How Do You Maintain Weight Loss and Other Health Goals?

Ask Theresa is a weekly advice column by Theresa Link. A Virta Health Coach since 2015 and a loyal follower of the ketogenic lifestyle, Theresa is a Registered Dietitian who is an expert in living a metabolically-healthy life. 

Once you reach your weight loss goals, then what? It's a good problem to have, but in this week's column, Theresa offers advice on how to maintain your health goals long term after you have attained them.

❓Question:‍

Theresa,

I have lost my weight. Don't need to lose anymore. I’ve got my A1c below 5.7. I don't take meds for diabetes anymore. How do I maintain on Virta?

Sincerely,

Seeking to Sustain

👩🏻💻 Theresa:‍

Dear Seeking,

Congrats on reaching your goals on Virta! It’s a huge deal to lose weight, get off meds, and reduce your A1c to normal levels. Let’s give her a round of applause, folks! 👏👏👏

The first part is hard. Really hard. You’re faced with a multitude of challenges, from completely changing how you think about nutrition and understanding your body’s unique response to food to navigating plateaus, cravings, and social pressure.

The second part is also really hard - just a different kind of hard. In order to maintain your success, you’ll need to focus on three key areas. Let’s dive in.‍

Refresh your “why”

You might find that the reasons you initially decided to change your lifestyle are no longer as relevant. Perhaps you joined Virta to eliminate medications or to reduce your A1c levels to normal. Now that you’ve achieved these goals, it's essential to find new motivations to sustain your commitment. Maybe you want to avoid regaining weight, prevent the need for medications again, or keep your A1c levels steady. These are excellent reasons. You might also be inspired by the desire to maintain your new wardrobe, play actively with your grandkids, or train for a 5K. Whatever your reasons, it's important to update them regularly to match your current stage in the journey.‍

Continue monitoring for accountability‍

Raise your hand if you’ve made progress but then started to ease up on monitoring biomarkers like glucose, ketones, and weight. Remember, keeping track of these biomarkers is crucial for achieving your initial goals. As you’re looking to maintain it's fine to reduce the frequency of your monitoring a bit, but don’t switch to autopilot or you might start reversing your progress without realizing it. It’s normal to have lapses, and it can be tempting to stop weighing in or checking glucose until you feel “back on track”. However, this approach can set you up for further setbacks, making it more and more difficult to move forward again. Stay vigilant to maintain your progress.

If you find yourself experiencing more lapses, consider keeping a food diary. Initially, we often closely monitor our food intake, but this vigilance can diminish over time. A food journal can help you identify common pitfalls that might be causing weight regain or rising glucose levels.

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of maintaining your support system. The Virta Community is not just for newcomers; it's a fantastic way to stay accountable by helping others, too. Staying engaged with your community and coach, and regularly discussing your long-term goals with family and friends can significantly boost your chances of maintaining your health in the long run.‍

Practice Consistency Over Perfection‍

In the early stages of your Virta journey, you were probably very focused on eating correctly, counting carbs, measuring protein, and prioritizing healthy fats to avoid hunger and curb cravings. It's normal to become less diligent with these practices over time; in fact, all that measuring might not be realistic for the rest of your life. And that’s perfectly okay!

Consider what you can realistically sustain. Can you maintain your new weight without ever adding more variety to your diet? Is it acceptable for your weight to fluctuate up and down around your goal? Absolutely! There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, adopting a more flexible mindset can help you stay committed without the pressure to be perfect.

There's no single way to maintain your success, but incorporating these three principles can help you transition from focusing on short-term solutions to enjoying your new lifestyle for the long term!