Maintaining a healthy weight is a vital part of good health. It can reduce your risk for serious medical conditions, such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

Controlling your weight requires a combination of eating habits, exercise and self-control. It is also important to stay motivated to keep your weight under control.

Eating habits

One of the best ways to control your weight is by establishing and sticking to healthy eating habits. You’ll need to put some thought into your strategy and consider the best foods to eat and when to eat them.

A good way to start is by making a food and beverage diary for a few days. Recording everything you eat or drink will give you an idea of the habits that may help you achieve your weight loss goals.

The most obvious way to improve your diet is by replacing unhealthy food with healthy choices, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A well balanced diet will keep you satisfied and feeling good, reducing your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

The most important part of a successful diet plan is to keep it simple and realistic. Taking one change at a time will ensure that you don’t feel overwhelmed or discouraged by your lack of progress.

Physical activity

Physical activity, combined with healthy eating habits, is the most effective way to control your weight. Keeping active helps you use up excess calories that would otherwise be stored as fat.

Regular physical activity reduces the risk of diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. It also lowers blood pressure and improves mood and sense of well-being.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that people get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. That includes any movement that raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster, like walking, bicycling or swimming.

The new version of the Department of Health and Human Services’ 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, outlines the amounts and types of physical activity needed to maintain or improve health. It offers individual and community-level strategies to make it easier to be physically active in the places where people live, learn, work, and play.

Self-control

Self-control is the ability to delay gratification or control impulses to avoid consequences that may be detrimental to your health. It is a skill that can be developed and strengthened over time through exercise, practice, and resetting your thought processes.

One way to increase your self-control is to focus on a specific goal or behavior that you want to improve. This will help you focus your energy and keep you motivated.

For example, if you are trying to lose weight, be sure to set SMART goals. These should be relevant, measurable, and achievable, as well as time-bound.

In addition, make sure to eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. These habits can also contribute to better self-control by improving your overall health.

Weight management

Weight management involves a variety of practices and behaviors to help someone maintain a healthy weight. It is different from dieting in that it involves managing one’s lifestyle with the foods that they eat, rather than trying to starve themselves or give up delicious but unhealthy food.

For most people, weight control is a matter of eating healthier foods in appropriate portions. This includes cutting down on refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta and cereals. Instead, opt for whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and oats, and eat plenty of vegetables, beans and fruit.

It also means learning to eat mindfully. Pay attention to the serving sizes on food labels, use smaller plates and bowls, and listen to your body’s signals when you are full. This will help you eat less and feel more satisfied.