Weight loss tips & tricks: How to keep the pounds off permanently

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We're all familiar with that struggle of losing weight and the additional frustration of keeping the weight off. Just because you've reached a milestone of 20 or 30 lbs doesn't mean you stop and get back to eating burgers and fries twice a week. In fact, it takes so much more discipline and training to maintain good eating habits and a regular exercise regimen. Here are some tips on how you can lose the weight and keep it off for life.

1. Find a diet that you can maintain for the rest of your life. According to POPSugar, losing weight is more about making a lifestyle change and not about depriving yourself of your favorite food for six months. Create a diet in which you can substitute food with healthier alternatives. Instead of processed sweets, go for fruits.

2. Keep track of what you eat, in terms of calories. According to POPSugar, "Losing weight is about basic math: calories in cannot exceed the amount of calories the body uses up. And to lose weight, you'll need to create a calorie deficit." It's basically just watching what you eat. Consult your nutritionist about how you can switch around your food intake and pair it with an exercise regimen so you can lose weight effectively.

Additionally, watch out for your favorite coffee frappes, as these may contain as much calories as a whole lunch meal. Go for black coffee, or scrap the coffee habit altogether and go for green tea instead. It has caffeine, but more health benefits.

3. Take a walk. In fact, do it all the time. If you're on your phone, have a conversation while you're on your feet, or walk around the building office or block. If you're going up or down one level, take the stairs. Make an effort to keep moving. According to Health, the average person can burn 100 per hour sitting versus 140 per hour standing. Staying on your feet for about two hours per day while you work can help you lose 6 lbs more in a year.

Holly Wyatt, MD, a clinical researcher at the Center for Human Nutrition in Denver, told Health: "You can eat 250 calories less and then burn 250 by walking for 30 to 45 minutes. Over a week, that will produce about a pound of weight loss."

4. Hydrate yourself all the time. Hunger and thirstiness send the same signals to your brain, so you're more likely to mistake being hungry with being thirsty. Invest in a water bottle that tells you how much you've consumed in a day or install an app that can help you keep track.

5. Choose an exercise plan that you will enjoy. In fact, don't use the term "exercise," as it may cause emotional stress. According to LiveScience, even a study on rats showed that when they are forced to exercise, they could not control their pace and showed signs of stress. LiveScience recommends that you pick a routine with that "meet four requirements involving aerobics, non-competitiveness, predictability and repetitiveness" because this type of exercise may reduce stress. Whether it's yoga, zumba, running or soulcycle, pick an exercise regimen that you will enjoy doing to get you more motivated and help you stick to the routine better.