How to maintain weight: healthy nutrition and weight management

Learning how to maintain weight can be just as challenging as losing it. Habits that may help include regular exercise, more movement throughout the day, stress management, enough sleep, and eating foods rich in fiber and protein while limiting excess sugar and highly processed foods. These sustainable changes may make it easier to keep weight steady after weight loss and support long-term health.

Here are some tips to help you maintain your weight through healthy eating and lifestyle habits:

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Exercise often

Regular exercise may play an important role in maintaining weight.

Research suggests strength training, such as weightlifting, may support a healthy metabolism. A meta-analysis found that resistance training, among other exercise modalities, was associated with improvements in blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes.

Studies also suggest that vigorous exercise may improve risk factors for chronic diseases by reducing fat around the organs, improving glucose and insulin levels, and supporting cardiovascular health.

Add more movement throughout the day

A common recommendation is to get around 150 minutes per week of physical activity. Some research also suggests that working more movement into the day may benefit long-term health.

Physical activity is any movement that uses energy, while exercise or workouts are a form of planned physical activity. Research suggests physical activity may be an important part of maintaining weight.

A 2014 study of about 19,000 adults in Norway found that people who were consistently more active than the recommended level gained less weight over time than people who were inactive, roughly 4–5 pounds less over an 11-year period. Weight still increased in all activity groups.

For health benefits beyond weight maintenance, such as lowering the risk of heart attack, diabetes, and other conditions, research suggests it may not matter whether you exercise in one continuous 30-minute session or break it up into smaller segments.

Do whatever way works best for you. Not all physical activity needs to be vigorous, and even taking the stairs or going for a walk can come with health benefits.

Try to eat consistent meals

Eating consistent meals can look different for everyone. There is no single best eating pattern, because it depends on how your body responds to food, how much you exercise, and whether you want to build muscle.

Many people believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day. One observational study of 354 people who had lost at least 10% of their body weight found that eating breakfast was associated with keeping the weight off, but only in men. However, one opinion article proposed that skipping breakfast may help some people manage weight by lowering overall calorie intake, while noting that cause and effect has not been established.

Ultimately, the research is mixed, and the best eating pattern may depend on the individual.

If you skip breakfast and find yourself extremely hungry later in the day and overeating, consider eating a meal earlier in the day.

But if you are not hungry in the morning and do not feel that breakfast supports your weight goals, you could try delaying your first meal to see how you feel without breakfast. A healthcare provider can help determine whether this approach is a good fit.

Manage stress levels

Managing stress may help with weight maintenance. Stress can lead to changes in the hormone cortisol, which may influence weight.

Chronic stress may also lead to lower levels of fullness hormones and higher levels of the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin. Some researchers believe these hormonal changes may be one of several contributors to rising rates of obesity.

Fortunately, there are ways to manage stress, such as exercising, meditating, or journaling. If stress greatly affects your daily life and relationships, talking with a mental health professional may help.

Eat more fiber

Fiber is a part of plant foods that is not fully digested. Instead, it helps promote regularity in bowel movements.

It may also help you feel fuller longer, which could make it easier to stick to smaller portion sizes.

A 2019 study found that eating more fiber was associated with greater weight loss and better adherence to a calorie-restricted eating plan over six months. Each approximately 4 g per day increase in fiber was associated with about 3 more pounds lost.

Some foods high in fiber include:

• Whole grains

• Beans and lentils

• Leafy greens

• Berries

• Broccoli

• Avocados

• Apples

Eat enough protein

A higher-protein eating plan may support body weight maintenance.

Research suggests a higher-protein eating plan during weight loss may support greater loss of fat tissue while preserving muscle tissue. A 2015 review concluded that eating at least 25–30 g of protein per meal may help improve appetite control, weight management, and cardiometabolic risk factors. 

The review also found that higher-protein meals modestly increased fullness, though they did not appear to reduce food intake at the next meal, and the authors noted that sticking with a higher-protein plan appeared to be key to seeing benefits.

A few foods high in protein include: 

• Red meat

• Poultry

• Fish

• Beans

• Tofu

• Tempeh

• Eggs

• Dairy products 

Limit excess sugar and highly processed foods

A higher intake of dietary sugars, including those found in many highly processed foods, may lead to weight gain.

Highly processed foods tend to be higher in calories and lower in other nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. They are sometimes called “empty calories” because they provide a lot of calories with less nutritional value.

A systematic review of trials and cohort studies found that, in adults, increased sugar intake was associated with an almost 2 pound weight gain on average. Decreased sugar intake was associated with comparable weight loss. The researchers did not establish an exact amount of sugar that causes weight gain.

Perfect eating habits are not the goal. Enjoying an occasional treat to satisfy a craving can fit into a balanced eating plan.

Consider planning meals in advance

Creating a plan for what foods to eat may help prevent impulsive food choices that do not align with healthy weight goals.

A consistent eating pattern and a habit of choosing nutritious foods can support healthy eating and overall wellbeing, which are key parts of nutrition and weight management.

Having a plan for what to eat may make it easier to stick to healthy habits on stressful days.

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Keep healthy snacks on hand

During a busy day, it can be challenging to prepare or cook healthy foods. Keeping healthy snacks easy to grab can make it easier to choose a nutritious option.

Try keeping some fruits and vegetables washed and prepped so they are easy to grab for a snack on busy days. If there is not time to prep produce, consider keeping nutritious, convenient foods on hand, such as nuts.

Try some more active hobbies

How you spend your leisure time may influence your weight.

One research study of more than 1,400 adults who had kept off a minimum of about 30 pounds for a year or longer found that people who watched more TV, and those whose TV time increased over the year, were more likely to regain weight.

Consider trying new, more active hobbies, such as:

• Gardening

• Hiking or walking

• Swimming

• Biking

• Dancing

• Kayaking

• Playing sports  

Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water may help support weight loss and your overall health. 

Swapping high-calorie beverages for water can reduce calorie intake. Staying hydrated may also help you feel fuller by increasing the volume of liquid in your stomach.

Get enough sleep

A 2021 study of adults in a 12-month behavioral weight loss program found that better sleep was associated with greater weight and fat loss. Short sleep may also increase appetite by raising ghrelin and lowering leptin, according to a 2023 review.

Getting enough sleep also supports overall health. Not getting enough sleep is associated with a higher risk of:

• High blood pressure

• Obesity

• Diabetes

• Weakened immune system

• Heart disease

• Dementia

• Mood disorders

Getting enough high-quality sleep is important for weight maintenance, overall health, and wellbeing. If you struggle to sleep through the night, consider adopting some good sleep hygiene practices, such as limiting your cellphone use in bed and your caffeine intake.

Grow your support system

The people in your life can influence your habits. Growing a support system of people who also follow healthy habits may help support your weight maintenance efforts.

A 2015 study found that people were more likely to make a health behavior change when their partner did, too.

Practice mindful eating

Mindfulness is a practice of slowing down and building awareness of the present moment. 

Often, people eat while distracted, such as while watching TV or working. Eating while distracted could lead to overeating.

Practicing mindful eating could help people slow down and bring more awareness to their meals, which may help them notice when they feel full.

Consider tracking food

Tracking the food you eat, either in a tracking app or by writing on paper, helps build awareness of how much you’re eating. 

Many people have a hard time remembering what they had to eat a few meals ago. So, they may not be aware of how much food they are eating. 

Tracking food may also help you stay aware of the types of food you eat. Tracking is not the right fit for everyone, and a healthcare provider or dietitian can help determine whether it makes sense for you.

Create sustainable habits

The goal is to create long-term sustainable habits that help you stay healthy throughout your life. 

Many people view restrictive eating plans as a short-term fix to reach a goal, and they may fall into an all-or-nothing mindset. In an all-or-nothing mindset, it is common to flip between doing everything “perfectly” and giving up after eating one food that is off the eating plan. People with this mindset may overeat with the goal of restarting tomorrow.

If you eat one food that you consider less healthy, it does not mean the whole day is ruined. Instead, view healthy eating as a long-term goal and aim for consistency and balance. One food does not have a big impact on weight; it is the foods eaten consistently that influence weight.

Eating a piece of birthday cake or one dessert can fit into a balanced eating plan when most meals are full of nutritious foods.

Get support from a healthcare provider

A healthcare provider or dietitian can look at the full picture, including eating habits, activity, sleep, stress, and medical history, and help set a healthy weight range. When lifestyle changes alone are not moving the needle, a healthcare provider, such as on Ro, can also talk through medical weight loss support. In some cases, prescription weight loss medications such as Wegovy (semaglutide) or Zepbound (tirzepatide) may be recommended alongside a healthy eating plan and regular physical activity.

Various factors may make it harder to maintain weight, ranging from biological and metabolic changes to lifestyle and behavioral factors. Difficulty keeping weight off is common and does not mean someone has failed.

Biological and metabolic changes

Some biological and metabolic changes that may contribute to trouble maintaining weight include:

• Metabolic adaptation: When someone loses weight, the body shrinks and burns fewer calories. Metabolism and calorie burn can also slow down more than expected, which is known as adaptive thermogenesis.

• Hormonal adaptation: Research suggests that weight loss can decrease leptin levels (a hormone that helps people feel full) and increase ghrelin levels (a hormone that increases hunger), and that these changes may persist long after the initial weight loss.

• Weight set point: Set point theory suggests the body has a weight range it tries to protect. According to this theory, weight loss may trigger increased hunger and a slower metabolism, which can push the body back toward its previous weight.

Lifestyle and behavioral factors

Some lifestyle and behavioral factors that may contribute to trouble maintaining weight include:

• Stress and sleep: High stress raises cortisol, which may contribute to weight regain. Lack of sleep also disrupts hunger cues, which may make it harder to balance food intake.

• Overeating after restrictive eating plans: Some people may be more likely to overeat after following a restrictive eating plan. Extreme calorie restriction may also cause shifts in metabolism and appetite-regulating hormones, which may make weight regain more likely.

• Mindset: Thinking of eating plans and lifestyle changes as short-term may make weight regain more likely than viewing them as new, long-term habits.

• Returning to old habits: Some people base eating plans on using willpower for a set period rather than building healthy habits into daily life. Viewing an eating plan as a quick fix may make it easier to drop the rules once it is over and return to less healthy habits.

To set yourself up for success, try viewing weight maintenance — and even weight loss — as a set of long-term lifestyle changes. Find the parts of your weight loss plan you enjoyed and focus on adding those habits to your daily life.

Consider asking yourself: What healthy foods and eating habits help you feel good? What exercises do you enjoy doing? What are some fun ways to add more movement to your daily life?

Exploring habits that help you feel better and that you enjoy will make them easier to follow consistently, and making them part of daily life may make it easier to maintain a healthy body weight.

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For some people, maintaining weight is just as challenging as losing it in the first place. However, there are many lifestyle changes that may help people maintain weight.

• It is possible to keep weight off by focusing on health, such as getting enough sleep, managing stress, eating nutritious foods, limiting excess sugar and processed foods, getting social support, and moving your body regularly.

• Restrictive eating plans and short-term weight loss plans may not build the habits that lead to long-term success, which is why it is important to practice sustainable, healthy lifestyle changes.

• Factors that can make weight maintenance difficult include metabolic and hormonal adaptations to weight loss, set point theory, returning to old unhealthy habits, sleep deprivation, and high stress levels.

• If you are experiencing challenges with weight management, reach out to a healthcare provider, including a Ro-affiliated healthcare provider, or a dietitian for support in creating a healthy and balanced lifestyle.