. can disrupt your routine. Plan ahead for these occasions[1].

– Consider losing a bit of extra weight beforehand to offset any temporary gains during disruptions[1].

Address Emotional Eating

– Be aware of tendencies to overeat in response to emotions like stress, boredom, etc[2].

– Develop alternative coping strategies besides eating, like going for a walk or calling a friend[3].

Be Patient and Persistent

– Understand that some weight regain is common, but don’t let small setbacks derail you completely[2].

– Stick with it for the long-term. The risk of regain decreases the longer you maintain weight loss[2].

By adopting a flexible, sustainable approach focused on building healthy habits, you can overcome common pitfalls and increase your chances of keeping weight off for good[1][2][3].

Citations:

[1] https://www.lboro.ac.uk/news-events/news/2023/july/seven-techniques-to-avoid-weight-regain/

[2] https://diabetesjournals.org/clinical/article/26/3/100/1611/Weight-Regain-Prevention

[3] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/weight-loss-mistakes

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3901982/

[5] https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-diet-mistakes