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Maintain Progress Over Time: a worn pair of walking shoes beside a glass water bottle, a bowl of fresh mixed vegetables and a closed paper notebook with a pencil on a wooden kitchen table in morning light

Healthy Weight & Metabolism

Maintain Progress Over Time

Maintaining progress means keeping the healthy changes you have made, and any weight change that came with them, going for years rather than weeks. This page is about long-term habits, support and getting back on track after slips, and it is written without blame or pressure.

General information, not medical advice. Last updated October 31, 2026. Written by the AlternativeMed editorial team. Not medically reviewed.

Start here

  • Pick the two or three habits you actually enjoy and can keep up on a bad week (a regular walk, a usual way of eating, a steady sleep time), and treat those as your base rather than aiming for perfect.
  • Decide now what you will do after a slip: a short check-in, one normal meal, a walk, and back to your routine the next day. Planning for lapses is part of maintenance.
  • Line up support that lasts: a friend, a group, a dietitian or your clinician. In a large trial, regular personal contact reduced regain more than going it alone.

Be careful with

  • Not everyone should focus on weight. If food rules feel rigid or frightening, or you restrict, binge, purge or exercise to compensate, that needs professional support, and tracking weight, calories or steps can make it worse.
  • People with diabetes, pregnancy, breastfeeding, under 18, older adults and anyone with a history of an eating disorder need clinician guidance before changing eating or activity. Never change or stop prescribed medicines on your own.
  • Regain after loss is common and is not a personal failing. Bodies defend against weight loss through appetite hormones, so judge yourself by habits and health, not only by the scale.

Get help when

  • Weight that keeps going up or down without a clear reason, or weight loss you did not intend. Both need a medical check; see Unintentional weight loss.
  • Constant worry about weight or body shape, avoiding eating with others, eating very little, making yourself sick or using laxatives after eating, or exercising excessively. The NHS says to see a GP as soon as you can if you think you may have an eating disorder.
  • New symptoms such as tiredness that does not lift, dizziness, a racing heart, fainting or missed periods while you are changing how you eat or exercise.
  • Low mood, hopelessness or thoughts of harming yourself. Contact a doctor or your local emergency number now.

About Maintain Progress Over Time

What this goal means

Most weight programmes are judged at the end of the programme, but health is built in the years afterwards. Maintaining progress means keeping habits that suit your life: how you move, eat, sleep and cope, and how you respond when life gets in the way.

It applies whether your progress is a weight change, steadier blood sugar, a fitter body or simply a routine you are proud of. For many people the most useful measure is whether the habits are still going, not the number on the scale.

1,2

What it can feel like

Common experiences are an early burst of motivation that fades, feeling that you have to be careful forever, guilt after a slip, hunger that seems stronger than before, or an all-or-nothing feeling that one off day has ruined everything.

These are common responses, not signs of weakness. After weight loss, appetite hormones such as leptin and ghrelin stayed different from baseline a year later in one study, and hunger was higher.

3

Contributing factors

Research on what predicts keeping weight off points to behaviours more than personal traits: sustained physical activity, regular monitoring, a consistent eating pattern, and lower disinhibition (eating that feels hard to stop). A systematic review found that demographic factors such as age and sex were not consistently predictive.

Support, stress, sleep, the food around you, medicines and health conditions all matter too. These are shared with the other goals in this section, so this page links rather than repeats them.

2,4,1

Related conditions

Overweight and obesity, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, and eating disorders each have their own pages. This goal page does not diagnose or replace care for any of them.

Realistic expectations

Long-term success is more common than people think but not guaranteed. In US survey data, about 17% of adults who had ever been overweight or obese reported keeping off at least 10% of their weight for a year or more. In one trial of 1,032 adults, after an initial loss of 8.5 kg on average, about 71% were still below their starting weight 30 months later, though they regained some.

Expect some regain and slips. Planning for them, and getting back on track quickly, is what the research on successful maintainers describes. In the National Weight Control Registry, maintenance seemed to get easier after two to five years.

5,6,1

Who this applies to

Adults who have changed their weight or habits and want to keep them. It is not a plan for losing weight (see Lose Weight Sustainably), for gaining weight or for people who may have an eating disorder, who should speak to a professional first.

Related conditions and symptoms

A manageable starting plan

An educational starting point, not a personal prescription. Adjust it to your own situation and any advice from your clinician.

Your first actions

  • Choose two to three habits you can keep up on a bad week and put them on a weekly schedule.
  • Set up regular support: a monthly check-in with a person or group is better than none.
  • Write a simple slip plan: what you will do next meal or next day.
  • Keep moving regularly in a way you enjoy, with some strength work.

Optional additions

  • Weekly weigh-in or a waist-fit check, only if it helps rather than worries you.
  • A notebook for how energy, sleep and mood are going.
  • A dietitian visit to tailor meals to your life.

What to track

  • Habit consistency: how many days a week you kept your base habits
  • Energy, sleep and mood
  • Strength and fitness (for example how far you can walk comfortably)
  • Trend in weight or waist, if you choose to track, over weeks rather than days

When to reassess

Every 3 months, check which habits are still going, what has become hard, and what support you need. After illness, injury, pregnancy, a big life change or a medicine change, reset the plan with your clinician.

When to seek professional support

  • Your GP or primary care clinician
  • A registered dietitian
  • A friend, family member or peer group
  • Mental health or eating disorder services if needed

What helps

Ordered by how well the research supports each step. Evidence strength is shown on every card; precautions sit next to the advice.

Start here

Keep regular physical activity going

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Associated with keeping weight off and protecting health

Why it may help: In the National Weight Control Registry, members who had lost a lot of weight reported about an hour of activity a day, and decreases in leisure-time activity were linked to more regain over 10 years. An American College of Sports Medicine review found cross-sectional and prospective studies suggest better maintenance with more than 250 minutes a week, but no well-designed randomised trial had judged it. The NHS says moving more can help you keep weight off.

How to apply it: Choose movement you enjoy and could repeat, such as walking, cycling, swimming, dancing or gardening, and build it into the week at fixed times. Add strength work on some days. The CDC advises choosing activities you enjoy because they are easier to keep going.

Who it may suit: Most adults who are cleared to be active; start gently if you have been inactive.

Precautions: Increase slowly. People with heart or lung disease, joint problems, pregnancy or other conditions should ask a clinician first. Compulsive or compensatory exercise is a warning sign; see the eating disorders page.

1,4,7,8,9

Build in ongoing support, not just a starting plan

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Less regain than going alone in trials

Why it may help: In the Weight Loss Maintenance trial, 1,032 adults who had lost weight were followed for 30 months. Monthly personal contact led to 4.0 kg regain versus 5.5 kg in the self-directed group. A meta-analysis of 45 trials found behavioural programmes covering both food and activity reduced regain by 1.56 kg at 12 months compared with controls.

How to apply it: Look for a regular check-in with someone: a dietitian, a clinician, a peer group, or a friend you walk with. NIDDK says effective programmes include regular feedback and support from specialists. Keep it going after the initial plan ends.

Who it may suit: Anyone who has made a change and wants to hold it.

Precautions: Effects were modest (about 1.5 kg), and the trials involved people with overweight or obesity. Choose programmes that do not use rigid rules or shame.

6,10,11

Keep a consistent, flexible eating pattern you enjoy

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Fewer big swings and less rebound eating

Why it may help: Registry members reported a consistent eating pattern across weekdays and weekends, regular breakfast and a lower-calorie, lower-fat style of eating, and decreases in dietary restraint and rises in fat intake and disinhibition were associated with more regain. In a 2-year trial of 811 adults, diets with very different fat, protein and carbohydrate mixes gave similar results, so the pattern you can keep matters most.

How to apply it: Keep the main structure of the way of eating that worked: regular meals, plenty of vegetables, fruit and fibre, and foods you like in sensible amounts. Allow occasional treats without turning them into a failure.

Who it may suit: Most adults without a medical reason for a special diet.

Precautions: The registry is observational and self-reported, so it shows links, not cause. People with diabetes should coordinate eating changes with their care team. Avoid strict rules if you have a history of disordered eating.

1,4,12

Additional options

Weigh yourself or check in on a regular schedule, if it suits you

Low certainty

Addresses: Earlier notice of small regain

Why it may help: A systematic review of 17 longitudinal studies found regular self-weighing was associated with more weight loss and not with adverse psychological outcomes. In the 10-year registry study, a lower frequency of self-weighing was associated with more regain. Another review found that self-monitoring was consistently linked with weight loss, but the evidence was weak.

How to apply it: If you choose to weigh, pick a fixed time (for example weekly), use a trend rather than a single day, and decide in advance what small step you will take if the trend rises. Waist fit, energy, strength and mood are also useful signs.

Who it may suit: Adults without a history of disordered eating who find numbers helpful rather than stressful.

Precautions: A study of 493 college students linked calorie-counting and fitness-tracking apps to higher eating concern and dietary restraint. Stop if tracking creates anxiety or rigid rules, and avoid it if you have an eating-disorder history.

13,4,14,15

Plan how to handle slips and high-risk times

Low certainty

Addresses: Quicker recovery after holidays, illness and stress

Why it may help: Registry members who regained were more likely to report reduced restraint and more disinhibition. Reviews of what predicts maintenance highlight behaviours that monitor and balance intake and activity, which fits planning a return to routine. Direct trials of relapse-prevention plans are limited, so this is based on observational data and the pattern across studies.

How to apply it: Write down your usual risky moments (travel, holidays, injury, a hard season at work) and one or two actions for each. After a slip, return to your regular routine at the next meal or day, without making up for it by skipping meals or over-exercising.

Who it may suit: Anyone who has had a setback or expects one.

Precautions: Never respond to a slip by fasting, purging or punishing exercise. If this happens repeatedly, talk to a clinician or the eating disorders resources.

4,2

Protect sleep and manage stress

Low certainty

Addresses: Steadier appetite and routines

Why it may help: Sleep and stress affect appetite and the food around you, and routines tend to slip when both are poor. The related section on sleep, stress and the food environment covers the evidence. This page does not repeat it, because it applies to every weight goal.

How to apply it: Keep a steady sleep time and a short daily stress outlet, and treat them as part of maintenance, not extras.

Who it may suit: Most adults.

Precautions: Persistent sleeplessness, low mood or anxiety need a clinician rather than self-management alone.

2

Still being studied

Ongoing medical treatment for obesity, decided with a doctor

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Weight regained when treatment stops in trials

Why it may help: In the STEP 1 extension, adults who stopped a prescription weight-loss medicine and the lifestyle programme regained about two-thirds of the weight they had lost within a year, and heart and metabolic measures drifted back toward baseline. The authors concluded that ongoing treatment is likely required. NIDDK says some medicines can help maintain weight loss.

How to apply it: Prescription weight-loss medicines are a class that only a doctor decides on after a full assessment. Ask your clinician what the long-term plan would be, including what happens if you stop.

Who it may suit: Adults with obesity or weight-related conditions under medical care.

Precautions: These medicines have side effects and are not for pregnancy or breastfeeding. Do not stop or change prescribed medicines without your prescriber. Evidence here is from medicine trials, not natural approaches; see the medical care page.

16,11

Longer, low-intensity support after an intensive programme

Low certainty

Addresses: Better maintenance of weight loss in one trial extension

Why it may help: In the 5-year DiRECT extension, people with type 2 diabetes who were offered low-intensity dietary support after a structured programme had more clinic visits with weight over 5% below baseline than controls (61% vs 29%). The extension was observational for part of the follow-up. In the 8-year Look AHEAD trial of 5,145 adults with type 2 diabetes, those given ongoing intensive lifestyle support lost 4.7% of starting weight versus 2.1% with usual education, and 50.3% vs 35.7% kept off at least 5%.

How to apply it: Ask whether your clinic or programme offers longer-term check-ins. Do not stop diabetes or blood-pressure medicines yourself; in DiRECT any changes were clinician-led.

Who it may suit: People with type 2 diabetes and a clinician-led programme.

Precautions: Findings are specific to a clinician-led programme for recent-onset type 2 diabetes in UK primary care and may not apply to everyone.

17,18

Food & nutrition

A way of eating you can keep

Long-term studies have not found one best diet for keeping weight off. In a 2-year trial of 811 adults, diets with different fat, protein and carbohydrate mixes led to similar weight changes, and regain began after 12 months in all groups. The practical message from NIDDK and the registry research is to choose an eating pattern you can enjoy for years.

Registry members reported regular meals, regular breakfast and a consistent pattern across the week. These are links from observation, not proof of cause.

  • Regular meals, including breakfast if you like it
  • A similar pattern on weekdays and weekends
  • Vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains and fibre-rich foods
  • Foods you enjoy, in amounts that leave you satisfied
12,1,4

Flexibility over rules

Lower dietary restraint and higher disinhibition were linked to regain in the registry, which suggests that very rigid rules can backfire. Aim for flexible habits rather than strict bans, and see the eating habits page for how different patterns compare. Do not use this page for calorie targets; those depend on you and your clinician.

4

Drinks and hydration

Water is a simple default. See the hydration page for fluids and daily wellbeing.

Remedies & supplements

Traditional use, laboratory findings and human trials are kept apart. "Natural" does not mean safe.

Green tea and green tea extract

Low certainty

Studied form and route: Tea, capsules or tablets

Intended outcome: Maintaining weight (claimed)

Human evidence: NCCIH says green tea's catechins and caffeine may have a modest effect on body weight, depending on the product and physical activity.

Traditional use: Used as a daily drink in many cultures.

Laboratory findings: Laboratory work on catechins and caffeine is the basis for fat-burning claims.

Limits: Effects reported are modest and not shown to prevent regain. The sources I read do not show benefit for long-term maintenance.

Interactions and precautions: NCCIH says liver injury is rare but has been reported with green tea products, mostly extracts in capsule or tablet form. Caffeine can affect sleep, blood pressure and pregnancy. Check with a clinician if you take medicines.

19

Other 'fat burners', detox teas, vinegar and metabolism boosters

Not enough evidence

Studied form and route: Supplements, teas, drinks

Intended outcome: Keeping weight off (claimed)

Human evidence: The site's claim-check page reviews the human evidence; for most of these it is weak or missing.

Traditional use: Some are traditional tonics, which is not evidence of weight benefit.

Laboratory findings: Animal and cell studies exist for some.

Limits: No evidence We verified shows that any supplement prevents weight regain.

Interactions and precautions: Products sold for weight loss can contain hidden drugs; stimulant products can raise blood pressure and heart rate. Avoid in pregnancy, breastfeeding, under 18 and with heart conditions unless a clinician advises. Tell your clinician about everything you take.

19

Therapies & care

Established care is described in general terms. Your own clinician decides what suits you, and prescribed medicines should never be changed without them.

Behavioural and lifestyle programmes with follow-up

Moderate certainty

Professional support Programmes covering both eating and activity gave small but significant benefits for keeping weight off in a meta-analysis of 45 trials, and monthly personal contact helped in a large trial.

Who it may suit: Adults who have lost weight or changed habits and want structure.

Precautions: Choose non-shaming programmes; avoid those with extreme restriction or guarantees.

10,6

Dietitian or registered nutrition professional

Low certainty

Professional support A qualified professional can tailor eating patterns to health conditions, culture and preferences, which NIDDK says supports sticking with a plan.

Who it may suit: Anyone with diabetes, other conditions or complex needs.

Precautions: Ask for weight-inclusive, non-restrictive advice if you have an eating-disorder history.

11

Psychological support

Low certainty

Talking therapies Registry members with lower depression and disinhibition were more likely to maintain. Support for stress, low mood and disordered eating is part of care; see the therapy page for stress and anxiety.

Who it may suit: People struggling with emotional eating, stress or low mood.

Precautions: Low mood lasting two weeks or more, or any thought of self-harm, needs a doctor or crisis line now.

1

Medical weight-management care

Moderate certainty

Medical care A doctor may discuss prescription weight-loss medicines or other treatments for obesity. In one trial extension, weight returned after medicine and lifestyle support stopped, so long-term plans matter.

Who it may suit: Adults with obesity or weight-related conditions.

Precautions: Side effects, interactions, pregnancy and breastfeeding need clinician advice.

16,11

Eating disorder services

Not enough evidence

Specialist care If food and weight feel frightening or compulsive, a GP can refer you to a specialist. The NHS names a charity helpline, Beat, on 0808 801 0677.

Who it may suit: Anyone with restriction, bingeing, purging, fear of eating or compulsive exercise.

Precautions: Do not wait; early help is better.

20

What to avoid

Habits, products and claims that can get in the way. Never stop a prescribed medicine without talking to the professional who prescribed it.

Risks that apply to most people

All-or-nothing thinking after a slip

Low certainty

Why: One off day does not undo progress; maintenance is about the overall pattern. Registry members who regained were more likely to show reduced restraint and more disinhibition, which can follow a 'might as well' mindset.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Treat a slip as information and go back to your regular routine at the next meal or the next day.

4

Treating a diet as a temporary project

Moderate certainty

Why: Programmes that end can leave people without habits to carry forward. In the 2-year diet trial, weight loss peaked at about 6 months and regain began after 12 months across all diets.

Who it applies to: Anyone coming off a plan

Try instead: Choose habits you could still do in five years, and keep some support after the programme ends.

12,6

Going it alone without any check-in

Moderate certainty

Why: In the large maintenance trial, those in the self-directed group regained more than those with monthly personal contact.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Arrange a regular check-in with a person or group.

6

Letting activity drop to nothing

Moderate certainty

Why: Decreases in leisure-time physical activity were linked to more regain over 10 years in the registry.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Keep a minimum routine on busy weeks, even short walks.

4

Personal triggers to check

Weeks of poor sleep or high stress

Low certainty

Why: These can push routines off course and make the surrounding food environment harder to resist; see the related guide.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Protect sleep and add a short stress outlet, and plan easier routines for those weeks.

2

Big life changes, holidays and illness

Low certainty

Why: Routine changes are common times for regain; self-reported high-risk situations are part of most maintenance advice.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Plan one or two simple anchors (walks, regular meals) for those periods.

2

Health conditions or medicines that change weight

Not enough evidence

Why: Some medicines and conditions raise appetite or cause weight gain, which is not a habit failure.

Who it applies to: People on regular medicines

Try instead: Ask your prescriber; do not stop a medicine yourself.

11

Products that need caution

Fat burners, detox teas and 'metabolism boosters' as a way to stay slim

Low certainty

Why: NCCIH describes only a modest effect of green tea on body weight, and liver injury has been reported with green tea extracts. The evidence for most other products is weak or missing; see the claim check.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Rely on habits, and ask a clinician or pharmacist before any supplement.

19

Calorie, step or weight apps used in a rigid way

Low certainty

Why: In a study of 493 college students, calorie-counting and fitness-tracking users had higher eating concern and dietary restraint. Apps can help some people but harm others.

Who it applies to: Anyone with a history of disordered eating or anxiety about food

Try instead: If an app causes worry or rules, stop using it and talk to a clinician.

15

Unsupported claims

'Keep off every pound forever with one trick'

Moderate certainty

Why: No single trick has been shown. Reviews find only small to moderate benefits from behavioural programmes, about 1.5 kg less regain at 12 months.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Be wary of guarantees and pick realistic, sustainable plans.

10

'Your metabolism is broken forever'

Mixed findings

Why: Appetite hormones stay different for at least a year after weight loss in one study, but that does not mean maintenance is impossible. Many people keep a large share of their loss over years.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Keep habits and support in place; see the metabolism myths page.

3,4

Common mistakes

Going back to old habits because the goal was reached

Moderate certainty

Why: In the registry, maintenance depended on sustained behaviour change.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Treat the goal weight as the start of maintenance, not the end.

4

Punishing yourself with restriction or exercise after a slip

Low certainty

Why: Restriction and compensating behaviours are warning signs of disordered eating, and can set up a cycle of loss and regain.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Return to regular meals and normal activity; seek help if the pattern repeats.

20

Judging success only by the scale

Low certainty

Why: Weight is one limited measure. Strength, fitness, mood, blood tests and how clothes fit matter too.

Who it applies to: Anyone

Try instead: Track a few signs of health, not just weight.

2

Stopping medical treatments or medicines without advice

Moderate certainty

Why: In the STEP 1 extension, stopping treatment was followed by regain of about two-thirds of the weight lost.

Who it applies to: People on prescribed medicines

Try instead: Talk to your prescriber before any change.

16

Evidence & safety

What the research shows

Keeping weight off is possible but takes sustained behaviour change. Observational data (National Weight Control Registry, 2,886 adults) show most weight lost was kept over 10 years, and survey data show about 1 in 6 adults who had ever been overweight kept off at least 10% for a year. Trials show regain is common, and ongoing support gives modest benefits (about 1.5 kg at 12 months). Appetite hormones stay altered after weight loss, and stopping medical treatment is followed by regain. Evidence for supplements is weak.

Limits of the evidence

  • The registry is self-reported and includes only people who succeeded, so it cannot show what causes success.
  • Most trials are 1 to 3 years, in adults with overweight or obesity, and often predominantly women.
  • Trials of support show small average effects, and many people regain anyway.
  • Few studies test relapse-prevention or lapse-management plans directly.
  • We did not read full texts for most studies, only abstracts; counts and numbers come from those abstracts.

Precautions and interactions

  • Weight is not the right focus for everyone, particularly anyone with an eating-disorder history.
  • People with diabetes, pregnancy, breastfeeding, under 18 and older adults need clinician guidance.
  • Never stop or change prescribed medicines without your prescriber.
  • Supplements can interact with medicines; tell your clinician and pharmacist.

Life-stage considerations

  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding: the NHS says pregnancy is not the time to diet; see the safety page.
  • Children and teens: the focus should be healthy lifestyle rather than weight; speak to a paediatric clinician.
  • Older adults: unintended weight loss can signal illness; get it checked.
  • Midlife: weight can change with menopause and ageing; see the midlife page.

Warning signs

  • Unexplained weight loss or gain
  • Constant worry about weight, rigid food rules, eating very little, making yourself sick or using laxatives, excessive exercise
  • Dizziness, fainting, racing heart, feeling very cold or exhausted
  • Persistent low mood, hopelessness or thoughts of self-harm: seek a doctor or crisis line now

Claim checks

Most people who lose weight regain it all.

Partly true, partly overstated

6,4

A supplement or detox tea will keep the weight off.

Unsupported

19

Weighing yourself is bad for mental health.

Mixed

13,15

There is one best diet for maintenance.

Not supported

12

Questions people ask

Is it normal to regain some weight?

Yes. In a large maintenance trial, participants regained some weight even with support, though most stayed below their starting weight. Some regain is common and does not mean you have failed.

How long does maintenance take to get easier?

Registry researchers reported that after people had kept weight off for two to five years, the chance of continuing greatly increased. This is observational and does not apply equally to everyone.

Why is hunger stronger after weight loss?

In one study, levels of appetite-related hormones were still different from baseline a year after weight loss, and hunger was higher. This is one reason support and planning matter.

Should I weigh myself?

It can help some people notice small changes early, and a review found no link with adverse psychological outcomes in people seeking weight loss. If weighing or tracking causes worry or rules, or if you have had an eating disorder, skip it and speak to a professional.

How much activity helps keep weight off?

Registry members reported about an hour a day. An American College of Sports Medicine review found studies suggesting more than 250 minutes a week helps maintenance, but no strong randomised trial settled it. Check with a clinician about what suits you.

Do I need to keep dieting forever?

The aim is habits, not a permanent diet. Look for a flexible eating pattern you enjoy and can keep, rather than strict rules.

What should I do after a bad week?

Go back to your usual routine at the next meal or day. Avoid skipping meals or punishing exercise. If bad weeks keep turning into cycles, talk to a clinician.

Do supplements help me keep weight off?

We found no verified evidence that they do. NCCIH describes only a modest effect of green tea on weight and liver concerns with extracts. Ask a clinician or pharmacist first.

Do I need medicine to maintain weight?

Not necessarily. Prescription options are for a doctor to decide. In one trial, weight returned after a medicine and lifestyle programme stopped, so ask about the long-term plan.

When should I see a doctor?

If weight changes without a clear reason, if food or weight feel frightening or controlling, if you feel unwell while changing habits, or if you have diabetes, are pregnant or take regular medicines.

Is this page medical advice?

No. It is general information, not personal medical advice, and it has no named medical reviewer. Talk to your clinician about your own situation.

References

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  2. Varkevisser RDM et al. Determinants of weight loss maintenance: a systematic review. Obes Rev. 2019;20(2):171-211. PMID 30324651. source
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  6. Svetkey LP et al. Comparison of strategies for sustaining weight loss: the weight loss maintenance randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008;299(10):1139-48. PMID 18334689. source
  7. Donnelly JE et al. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Appropriate physical activity intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(2):459-71. PMID 19127177. source
  8. CDC. Steps for Losing Weight (Healthy Weight and Growth). Page dated January 17, 2025. Read 2026-10-31. source
  9. NHS Better Health. How to lose weight: weight loss tips and advice. Read 2026-10-31. source
  10. Dombrowski SU et al. Long term maintenance of weight loss with non-surgical interventions in obese adults: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2014;348:g2646. PMID 25134100. source
  11. NIDDK. Treatment for Overweight & Obesity. Last reviewed May 2023. Read 2026-10-31. source
  12. Sacks FM et al. Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(9):859-73. PMID 19246357. source
  13. Zheng Y et al. Self-weighing in weight management: a systematic literature review. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(2):256-65. PMID 25521523. source
  14. Burke LE, Wang J, Sevick MA. Self-monitoring in weight loss: a systematic review of the literature. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011;111(1):92-102. PMID 21185970. source
  15. Simpson CC, Mazzeo SE. Calorie counting and fitness tracking technology: associations with eating disorder symptomatology. Eat Behav. 2017;26:89-92. PMID 28214452. source
  16. Wilding JPH et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022;24(8):1553-64. PMID 35441470. source
  17. Lean ME et al. 5-year follow-up of the randomised Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) of continued support for weight loss maintenance in the UK. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2024. PMID 38423026. source
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  19. NCCIH. Green Tea: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-31. source
  20. NHS. Eating disorders: overview. Read 2026-10-31. source

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