Nine secrets of people who manage to keep the weight off

Keeping weight off can feel harder than losing it in the first place. So what should we do to prevent a relapse?

Losing weight may be hard, but keeping it off can be even harder. Studies show that dieters regain more than half of their lost weight in just two years and by five years they’ve gained back more than 80 per cent. Some people even end up heavier than they were before. 
It’s a similar story for those who use weight loss drugs. Once they stop taking the pills research shows they regain about two-thirds of their lost weight in just one year. 
“There are many reasons why we regain the weight we lose. First, maintaining weight loss is less rewarding than seeing the number on the scale decrease while losing weight. Second, it’s often difficult to maintain the lifestyle changes we made to lose weight and third, weight loss can trigger increased production of hunger hormones – and can even slow your metabolism,” says Dr Claire Madigan, a senior lecturer in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University whose research focusses on helping people manage their weight. 
Yet despite the odds stacked against us, it is possible to sustain weight loss and stay slim. In the United States the National Weight Control Registry is tracking more than 10,000 successful dieters, proving that this herculean task is possible for many. What are their winning habits and secrets? We asked the experts to find out. 
In 2020, a review of 52 weight loss management studies reported that the most important factor for maintaining weight loss is physical activity because it burns some of the calories we eat. The National Weight Control Registry followed over 10,000 individuals who have sustained weight loss and found that 90 per cent exercise on average for one hour a day. 
An hour a day isn’t essential, but regular movement is. Take the stairs, break up sitting time, walk while talking, get off the bus one stop early, walk the dog, and aim for a few thousand steps every day as well as raising your heart rate each week. 
“The best physical activity for maintaining weight loss is the one you enjoy doing most. This is because you’re more likely to stick with it in the long term if you enjoy it. But research suggests you should try to get at least 250 minutes of exercise each week to maintain weight loss,” says Madigan.
Anyone who has gained weight knows how easy it can be not to notice when the pounds creep back on. Regular weigh-ins help people address weight gain as soon as it starts to happen, as well as work out their own personalised weight range. 
“Weight fluctuates by as much as 1kg to 2kg throughout the week. By weighing yourself regularly, you’ll get to know your highest and lowest average weight. This will help you keep track and understand whether you need to make any changes to your diet and exercise habits to maintain your weight loss.  Research shows that people who weigh themselves regularly are better able to prevent large weight regain because they’re able to adjust their behaviours when necessary,” says Madigan. 
Some experts believe that your body has a weight “set point” and that if you go below that point it will fight to regain the lost weight. This theory has not been comprehensively proved, but we do know that when you lose weight you also lose muscle and muscle burns more calories. As you decrease in weight you also need fewer calories. One study referred to this as the “energy gap” and estimated that for example if you lost 40lbs you’d need 320 calories fewer per day. 
“If you’ve ever been a yo-yo dieter you will be prone to gaining weight more easily, and your hunger hormones will be elevated. Muscle burns more calories and with less muscle, you’ll need less food,” explains Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a dietitian and author of How Not To Eat Ultra-Processed.
This is why strength training to build muscle and burn more calories becomes even more important to boost your metabolism and sustain weight loss. 
Stress, lack of sleep, and a difficult day can derail our best healthy eating intentions. Studies have shown that lack of sleep is associated with weight gain. “When you are sleep deprived you get more pleasure from fatty and sugary foods so try to prioritise a good night’s sleep,” says Ludlam-Raine.  
Many people gain weight in the first place because they comfort eat when they are feeling sad, lonely, anxious, or even just bored. Lasting weight loss requires finding new ways to deal with tough emotions. 
“If I’m feeling angry, I’m going to take a walk in nature, if I’m feeling lonely, I’m going to phone a friend. Then I suggest writing down these strategies so that eating food isn’t the default behaviour,” says Ludlam-Raine.  
Planning for tough days can also be helpful. “Think about what small steps you can take when everything feels like it’s working against you. For instance, if you’ve set yourself a hard-core exercise routine, give yourself alternatives for low-energy days, like a gentle walk,” says Shahroo Izadi, a psychologist, author, and behavioural change specialist. 
People often feel guilty turning down food if others have cooked it for them, or if the office cake is being passed around and others are encouraging them to eat it. But sticking to weight loss goals means resisting “food pushers”, says Madigan. 
“If you were a vegetarian, would you eat meat just to please someone? If you were on a special meal plan for medical reasons, would you abandon that way of eating just to spare someone’s feelings? Eating differently to be healthier is just as legitimate. Usually a simple ‘No thanks, it looks delicious, but I’m okay for now’ is sufficient,” she says. 
If you’re invited to dinner it’s best to explain in advance, or have a lower-calorie breakfast and lunch so you can enjoy your dinner. 
Temptation is all around us and our willpower is limited, so get a plan in place for high-risk moments.
Pack healthy snacks for a long journey when a packet of crisps might be the only option. Have an easy-to-access fruit bowl or jar of nuts on show. Make sure your fridge is full of fruit, chopped veg and healthy proteins at eye level, and hide any treats out of view. 
Don’t go food shopping hungry. Eat before going out drinking. Batch cook on Sunday so you can grab something healthy when you’re busy. As the old saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. 
Protein is essential for building muscle and it also stops us feeling hungry. Fibre is gut-friendly and keeps your digestion regular, yet even though the recommended amount is 30g per day, in the UK we only manage about 18g. Avocado, lentils, beans, peas, raspberries and whole wheat grains are good sources of fibre. 
Celebrity nutritional therapist Gabriela Peacock often recommends a fibre supplement made of glucomannan, which the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) has officially recognised as an ingredient that can help with weight loss. 
“It can be difficult to get enough fibre in our diet, so even though I always recommend a good dietary protocol first, a supplement can help balance blood sugar and energy, prevent excess calorie consumption and cravings,” she says. 
Adding lots of low-calorie high-volume vegetables will also fill you up. 
“Try spinach in a smoothie, bean sprouts in a stir fry, cauliflower in mash, berries in porridge, and cottage cheese on bread,” says Ludlam-Raine. 
Prepare for occasions like Christmas, holidays, weddings and parties by losing a little weight in advance so you can enjoy them without worrying.
Peacock recommends time-restricted eating to her clients when they want to shed a few pounds and get back on track. 
“That might look like 16 hours not eating and an eight-hour eating window, or 14 hours of not eating and 10 hours eating. It’s important to find a healthy plan that works for you. You don’t have to do it every day but for example in January after Christmas, it can be a useful reset,” she says. 
Doing a drastic diet and then reverting to how you used to eat as soon as you’ve reached your goal is a fast track to failure. This is also true for those who take weight loss drugs and then go back to old habits as soon as they stop taking them. 
“Don’t adopt short-term changes to lose weight you can’t sustain in the long run. For example, isolating yourself to avoid tempting foods. Sustainable weight loss should come from mastering new choices and practising them until they feel natural,” says Izadi. Successful dieters are also motivated by the new version of themselves, according to a review of 26 studies on weight management. “As one maintainer stated, ‘I feel like a new person. My whole life has changed. I could never go back again’ wrote the authors.’” 
That said, it’s not about never having any treats. The 80/20 approach allows people to enjoy indulgences 20 per cent of the time, so they don’t abandon their efforts. 
“Don’t feel guilty when you have a slip-up. Instead, make plans to get back on track as soon as possible. Doing this can prevent an ‘all or nothing’ approach to weight management,” says Madigan.
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